[comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware] can I install my hard disk upside down?

young@netcom.UUCP (Michael Young) (12/13/90)

I just acquired a full height hard drive when we closed one of our
offices and was attempting to install it on my XT clone.  The problem
is that the drive bay configuration does not match the drive too well,
it only fits upside down.  It would fit correctly if the drive didn't
have these little tabs that were used to hold it in the machine it
used to be in, I'm not really interested in doing surgery on the drive.
Would it be a problem to intall is upside down?  I found it upside
down in a box so it's been that way for a while. 

Thanks in advance,

Michael Young
...!apple!netcom!young

millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu (Neal Miller,,,) (12/13/90)

From article <18653@netcom.UUCP>, by young@netcom.UUCP (Michael Young):
> I just acquired a full height hard drive when we closed one of our
> offices and was attempting to install it on my XT clone.  The problem
> is that the drive bay configuration does not match the drive too well,
> it only fits upside down.  It would fit correctly if the drive didn't
> have these little tabs that were used to hold it in the machine it
> used to be in, I'm not really interested in doing surgery on the drive.
> Would it be a problem to intall is upside down?  I found it upside
> down in a box so it's been that way for a while. 
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Michael Young

	Last year, I somehow managed to mount my Seagate 251-1 upside down.
I have no idea how, but I've never had much of any problem with the drive.
Granted, I keep my CPU on its side, but I've never had any problems with it
in any orientation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Neal Miller          |  "Why not go mad?"     |  millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu
 Clarkson University  |        - Ford Prefect  |  millernw@clutx.bitnet 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr) (12/13/90)

In article <18653@netcom.UUCP> young@netcom.UUCP (Michael Young) writes:
| I just acquired a full height hard drive when we closed one of our
| offices and was attempting to install it on my XT clone.  The problem
| is that the drive bay configuration does not match the drive too well,
| it only fits upside down.  It would fit correctly if the drive didn't
| have these little tabs that were used to hold it in the machine it
| used to be in, I'm not really interested in doing surgery on the drive.
| Would it be a problem to intall is upside down?  I found it upside
| down in a box so it's been that way for a while. 

  In general drive are designed to be *operated* flat, or on either
side. They are not designed to operate upside down or on their front or
back. The effects of doing this will vary from vendor to vendor, but I
wouldn't unless I was willing to write off the drive if the experiment
failed.

  If the tabs are just for mechanical mounting I would be a lot more
willing to remove them than run the drive upside down. Also, if possible
bend them back and forth until they break, rather than cutting or
filing, which create little bits of metal.
-- 
bill davidsen - davidsen@sixhub.uucp (uunet!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen)
    sysop *IX BBS and Public Access UNIX
    moderator of comp.binaries.ibm.pc and 80386 mailing list
"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me

russell@spdcc.COM (Tim Russell) (12/13/90)

From article <18653@netcom.UUCP>, by young@netcom.UUCP (Michael Young):
> Would it be a problem to intall is upside down?  I found it upside
> down in a box so it's been that way for a while. 

    I really wouldn't see any reason why not, but you might want to call the
drive manufacturer just to make sure.  One good piece of advice, though, just
for safety's sake, it might be advisable to low-level format the drive in its
upside-down position.  I know that's a good idea when you place a CPU vert-
ically that has been horizontal.

-- 
____                "Mankind must without a doubt be the most conceited race
\TR/  Tim Russell    in the universe, for who else believes that God has
 \/   Omaha NE       nothing better to do than sit around all day and help
 russell@spdcc.com   him out of tight spots?"            -- Alan Dean Foster

peter@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Peter Wu) (12/13/90)

In article <18653@netcom.UUCP> young@netcom.UUCP (Michael Young) writes:
>Would it be a problem to intall is upside down?  I found it upside
>down in a box so it's been that way for a while. 

According to the docs that came with my HD, you should never install a
HD upside down.  On it's side or bottom is fine, just not upside down.
I suggest you find some other way to install it if possible ...

>Michael Young

Pedro Quien?		peter@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu		Peter Wu

cy5@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Conway Yee) (12/14/90)

In article <1990Dec13.033658.7360@grape.ecs.clarkson.edu> millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu writes:
>From article <18653@netcom.UUCP>, by young@netcom.UUCP (Michael Young):
>> I just acquired a full height hard drive when we closed one of our
>> offices and was attempting to install it on my XT clone.  The problem
>> is that the drive bay configuration does not match the drive too well,
>> it only fits upside down.  It would fit correctly if the drive didn't
>> have these little tabs that were used to hold it in the machine it
>> used to be in, I'm not really interested in doing surgery on the drive.
>> Would it be a problem to intall is upside down?  I found it upside
>> down in a box so it's been that way for a while. 
>
>	Last year, I somehow managed to mount my Seagate 251-1 upside down.
>I have no idea how, but I've never had much of any problem with the drive.
>Granted, I keep my CPU on its side, but I've never had any problems with it
>in any orientation.

Thus, the net effect is that the drive is mounted on its side.

To Michael Young, the original poster, what exactly is it that is preventing
you from mounting the drive right side up?  If it is the rails, then just
remount them in the proper holes.  Many mounting rails come with several
sets of screw holes.  If you screw them onto the drive using the wrong
ones, then it will not go into the drive bay properly.

In thinking about  the shape of the drive, I can not think of anything
else that would non-symmetrically stick out to prevent proper fit into 
the drive bay.  


					Conway Yee, N2JWQ
yee@ming.mipg.upenn.edu    (preferred)             231 S. Melville St.
cy5@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (forwarded to above)    Philadelphia, Pa 19139
yee@bnlx26.nsls.bnl.gov    (rarely checked)        (215) 386-1312

noesis@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (60276000) (12/14/90)

according to the Seagate docs, as long as the drive is a multiple of 90
degrees, no problem (either side, top or bottom). they do say NEVER install
it at another angle (tollerance +/- 3 degrees)

alz@tc.fluke.COM (Al Weiss) (12/20/90)

In article <1990Dec13.084929.6794@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> peter@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Peter Wu) writes:
>In article <18653@netcom.UUCP> young@netcom.UUCP (Michael Young) writes:
>
>According to the docs that came with my HD, you should never install a
>HD upside down.  On it's side or bottom is fine, just not upside down.
>I suggest you find some other way to install it if possible ...

It depends upon upon the manufacturer AND model.  Check the
specifications or call the manufacturer to find out about the
specific model in question.  Don't go by heresay.  Some specifically
state that any orientation is ok, others limit it.  The computers
that I help oversee the manufacturing of have the HDs upside down.
Seagate never even got a foot in the door because of their
limitations (although maybe some of their newly designed models do
better now).

Al

-- 

Al Weiss                   alz@tc.fluke.com                   206-356-5252
John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc. MS-269  PO Box 9090  Everett, WA 98206-9090  USA