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From: dawill@hubcap.clemson.edu (david williams)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech,comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Hard Drives
Summary: get ready for it
Message-ID: <9806@hubcap.clemson.edu>
Date: 24 Jul 90 04:42:30 GMT
References: <9821.AA9821@caleb>
Organization: Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Lines: 53

In article <9821.AA9821@caleb>, jdp@caleb.UUCP (Jim Pritchett) writes:
> 
> []
> 
> Since there have been a couple of highly biased anti-Seagate, pro-Quantum
> postings, I thought that I would give another view.  (Naturally, I have
> no financial interest in either company.)  It is true that there have
> been many reports of "stiction" problems with Seagate drives (mostly
> among the non-SCSI ST-251 drives.)  However, there are a LOT of Seagate
> drives out there!  Even a 0.01% failure rate would produce a significant
> number of complaints on the net about Seagates (I am not implying that
> the Seagate drives are super reliable, I am just pointing out the fact
> that even if they were, we would still 'hear' a lot about the failures.)
> There are not nearly as many Quantums 'out there.'  Also, I have heard
> a few reports of "stiction" on Quantums also.
> 
> I have an 80 Meg Seagate ST-296N.  I have had no problems with it yet.
> I think it is past its warrantee now.  This does NOT mean that you won't
> have problems with Seagates.  It simply means that the two previous posters

   [stuff deleted]
> 
>                                                 Jim Pritchett

     Jim, I hate to say this, but it's gonna getcha.  I bought a 296N
myself, since my roommate has one that had been operating for about 6
months (at the time).  Hummm, I said to myself, maybe these particular
drives aren't having the stiction problems.  So: I bought one.  The
first one that arrived was dead.  Poor construction on the PC board
meant that it wouldn't format.  (Though it would do a low-level format,
strange.)  The next one worked fine, and I was happy...

    Up to about a week ago, I should say.  Last week, the blamed thing
wouldn't spin up!  Arguuuh!  However, I am lucky, since the drive is
still under warranty.  (It's about 6 months old)  So, I went next door
to tell my old roommate my woes, and to check his harddrive carefully.
I was rather suprised to find him removing the drive from his 2000.
"Huh?" said I "What's wrong?"  He replied that his drive had just
developed stiction problems, and that I better check my drive.  

    TWO OF EM!  IN THE SAME WEEK!    


                     I *knew* I shouldn't have bought a seagate.


   So, the moral is:  beware if you don't have the data on your 296N
backed up!

           Dave Williams
              dawill@hubcap.clemson.edu
                 "Huh?  What?  Could you repeat the question?"