Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!wuarchive!texbell!merch!cpe!adaptex!neese
From: neese@adaptex.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Do OTHER hard drive brands fail
Message-ID: <27800012@adaptex>
Date: 30 Apr 90 21:29:00 GMT
References: <2453@crash.cts.com>
Lines: 61
Nf-ID: #R:crash.cts.com:2453:adaptex:27800012:000:3666
Nf-From: adaptex.UUCP!neese    Apr 30 15:29:00 1990


>>>	There have been many postings here about Seagate hard drives
>>>failing to spin up at boot. I have seen not ONE posting about
>>>other brands that fail in the same manner. I don't think ANYONE wants
>>>unfairly to bash Seagate. They generally have a marvelous reputation.
>>>In all fairness and, not least, in the interest of acquiring data 
>>>to guide future purchases, IS ANYONE AWARE OF THIS OR EQUALLY ONEROUS
>>>FAILURES AMONGST other MANUFACTURERS' HARD DRIVE OFFERINGS?
>>
>>Apple had a notorious time with the Quantum HD40's that were seizing
>>in their machines because of a spindle lubrication design defect.
>>Apple replaced these drives with a new Quantum HD40 that had
>>a redesigned PROM which forced the lubricant to be spread 
>>in such a fashion to prevent seizing.
>
>An addition to that is that it's not ONLY the Apple HD40's (the Quantums that
>Apple buy) but the Quantum P-40S, P-80S and it has hit the P-105S.  The 40,
>80 and 105 Mb Quantum ProDrives have manifested the infamous drive seizing
>problem due to improper lubricant used on the drive spindle and head assembly.
>It would not surprise me one bit if the IDE versions of the ProDrives (P-40AT,
>et. al.) manifested the same problems.  And Quantums have a 2 year warranty
>and I've heard that if you buy them from a certain distributor you get a 5
>year warranty on it.  Doesn't matter who you buy the drive from, you're going
>to have some sort of engineering defect somewhere along the line.  And since
>Seagate bought out Imprimis and Maxtor bought out Miniscribe (this is the
>rumor I heard) you're only left with a few other manufacturers that don't have
>as good of a selection as the two current big manufacturers.
>
>My personal experience with Seagate has been good in general.  My ST151 has
>been working in my AT (now a 386SX) since October.  My next drive, however,
>will either be a Conner or Seagate Swift 3.5" IDE in the 100 Mb to 200 Mb
>range.  I haven't quite decided between the Conner or the Seagate Swift since
>they are quite comparable in performance.

WHOA!!  Let's nip this in the bud right now!  The problem Quantum had was due
to a lubricant that was susceptible to high humidity conditions.  The lube
soaked up moisture and became glue instead of grease.  Quantum has changed
the lube to a new lube that handles humidity much better and has offered
to replace each and every drive that shows the actuator stiction problem.
And has done so.  None of the drives in production for the last several
months can have this problem.  I have worked very closely with Quantum
for years and also worked with them on this problem.  They are very quality
conscious and openly admitted what the problem was when it was defined.
But unfortunately, the media had a field day before it was determined what
the actual problem was.  Quantum has always had a 5 year warranty on the
PRO series of drives and will stand behind it.
I know many hard drive manufacturers who would have hid the type of information
that Quantum released to the public.  Or have glossed over the real problem.
The nature of the problem will only manifest itsefl in high (>60%) humidity
areas, where the drive does very little seeking and is power cycled every
day.  I have one of the old drives with the potential grease problem, but have
never had any troubles with it.  Of course it runs 24 hours a day, so there
is no chance of humidity effecting it.

Adaptec has no ties with Quantum and I find them very reputable.

			Roy Neese
			Adaptec Central Field Applications Engineer
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