zrde05@master.trc.amoco.com (Ess) (10/05/90)
I have a Maxtor XT8760 E disk drive that was pulled from an Apollo 3500 because it would not spin up. It sounds as if the brake is stuck. I have been in touch with various data recovery houses who are more than willing to take my money to recover the data. The prob- lem is that I believe the data to be good, it's the mechanics that need looking into. Does anybody have any suggestions as to whom could look/repair the drive without demanding $2000.00 to recover the data? All response appreciated. Bob Ess Amoco Production Company Tulsa, Okla 918-660-3638 zrde05@master.trc.amoco.com "I thought I saw a subliminal advertising executive walking down the street yesterday......but just for a second." --Steven Wright
davidb@brac.inmos.co.uk (David Boreham) (10/08/90)
In article <2096@apctrc.UUCP> zrde05@master.trc.amoco.com (Ess) writes: >I have a Maxtor XT8760 E disk drive that was pulled from an Apollo >3500 because it would not spin up. It sounds as if the brake is >stuck. I have been in touch with various data recovery houses who >are more than willing to take my money to recover the data. The prob- >lem is that I believe the data to be good, it's the mechanics that >need looking into. Does anybody have any suggestions as to whom >could look/repair the drive without demanding $2000.00 to recover >the data? All response appreciated. I've got one of these suckers in my DN3000. It sticks whenever the power goes off (about once every six months). I just take the machine apart, loosen the drive on its rails, pull it out and then give it a good whack back into its socket. I find that a couple of good shocks delivered in that axis will free the brake. An HP field service guy also told me that you can free the brake using the end of a pencil. Not sure which bit you prod though. David Boreham, INMOS Limited | mail(uk): davidb@inmos.co.uk or ukc!inmos!davidb Bristol, England | (us): uunet!inmos.com!davidb +44 454 616616 ex 547 | Internet: davidb@inmos.com
alien@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Tom von Alten) (10/12/90)
So this thing really has a _mechanical_ brake? Interesting...
I'd try to get at the rotor (possible?) and push start it before I'd
be whacking it. Or, I'd take the brake off, and not power cycle it
any more than necessary.
(speaking from principle, not Maxtor experience)
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Tom von Alten email: alien@hpdmlad.boi.hp.com
Hewlett-Packard Disk Mechanisms Division
208 323-2711
...and not speaking officially for Hewlett-Packard, of course...thompson@PAN.SSEC.HONEYWELL.COM (John Thompson) (10/13/90)
Tom von Alten write... > So this thing really has a _mechanical_ brake? Interesting... I'm not aware of any drives _without_ mechanical brakes. Of course, I try to avoid looking at hardware too closely. The universe makes much more sense when a computer is a black_box with a keyboard and display attached. :-) > I'd try to get at the rotor (possible?) and push start it before I'd > be whacking it. Or, I'd take the brake off, and not power cycle it > any more than necessary. I would definitely avoid "whacking" a disk drive. Some eons ago, when the 16MB hard drive (PC) I worked on was considered big, I needed to take the brake off. The company sent out the brake, which was just a bent metal tab, and walked me through it (ground yourself; take off the logic board; unscrew the old brake; screw on the new; ....) At that time, he also mentioned that the brake was needed _at_ _all_ _times_ to keep the disk from spinning freely. If this is the case with Maxtor drives (and on general principles IMHO) you should definitely _avoid_ removing the brake. > (speaking from principle, not Maxtor experience) ditto. John Thompson (jt) Honeywell, SSEC Plymouth, MN 55441 thompson@pan.ssec.honeywell.com As ever, my opinions do not necessarily agree with Honeywell's or reality's. (Honeywell's do not necessarily agree with mine or reality's, either)
alien@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Tom von Alten) (10/14/90)
John Thompson says
> I'm not aware of any drives _without_ mechanical brakes.
We make some here. I have looked closely at many designs of the
last few years, and I overlooked or have forgotten about any mechanical
brakes I've seen.
IMHO, a brake being "needed at all times to keep the disk from spinning
freely" sounds excessive. The amount the disk is likely to spin freely
in its lifetime is small compared to the stress from start/stop. Brakes
do make sense for start/stop, but why not use that energy to send power
back into the grid when you shut your drive off? ;-)
If my choice is a drive that won't spin up _with_ a brake, and one that
will _without_ a brake, I'd choose the latter!
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Tom von Alten email: alien@hpdmlad.boi.hp.com
Hewlett-Packard Disk Mechanisms Division