[comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware] A Klunker of a hard drive

U35828@uicvm.uic.edu (06/30/91)

I just finished putting together a 386sx-20 system.  A friend lent me a Seagate
 ST4051 to play around with until I get a better drive.

Everything works okay, except for the drive.  Whenever I power up, the drive
would make a squealing noise before going silent.  I have turn the system
on and off several times before the drive works.  Is this what they call
STICTION?  Are all Seagate MFM drives pieces of (expletive deleted), or just
the older ones?

It seems that my only solutions to this problem is to:  (a) Leave the computer
running all the time; (b) Replace the drive; or (c) Open it up, if I have
nothing to lose.  Any other suggestions?

ADDENDUM:  When I ran the SI disk test, I used to get data xfer rates of
409kb/sec.  Now it is down to 99kb/sec.   What the heck is going on?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 John Serrano-Bitnet: <U35828@UICVM>, Internet: <U35828@UICVM.UIC.EDU>

 Bond:  "Do you expect me to talk?"
 Goldfinger:  "No Mister Bond, I expect you to die!"