Q2813@pucc.UUCP (09/24/87)
I have a PC'S LIMITED AT with a 40mb hard disk. For the past 3 months the hard disk has periodically not spun up when the machine was turned on. This sometimes happened without fail for weeks at a time, so the machine essentially had no hard disk. The whole thing went to the shop several times, and I personally swapped in a new controller, new power source, and new hard disk. The results were the same; the hard disk drive refused to spin. The "solution"? Shake the drive back and fourth until it rattles. (I am not kidding) Does anyone have a better solution? Has anyone else had this problem? Una Smith (Q2813@PUCC.BITNET)
agnew@trwrc.UUCP (R.A. Agnew) (09/25/87)
In article <3407@pucc.Princeton.EDU> Q2813@pucc.Princeton.EDU writes: >I have a PC'S LIMITED AT with a 40mb hard disk. For the past > >The "solution"? Shake the drive back and fourth until it rattles. >(I am not kidding) > >Does anyone have a better solution? Has anyone else had this problem? > Try loking at the little lever on the side that the stepper motor moves when it seeks. If it's jammed all the way forward, move it gently off the stops with a pencil or something -- then power on and reboot.
john@bby-bc.UUCP (john) (09/25/87)
> 3 months the hard disk has periodically not spun up when the > machine was turned on. This sometimes happened without fail for > weeks at a time, so the machine essentially had no hard disk. . . > The "solution"? Shake the drive back and fourth until it rattles. > (I am not kidding) > > Does anyone have a better solution? Has anyone else had this problem? > Yes I had exactly the same problem with my Rodime 203e . The problem turned out to be the brake. It is a solenoid with a little circular tab of cork which is forced against the shaft. The cork had worn asymetrically and so (sometimes) as the drive braked the solenoid shaft became skewed (i.e. there was now enough play/clearance that the shaft could be shifted slightly to the side) and basically "wedged" up against the shaft. An easy way to check, if the motor shaft is accessible is to power up and give the shaft a turn by hand. Fixing this is easy: take the solenoid out and true up the cork with a razor blade. hope this helps. john