[comp.sys.mac.hardware] Quantum drives

ycju@s.cs.uiuc.edu (10/21/89)

 I have a Quantum internal 40-Mbyte Hard Drive in my MAC II and It failed last
week.  It is grate Apple announced the repair program so I got it "temporarily"
fixed.  But I think all of us have this question in our mind: "Will it really
solve the problem?" , "What if the lubricant becomes more sticky later and the
trick doesn't work any more?"  , "This repair program will last 2 years but can
we still get free or low-cost service later?",  "If the extra current generated
by the new PROM burns our driver later, who is responsible for that?"

Thanks for your attentions.
Ju, Yun-cheng

jtn@zodiac.ADS.COM (John Nelson) (12/13/89)

Does anyone know the truth about the Quantum drive problems, like...

	o Were the problems isolated to ONLY Apple drives?
	o Do the new PROMS fix the problem by redistributing the lubicrant
	  when the drive detects stiffness in the head arm?
	o Do the new PROMS degrade performance any?
	o Will my new Quantum drive die even if it has the new PROMS installed?

Degradation of performance is a big factor since one reason for buying
Quantums is the speedup over other drives without caches.




-- 

John T. Nelson			UUCP: sun!sundc!potomac!jtn
Advanced Decision Systems	Internet:  jtn@potomac.ads.com
1500 Wilson Blvd #512; Arlington, VA 22209-2401		(703) 243-1611

rar@auc.UUCP (Rodney Ricks) (12/14/89)

In article <10043@zodiac.ADS.COM> jtn@zodiac.ADS.COM (John Nelson) writes:
>
>Does anyone know the truth about the Quantum drive problems, like...
>
>	o Were the problems isolated to ONLY Apple drives?

No.  Amiga owners have had/are having the same problems.

It's not a problem with the Mac, it's a problem with the Quantum drives.
It's not Apple's fault, it's Quantum's fault.

I was planning on buying a Quantum 40Mb drive, until I heard about the
problem.  Then, I gave quantum some time to see how they would solve it.

I don't like the "solution".  Now I'm looking for another, approx. 40Mb,
fast, reasonably-priced, SCSI drive that will work on an Amiga 2000.

Does anyone have any advice?

>	o Do the new PROMS fix the problem by redistributing the lubicrant
>	  when the drive detects stiffness in the head arm?

From what I've seen on the net, the PROM may fix the problem, but it takes
away my reason for wanting the drive.

>	o Do the new PROMS degrade performance any?

Quantum says no.  Almost everyone that I've heard from who has a Quantum
says yes.  I know who I believe.

>Degradation of performance is a big factor since one reason for buying
>Quantums is the speedup over other drives without caches.

I agree.  That's why I'm not going to buy a Quantum, and I'm going to advise
anyone who asks me not to buy a Quantum.

>-- 
>John T. Nelson			UUCP: sun!sundc!potomac!jtn
>Advanced Decision Systems	Internet:  jtn@potomac.ads.com
>1500 Wilson Blvd #512; Arlington, VA 22209-2401		(703) 243-1611

Rodney Ricks
-- 
"We may have come over here in different ships,
 but we're all in the same boat now."   --   Jesse Jackson                   //
                                                                       \\  //
Rodney Ricks,   Morehouse College                                        \/

jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) (12/15/89)

rar@auc.UUCP (Rodney Ricks) writes:
>In article <10043@zodiac.ADS.COM> jtn@zodiac.ADS.COM (John Nelson) writes:
>>Degradation of performance is a big factor since one reason for buying
>>Quantums is the speedup over other drives without caches.
>
>I agree.  That's why I'm not going to buy a Quantum, and I'm going to advise
>anyone who asks me not to buy a Quantum.

Join the club.  The word 'Quantum' is not to be said in my presence in the
office unless you want to talk to Mr. Sledgehammer.  :)  I will support and
sell Quantums to my customers after MicroNet carries them again.  When they
do, then I will be convinced, but I am not going to talk to Quantum and one of
the idiot salespeople in the other office is quoting Quantums and in my fit of
hysteria I did my impersonation of Sam Kinison and said...
 
"If you (*bleep*)ing sell them, you can (*bleep*)ing fix the (*bleep*)ing
things!!!!!!!"

And the windows in the office did vibrate when I said that.  Get a clue
Quantum, I've already got a pain in my backside, I don't need another one.

I will not even troubleshoot a computer with a Quantum in it anymore.  I know
where the trouble is, but unfortunately, I can't very well shoot it.
 
     // JCA

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resgroup@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu (12/17/89)

I had the PROM upgrade 2 months ago.  It really gave me a lot of problems but
my drive works pretty well now.  I believe the "fix" really works.

Ju, Yun-cheng