[comp.sys.amiga.tech] A2500 harddrive still won't work - even with hddisk.device

u572555600ea@deneb.ucdavis.edu (0040;0000007723;0;195;141;) (04/10/89)

	Hi, this is the guy with the fried A2500 again.
 Well, I finally got a copy of 'hddisk.device', (all but the info
file) but the hard drive still will not work when mounted...

I doubt the info file could be the cause of it... Oh yeah, I even used
the installation disk, and when I ran "prep disk", I got a software
error and a message saying that it couldn't open harddisk.device(32).
(The version you sent me was 34, according to AmigaMon). I really
don't know what to do at this point. I've lost 10 hours of labor that
didn't get backed up, and much more time from not being able to use
it while I wait eternally for the new parts to get to the repairman.
 
Also, the hard drive itself whines in a high pitched noise that's really
noisy, really noticable, and 30 times louder and more intense than
the high pitch whine from Televisions and CRT's. Is my hard drive bad?
Is the controller bad? Is Commodore Bad? Or am I just cursed? Well, on
the bright side, my grades should be signifigantly better now that I
can't put as much time into programming. 

andy@cbmvax.UUCP (Andy Finkel) (04/11/89)

In article <3918@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> u572555600ea@deneb.ucdavis.edu (Frank Kuan) writes:
>
>	Hi, this is the guy with the fried A2500 again.
> Well, I finally got a copy of 'hddisk.device', (all but the info
>file) but the hard drive still will not work when mounted...
>
>I doubt the info file could be the cause of it... Oh yeah, I even used
>the installation disk, and when I ran "prep disk", I got a software

Oddly enough, your problem *is* caused by the hddisk.info file
(or lack of one)

that file is what Binddrivers uses to figure out which driver
goes with which board.  So put one in, and things should be
better.  (add a .info file called hddisk.info, of type TOOL
with the following tooltype

PRODUCT=514/1

(case is important)

and your hddisk should open.

>Is the controller bad? Is Commodore Bad? Or am I just cursed? Well, on
>the bright side, my grades should be signifigantly better now that I
>can't put as much time into programming. 

I think is a curse.  You went right to the correct answer, then
dismissed it.  That has *got* to be a curse of some sort :-)

			andy
-- 
andy finkel		{uunet|rutgers|amiga}!cbmvax!andy
Commodore-Amiga, Inc.

"Give me a Standard large enough, and a Committee to discuss it,
 and I will prevent the Earth from moving."

Any expressed opinions are mine; but feel free to share.
I disclaim all responsibilities, all shapes, all sizes, all colors.

jesup@cbmvax.UUCP (Randell Jesup) (04/11/89)

In article <3918@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> u572555600ea@deneb.ucdavis.edu (Frank Kuan) writes:
>
>	Hi, this is the guy with the fried A2500 again.
> Well, I finally got a copy of 'hddisk.device', (all but the info
>file) but the hard drive still will not work when mounted...

	The info file is _DEFINITELY_ needed.  It contains information as
to which piece of hardware the driver is for.

>Also, the hard drive itself whines in a high pitched noise that's really
>noisy, really noticable, and 30 times louder and more intense than
>the high pitch whine from Televisions and CRT's. Is my hard drive bad?

	Sounds like crashed heads.  Was it subjected to any shocks or bumps?
(including the table it sits on)  Could also be the anti-static bruch under-
neath the spindle, which keeps the platters from building up a static charge.
It is usually designed to rub against the bottom of the spindle.  You could try
carefully bending it away from the spindle, and see if the noise persists. 
Note: caveat user (let the user beware), don't do this if you don't know what
you're doing, and I suspect it will void your warranty.

	Some drives sporadically make lots of noise: particularily Rodimes.
I have such a rodime, it can make some nasty squeals, but has never lost any
data.  Commdore uses rodimes in some A2500's, I think.  Quantums are _very_
quiet, but run hotter.

-- 
Randell Jesup, Commodore Engineering {uunet|rutgers|allegra}!cbmvax!jesup

ugkamins@sunybcs.uucp (John Kaminski) (04/11/89)

In article <3918@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> u572555600ea@deneb.ucdavis.edu (Frank Kuan) writes:
>Also, the hard drive itself whines in a high pitched noise that's really
>noisy, really noticable, and 30 times louder and more intense than
>the high pitch whine from Televisions and CRT's. Is my hard drive bad?
hoo-boy...sure your heads did not crash?????  Now, I should say that the hard
disk that had a crash that I witnessed was not an Amiga hard disk, but was on
an MAI BASIC/4 (a rather bulky mini).  The crash started as a loud whine, and
progressed into something that sounded like a radial arm saw cutting a joist.
On this machine, it did that in a minute, but then again, this drive was one
removable pack/platter above a nonremovable platter, i.e., not sealed like
today's disks (matter of fact, the platters held only 10M and were somewhere
between 0.25 and 0.50 meters -- yes, HUGH by today's standards for that kind
of storage)

lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) (04/11/89)

In <3918@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu>, u572555600ea@deneb.ucdavis.edu (0040;0000007723;0;195;141;) writes:
>	Hi, this is the guy with the fried A2500 again.
> Well, I finally got a copy of 'hddisk.device', (all but the info
>file) but the hard drive still will not work when mounted...
>
>I doubt the info file could be the cause of it...

The .info file MUST be in the expansion directory with the driver.

>Also, the hard drive itself whines in a high pitched noise that's really
>noisy, really noticable, and 30 times louder and more intense than
>the high pitch whine from Televisions and CRT's. Is my hard drive bad?

There is a small grounding strap on the circuit board that contacts the
spindle. It is probably the cause of the noise. Increasing the tension,
decreasing the tension, or changing the bearing point will usually do the
trick. Another way is to dampen the vibration with a little drop of silicone
rubber on the metal strap itself (do not put the silicone on the contact
point).

-larry


--
Frisbeetarianism: The belief that when you die, your soul goes up on
                  the roof and gets stuck.
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+ 
|   //   Larry Phillips                                                |
| \X/    lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca or uunet!van-bc!lpami!lphillips  |
|        COMPUSERVE: 76703,4322                                        |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+