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From: pomeroy@refine.enet.dec.com (Robert Pomeroy)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.games,comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Always-running 3/5" drive
Message-ID: <13722@shlump.nac.dec.com>
Date: 23 Jul 90 15:11:19 GMT
Sender: newsdaemon@shlump.nac.dec.com
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.games
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
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In article <3387@leah.Albany.Edu>, rb4572@leah.Albany.Edu (Ron Bangel) writes...
> 
>I recently purchased "Battle Squadron" from Innerprise Software, Inc.  It's
>one HELL of a great game, but it worries me because of a particular thing that
>it does.  You see, the disk drive runs ALL THE TIME.
> 
>1. Is this harmful to the drive?  Because the game supports two players, we've
>been up late playing this thing for hours... and the drive keeps running.
> 
>2. Is this harmful to the disk itself?

Sorry, I just wanted to add one more thing. Spinning the motor is not really all
that bad for the motor. It will generally last alot longer than the rest of the
drive. However, the R/W head is always in contact with the disk. Generally this
is not bad, because the disk is not spinning unless data is being read. If the 
disk spins incessantly though, you will eventually wear out both the disk and
the heads. (Disk first most likely...) It will take a long time as long as it
it doesn't get hot, and the disk doesn't have junk on it. (if the disk is dirty
it will obviously die that much faster.)

				Bob Pomeroy
				pomeroy@refine.enet.dec.com