Path: utzoo!censor!geac!nixtdc!nixtdc!tracy From: tracy@uucp (Tracy Tims) Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops Subject: Re: T1000SE/XE questions (and other good stuff) (hard drive spindown) Message-ID: Date: 25 May 90 14:53:04 GMT References: <24345@netnews.upenn.edu> <1902@key.COM> <1663@dino.cs.iastate.edu> Sender: tracy@nixtdc.uucp (Tracy Tims) Organization: Nixdorf Computer Engineering Company Lines: 17 In-Reply-To: mehl@cs.iastate.edu's message of 23 May 90 04:23:08 GMT As far as I know, the T1000XE uses a Conner 2" disk. I read an article on this disk once that said that it is not a Winchester disk because it unloads the heads from the surfaces before spinning down. A triangular ramp catches the head support arms when the seek mechanism draws the heads back off the surface (back past track 0). The triangular ramp passively unloads (and loads) the heads. There were three reasons for engineering the drive this way: 1. No media/head wear, which means that the drive can be spun up and down a large number of times, 2. Smaller motor starting current, because the motor does not have to overcome the media/head friction on startup, and 3. Greater shock resistance when the drive is spun down, as there is no risk of media/head chatter. All of these properties are good for laptops.