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From: csbrod@medusa.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Claus Brod )
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: sh204 problems
Message-ID: <2952@medusa.informatik.uni-erlangen.de>
Date: 4 Jul 90 09:15:12 GMT
References: <2097@wheaton.UUCP>
Organization: CSD, University of Erlangen, W-Germany
Lines: 43

brunk@wheaton.UUCP (Rob Brunk) writes:
>   -brought my hard drive (heads parked) to a friend's house to connect with
>   his hard drive.  He had a FA/ST 80Mb drive.  We never got them to work and
>   that was the first time I saw my drive act up.  The busy light would stay on
>   all the time once the computer was switched on, and it would not respond.
So the host adaptor crashed for some reason.

>   -I then ran a program that measures disk rpm's and found that my drive
>   varies as much 20 rpm's when consecutive tests are taken.  I am not sure of
>   the reliability of that program but I became worried that it was correct.
>   If I listen very carefully, I can hear a high-pitched squeal that seems to
>   fluctuate around a little when I turn my HD on.
What's the program's name? I don't think the difference of 20 rpms should
bother you; it's most probably the program's fault. Try the program with
other drives, and you'll see.

>Has anyone ever experienced similar problems?  Someone did tell me that it
>might need a good cleaning since it has been in dorm rooms for 2 years now.  If
>that is true, is it worth getting it cleaned or should I just spend my money on
>a new drive.  This drive is about 2.5 years old and I have never had any
>problems like this before.
What do you want to get cleaned in a hard disk? The disk drive itself is
sealed and will never come back to life if you'd try to clean it.

To summarize, you should do some additional tests on your hard drive.
What kind of ST do you own? STEs like to trash your hard disk data
sometimes, and the MegaSTs with those IMP chips installed have other
problems concerning DMA transfers, especially over long cables, or if
there are more than two drives connected to the DMA bus. Check your
cables. Try one from a friend. Try to get your hands on some low-
level check program for your SH204. (I have written one and would
like to send it to you via snail mail if you send me a disk. At the
moment, I can't post it, sorry.)

>Thank you very much,
>   Rob
Good luck!

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Claus Brod, Am Felsenkeller 2,			Things. Take. Time.
D-8772 Marktheidenfeld, West Germany		(Piet Hein)
csbrod@medusa.informatik.uni-erlangen.de
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