pml@usl.UUCP (Patrick Landry) (01/07/86)
As promised, here are the answers I received to my question.
All I wanted to know was whether or not it was alright to stand my
PC-AT compatible on its end. If you don't want to read the responses
the answer in all cases was that it was ok. The actual text of the
responses is appended here.
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To: houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!akgua!akgub!usl!pml
Subject: Re: Standing PC-AT on end
References: <663@usl.UUCP>
I have been standing PC's on end for two years now. First my original
PC with a Syquest 5MB removable winnie, and for the last year, a PC/AT
with 20MB CMI drive plus Syquest removable winnie. I have noted absolutely
no failures or odd behavior in that time. I don't have the drive
specifications for the CMI drive, but the Syquest drive specification
literature DOES INDICATE that the drive may be mounted horizontally OR
vertically. And IBM itself SELLS a vertical mount for the PC/AT. If
IBM blesses this configuration, I think you are safe in using it.
Rick Richardson, PC Research, Inc. (201) 922-1134
..!ihnp4!houxm!castor!{rer,pcrat!rer} <--Replies to here, not to homxb!!!
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From: Tim Kelley <ut-sally!seismo!mcnc!ecsvax!ctk>
To: usl!ARPA!UUCP!pml
Subject: Re: Standing PC-AT on end
Organization: NCSU Dept. of mathematics
My AT has been on it's end under my desk for 8mos. While a CMI hard disk
died last month (not the fault of the orientation, I hope) I've had no
trouble. My new (non - CMI) hard disk works fine. Good luck.
--
C.T. Kelley decvax!mcnc!ecsvax!ctk
Dept. of Math. N.C. State U. Box 8205
Raleigh, N.C. 27695-8205, 919-737-7895
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From: ut-sally!seismo!udel-louie.ARPA!cayz
To: Patrick Landry <usl!BRL.ARPA!pml>
Subject: Re: Standing PC-AT on end
Patrick,
I haven't done it with my AT yet, but have seen it done at our
Microcomputing Resource Center, and I and a co-worker flipped his XT. The AT
at the MRC was installed that way, but our XT was already in use, so we did a
full backup ( just in case ), ran SHIPDISK off the IBM Setup Disk and
flipped it, proped between a desk and a window. Ran CHKDISK, got no missing
files. It makes a little extra noise on startup, but it doesn't lose anything
that we notice.... Just pray that he doesn't move the desk, or the window
doesn't break in the next hurricane :-).
James
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARPA: cayz@louie.udel.edu (best) CSNET: cayz%louie.udel.edu@csnet-relay
UUCP: ...!harvard!cayz@louie.udel.edu AT&T: +1 302 451-6718
USPS: James Cayz, ETL, 125 Evans Hall, University of Delaware, Newark DE 19716
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From: ut-sally!topaz!BLUE!BRAIL
Subject: Re: Standing PC-AT on end
To: ut-sally!usl!pml@TOPAZ.RUTGERS.EDU
I seem to recall some discussion a while ago on Info-Ibmpc
about the problems with the original PC-AT hard disks, whih were made
by CMI. Someone theorized that the problems were compounded in ATs
that were placed sideways. I think a few people had this same problem.
Other brands of hard disks might not have this proble Just a
warning...I hope it helps.
ARPA: Brail@blue.rutgers.edu
UUCP: ..{ihnp4,ut-sally,seismo,harvard,allegra}!topaz!blue!brail
USNAIL: don't bother
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From: ut-sally!harvard!kevin (Kevin Crowston)
To: pml
Subject: Re: Standing PC-AT on end
Organization: Aiken Comp Lab, Harvard
I have an IBM PC/AT in my office that's been running
for about a month now standing on its side. I had
a stand but it didn't fit, so the machine is currently
just on its side, wedged between the wall and the desk.
So far, I've had no problems (I leave it on around the
clock).
As usually, I make no promises. Your mileage may vary.
Kevin Crowston UUCP: {seismo,ut-sally}!harvard!kevin
MIT Sloan School of Management ARPA: kevin@harvard.ARPA
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From: johnl@ima.UUCP
Subject: Re: Standing PC-AT on end
I have been operating several IBM PC ATs on their ends for over a year.
They work fine. The extremely marginal CMI disks worked slightly worse
when sideways, but sturdier disks such as Seagates work fine. IBM has an
expensive floor mount kit they can sell you, but merely putting the box on
the floor sideways next to your desk works just fine. Ditto for PC XTs.
John Levine, ima!johnl
PS: On the fourth of July an air conditioner blew up, filling the room
with about an inch of anti-freeze solution. Fortunately, the ATs that were
on the floor had about an inch and a half of air space at the lower end, so
after I opened them up and wiped them out, they continued to work fine. I
was amazed. I suppose there's something to be said for IBM's "high volume"
package.
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From: HEWETT@sumex-aim.arpa (Mike Hewett)
Subject: re: sideways hard disks
Given the distance between the head and the disk in state-of-the-art
hard disk drives, I'm *certain* that the manufacturers do not count
on gravity to maintain the distance. If so, then a hard disk
manufactured near the equator would probably not work in North
America because of differences in the force of gravity.
So, although I'm not an expert, I would say that running a hard
disk sideways or even upside-down should work okay.
Mike Hewett
(HEWETT@SUMEX-AIM)
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From: MEAD@usc-eclb.arpa (Dick)
Subject: re: sideways hard disks
The head-arm assemblies are built with flex tension forcing the head onto
the disk platter and the heads are forced away and fly due to the turbulence
caused by the spinning disk platters ( a very simplistic explaination, I know)
so it does not matter which orientation the disk is in, other than to provide
for ventilation or reduction of heat on the pc card attached
Most disk makers state in their specs that orienation is not a factor.
-------
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From: hsu@eneevax.UUCP (Dave Hsu)
Subject: Re: sideways hard disks
In article <790@brl-tgr.ARPA> MEAD@usc-eclb.arpa (Dick) writes:
>The head-arm assemblies are built with flex tension forcing the head onto
>the disk platter and the heads are forced away and fly due to the turbulence
>caused by the spinning disk platters ( a very simplistic explaination, I know)
>so it does not matter which orientation the disk is in, other than to provide
>for ventilation or reduction of heat on the pc card attached
>Most disk makers state in their specs that orienation is not a factor.
>-------
On the other hand, the platter assembly is usually mounted directly to the
bottom of the case, and some warpage occurs if too much heat builds up,
affecting the angle between the heads and the platters. I'm not certain
what effect mounting the drives sideways has on this warpage, but I suspect
it may become worse as the the weight of the platters will torque the spindle
instead of moving it towards the base of the drive housing.
Comments?
-dave
--
David Hsu Communication & Signal Processing Lab, EE Department
<disclaimer> University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
hsu@eneevax.umd.edu {seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu CF522@UMDD.BITNET
And then there were none.
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From: german@uiucuxc.CSO.UIUC.EDU
Subject: Re: Standing PC-AT on end
We have used PCs, XTs and ATs on their sides without any trouble. IBM offers
a Floor-Standing Enclosure for $165.00, part 0218 for the PC/AT, though I didn't
see where they came out and said it was OK to use it. :-)
Greg German
UUCP: {ihnp4,pur-ee,convex}!uiucdcs!uiucuxc!german
ARPANET: german%uiucuxc@uiuc.arpa
CSNET: german%uiucuxc@uiuc.csnet
US Mail: Univ of Illinois, CSO, 1304 W Springfield Ave, Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: 217-333-8293
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From: farren@well.UUCP (Mike Farren)
Subject: Re: Standing PC-AT on end
Since IBM themselves sell a box to put your AT in standing on its
side, I must presume it's O.K. Also, I've had my PC on its side on and
off for quite a while, and never had a problem.
--
Mike Farren
uucp: {dual, hplabs}!well!farren
Fido: Sci-Fido, Fidonode 125/84, (415)655-0667
USnail: 390 Alcatraz Ave., Oakland, CA 94618