[comp.sys.dec] Noisy RZxx drives and how DEC is treating it the issue

levanon@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (Jacob Levanon) (04/03/91)

Greetings.
    We have several DECstation 3100 with RZ24, RZ55 & RZ56 drives.   Since the
time we received the machines, we have claimed that the drives are too noisy. 
DEC was willing to replace the drives once, however only the RZ24 replacement
worked. The new RZ24 is absolutely quite, while the RZ55 and RZ56 drives are
still very noisy (especially the RZ55).  At this point, our local DEC
engineers claim that this "must be a normal noise" and they are not aware of
similar noise problems elsewhere...  Our claim is that if DEC considers such
level of noise "normal", it must be that they never designed these drives for
an office environment...
    I am trying to collect any evidence available to prove that this IS a known 
problem and it was treated elsewhere (I recall reading about it somewhere,
before we had our DECstations).  I would appreciate any input on this issue.

Thanks.

marra@samuel.enet.dec.com (Dave Marra) (04/03/91)

> The new RZ24 is absolutely quite, while the RZ55 and RZ56 drives are
> still very noisy (especially the RZ55).  At this point, our local DEC
> engineers claim that this "must be a normal noise" and they are not aware of
> similar noise problems elsewhere...  Our claim is that if DEC considers such
> level of noise "normal", it must be that they never designed these drives for
> an office environment...

What type of noise are you hearing?  Can you describe the noise?  I
have RZ23,24,55,56,57's in my system(s).  The 55 is the loudest, it makes
a lot of clicking sounds when seeking (ie when doing anything other
than spinning)..

						.dave.

alan@ahmcs.uucp (Alan Mintz) (04/05/91)

In article <1991Apr3.040610.28745@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu>, levanon@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (Jacob Levanon) writes:
>     We have several DECstation 3100 with RZ24, RZ55 & RZ56 drives.   Since the
> time we received the machines, we have claimed that the drives are too noisy. 
> DEC was willing to replace the drives once, however only the RZ24 replacement
> worked. The new RZ24 is absolutely quite, while the RZ55 and RZ56 drives are
> still very noisy (especially the RZ55).  At this point, our local DEC
> engineers claim that this "must be a normal noise" and they are not aware of
> similar noise problems elsewhere...  Our claim is that if DEC considers such
> level of noise "normal", it must be that they never designed these drives for
> an office environment...

Isn't the RZ55 (6?) a Maxtor 8760S ?  As I recall, both motor and head movement
are relatively noisy by comparison to the Conner RZ23.
-- 
< Alan H. Mintz             | Voice +1 714 980 1034 >
< Micro-Quick Systems, Inc. | FAX   +1 714 944 3995 >
< 10384 Hillside Road       | ...!uunet!ahmcs!alan  >
< Alta Loma, CA  91701 USA  | alan@mq.com           >

ef1c+@andrew.cmu.edu (Esther Filderman) (04/06/91)

We have rz23, rz24 and rz57 drives.  The rz23s are the pits.  After a
few months they start to buzz and it grows louder as time goes by.  DEC
acknowledges that this is from a bearing that starts to become loose. 
The funny (?) thing is that 9 times out of 10  the loudness of the
buzzing will force you to replace the drive before it physically fails. 
 Since our machines that have rz23 have two, things can be pretty
horrid.   I'd say the average lifespan of one of our rz23s is about
eight to ten months.  This is fairly bearable (no pun intended), except
when a bunch all go at once.

The rz57s (two to a box!) sound a lot like rd53s (or is it rd55?), you
know, that distinctive frying bacon sound I've always thought of when I
think "microvax".    They are, so far, very reliable.

The rz24s are delightful, very quiet and reliable.

At one point, my office had two Vax3100s (two rz23s each) a Dec3100 (one
rz24) and a Dec5200 with 6 rz57s (in heavy use) hanging off.  The noise
almost drove us to drink.

----------------------

Esther C. Filderman     ef1c+@andrew.cmu.edu
System Manager          Library Automation
Mercury Project         Carnegie Mellon University

        They are gardeners and carpenters.
        They are not tomato men.