woody@pawl.rpi.edu (Chris A. Widmann) (02/14/89)
I just installed a Seagate ST-251 40 meg hard drive in a 20MHz AT clone.
The drive works great for a few minutes and then it starts to squeel like
crazy. The problem will disappear and reappear after a few more minutes. It
doesn't affect the performace of the drive at all, and seems like only a
part in the drive is vibrating but doesn't affect anything else. I am worried
that it might actually be something rubbing at the spindle and creating the
load squeel. Is it actually destructive to the drive? I will probably end up
taking it in to get it serviced. BTW: it was brand new!
Chris Widmann (Woody) "It is a dog eat dog world out there
Internet: woody@pawl.rpi.edu and I'm wearing Milkbone underwear."
woody@uruguay.acm.rpi.edu
WWIVnet : 1@5853 cdold@starfish.Convergent.COM (Clarence Dold) (02/14/89)
From article <591@rpi.edu>, by woody@pawl.rpi.edu (Chris A. Widmann): > > I just installed a Seagate ST-251 40 meg hard drive in a 20MHz AT clone. > The drive works great for a few minutes and then it starts to squeel like > crazy. The problem will disappear and reappear after a few more minutes. It > doesn't affect the performace of the drive at all, and seems like only a > part in the drive is vibrating but doesn't affect anything else. I am worried > that it might actually be something rubbing at the spindle and creating the > load squeel. Is it actually destructive to the drive? I will probably end up > taking it in to get it serviced. BTW: it was brand new! You'll probably get tons of mail on this one. The squeal is almost certainly the spindle grounding brush. Aggravated by vertical mounting, this is a flat copper piece with a small piece of carbon that goes from the PC board to the spindle in the center of the drive. Most of them chatter or squeal. One fix is to remove the PC board, or at least loosen it up for working room. bend the tab TOWARD the spindle, so that it increases the pressure. This will eliminate the squeal. Another fix is to put a dab of RTV silicone on the copper piece, dampening out the oscillations. both of the above are approved fixes by Seagate. another fix you will hear, but that I wouldn't recommend, is to take the tab off, and throw it away. I doubt that it would have been installed if it wasn't part of the design. -- Clarence A Dold - cdold@starfish.Convergent.COM (408) 434-2083 ...pyramid!ctnews!professo!dold MailStop 18-011 P.O.Box 6685, San Jose, CA 95150-6685
nanook@novavax.UUCP (Keith Dickinson) (02/15/89)
in article <591@rpi.edu>, woody@pawl.rpi.edu (Chris A. Widmann) says: > Xref: novavax comp.unix.questions:12484 comp.unix.xenix:5276 comp.sys.ibm.pc:27727 > I just installed a Seagate ST-251 40 meg hard drive in a 20MHz AT clone. > The drive works great for a few minutes and then it starts to squeel like > crazy. The problem will disappear and reappear after a few more minutes. It > doesn't affect the performace of the drive at all, and seems like only a > part in the drive is vibrating but doesn't affect anything else. I am worried > that it might actually be something rubbing at the spindle and creating the > load squeel. Is it actually destructive to the drive? I will probably end up > taking it in to get it serviced. BTW: it was brand new! > > Chris Widmann (Woody) "It is a dog eat dog world out there > Internet: woody@pawl.rpi.edu and I'm wearing Milkbone underwear." > woody@uruguay.acm.rpi.edu > WWIVnet : 1@5853 Chris, There is only 1 possible (non destructive) possability for the noise you are hearing from your drive. If you remove your drive from the computer and turn it over, you will see near the center of the PC-Board a strip of metal soldered to the PCB and running to the 'hub' of the spindle. This strip is called a Ground Tab. It's used to eliminate static buildup on the disks. That strip MAY be vibrating a little when the spindle runs. This could give you a "buzzing" sound that can get rather loud. If you remove the screws from the board (there are three screws on the edges) and bend the ground tab in so that it will make better contact (or possibly twist it slightly in case the buzzing is coming from a rough edge) and re-attach the board (do not torque the screws more than 8lbs/in please) it SHOULD get rid of your problem (or atleast change the noise). While you have the board loose, you might wish to look under the PCB to check for any foreign objects (paper, styro-peanuts, etc). That kind of stuff, when rubbing aginst the spindle motor, can create a terrible rackette. If these solutions don't do anything for you, I'm affraid your just out of luck. The problem will be inside your drive and you will simply have to get it replaced. Seagate grants a 1 year waranty on drives so you should be able to take it back to the place you purchaced it from (with a reciept) and simply swap it out for a new one. Sorry your having troubles. Keith Dickinson Seagate Technician Delray Beach Repair Facility --- _ /| | Fidonet : 369/2 [(305) 421-8593] Brave Mew World South \'o.O' | Internet : nanook@muadib.FIDONET.ORG =(___)= | UUCP : (novavax,hoptoad!ankh,muadib)!nanook U | USNail : 433 SE 13th CT. J-202, Deerfield Beach, Fl. 33441 Ack! | Disclamer: This message was created by a faulty AI program. Don't blame me...I voted for Bill'n'Opus in '88
frank@ut-emx.UUCP (Frank Abernathy) (02/16/89)
In article <591@rpi.edu>, woody@pawl.rpi.edu (Chris A. Widmann) writes: > > I just installed a Seagate ST-251 40 meg hard drive in a 20MHz AT clone. Some stuff deleted. > load squeel. Is it actually destructive to the drive? I will probably end up > taking it in to get it serviced. BTW: it was brand new! > Seagate offers a 1year warranty with their drives. Take it back to the reputable dealer/distributor you bought it from, with a copy of the receipt.
ccdn@levels.sait.edu.au (DAVID NEWALL) (02/16/89)
In article <591@rpi.edu>, woody@pawl.rpi.edu (Chris A. Widmann) writes: > I just installed a Seagate ST-251 40 meg hard drive in a 20MHz AT clone. > The drive works great for a few minutes and then it starts to squeel like > crazy. The problem will disappear and reappear after a few more minutes. Every hard drive I've ever seen, excepting those that are operated in controlled environments, has exhibited this problem to some degree or other. Mind you, I've never heard of a _new_ drive doing it. (Makes me wonder if the drive is truly new.) I was told that this noise issues from an earthing strap that sits on top of the drive spindle. Apparently the strap can move off centre, and this causes the squeeling sound. Apparently, also, it's nothing to worry about. Mind you, my old 80MB Wren had this problem; which I ignored. It got more persistent and eventually the drive died. Sad! I personally believe that the dust which accumulates inside computers kept in uncontrolled environments, is a major factor in this problem. David Newall Phone: +61 8 343 3160 Unix Systems Programmer Fax: +61 8 349 6939 Academic Computing Service E-mail: ccdn@levels.sait.oz.au SA Institute of Technology Post: The Levels, South Australia, 5095