j@bucsf.bu.edu (James Allard) (06/28/90)
UGH! Last night (after compression), I powered up my Commodore 40 (286) with Miniscribe 40Mb drive only to find 1782 - drive controller failure. I know of a few other (Miniscribe) drives to have done the same, and as I understand it, the controller is on the drive. As a last ditch effort, I picked up the front of my unit an inch or two, dropped it, powered on, and it worked (after 50+ power-cycles with no change). So, I backed the mother up. Question is: should I trust it? Should I buy a new drive? What should I do? Has anyone else heard of such a problem? I'd appreciate mail in addition to any posts because I might not be reading for a while. Thanx. -- =-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-= J.^Allard^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Seems^that^no^matter^how^much^I^drink^^^^ 109^Peterborough^St.^^#12A^^^^^^^^^^^^I^seem^to^still^stay^sober^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Boston,^MA^02215^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Seems^that^no^matter^how^young^I^act^ (617)^267-3850^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^I^seem^to^still^get^older^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^%%F%U%T%U%R%E%%S%H%O%C%K%%%%%T%H%E%%S%H%A%T%T%E%R%I%N%G%%S%T%R%E%S%S%%^^^^^ ^^^^^%%A%N%D%%D%I%S%O%R%I%E%N%T%A%T%I%O%N%%T%H%A%T%%W%E%%I%N%D%U%C%E%%^^^^^^^ ^^^%%I%N%%I%N%D%I%V%D%U%A%L%S%%B%Y%%S%U%B%J%E%C%T%I%N%G%%T%H%E%M%%T%O%%^^^^^^ ^^^^%%T%O%O%%M%U%C%H%%C%H%A%N%G%E%%I%N%%T%O%O%%S%H%O%R%T%%A%%T%I%M%E%%^^^^^^^ =-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=^=-+-=
pmp@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Paul Porta) (07/01/90)
In article <J.90Jun27132424@bucsf.bu.edu> j@bucsf.bu.edu (James Allard) writes: >UGH! Last night (after compression), I powered up my Commodore 40 (286) >with Miniscribe 40Mb drive only to find 1782 - drive controller failure. I >know of a few other (Miniscribe) drives to have done the same, and as I >understand it, the controller is on the drive. > >As a last ditch effort, I picked up the front of my unit an inch or two, >dropped it, powered on, and it worked (after 50+ power-cycles with no >change). So, I backed the mother up. > >Question is: should I trust it? Should I buy a new drive? What should I >do? Has anyone else heard of such a problem? > The problem if remember correctly, is the lubrication liquid in the drive has lost some of its viscosity. This fluid has become too thick, due to heat or bad design or something. I read about this problem in a MAC magazine; I'll see if I can dig up the page/magazine. It turns out that Miniscribe drives aren't the only ones that have this problem. My Seagate (ST-251) 40Mb has the exact same problem. The problem is temperature. Here in Gainesville, FL, the temperature with humidity index has gotten to 100+ degrees (lately anyway). The fluid in the drive gets too hot, and well, tends to get sticky or something. Anyway the end result is that on boot-time the hard disk doesn't go through its normal spin-up operation. You then get the message 'Hard Disk failure'. To solve this problem (without spending some bucks) is that I've taken the front cover of case, exposing the drives. I then took out the screws that secure the hard disk in place. Whenever the hard disk fails to boot, (you can hear this before you get 'Hard disk failure' message), I then slide the hard disk towards me, then slide it back in place. This small movement is enough fluid to start moving, allowing the hard disk to go through its normal spin-up operation. I don't recommend this to anyone :-), just send your hard disk to the manufacturer and let them replace the fluid. As a student, I just don't have the extra bucks. Plus the fact I don't have anything real important on the hard disk, that isn't on floppies. -- paul m porta, graduate student "I have nothing to do with CIS department, university of florida the athletic program at UF." pmp@beach.cis.ufl.edu