Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!uwm.edu!bionet!ames!uhccux!virtue!comp.vuw.ac.nz!munnari.oz.au!murdu!ucsvc!wehi!baxter_a
From: BAXTER_A@wehi.dn.mu.oz
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Seagate fails on powerup
Message-ID: <10779@wehi.dn.mu.oz>
Date: 3 Aug 90 11:53:32 GMT
References: <1990Jul30.153310.7818@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> <32282@cup.portal.com>
Organization: Walter & Eliza Hall Institute
Lines: 39

In article <32282@cup.portal.com>, thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan) writes:
> hgm@ccvr1.ncsu.edu (Hal G. Meeks) in <1990Jul30.153310.7818@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu>
> writes:
> 
> 	I've had a Seagate 251N for over two years. Contrary to the
> 	experiences of others on the net, I've had no problems....until this
> 	morning.
> 
> 	I have the classic "stiction" problem. The drive fails to spin up.
> 	I've taken it out of the machine, and bent the grounding strap back.
> 	I'm now trying to remember if it is as simple as turning the spindle
> 	(a small black "bump"). The thought of taking pliers to it concerns
> 	me.
> 
> 	Any experiences welcome. 
> 
> Welcome to the "club".  :-(
> 
> As discussed last year in this forum, the problem requires over a year of
> operation before it surfaces (no pun :-); i.e. after the warranty expires.
> 
> If you don't rotate the drive's spindle, how do you expect to "break" the
> stiction?  As I reported last month (re: an ST157N), gentle application of
> pliers to the "bump" with a twisting motion should do the trick.  Then power
> up and get your data off that drive ASAP and buy another manufacturer's HD as
> a replacement.


I'm not at all sure this is the same problem that Quantum made famous at all.
Another possibility is that the brush/ contact arrangement of the motor is
a bit suboptimal, and that it is possible for the motor to come to rest
without the brushes being in touch with any contacts. In this case, the 
motor will start again if it is turned very slightly; cf stiction when
it would require to be turned quite a lot. The 'very slightly' is probably
on par with the gentle thump on the side of the case that many people have
reported to work. Lots of motors develop this problem with age (as the brushes
wear) and many people may have noticed it with their vacuum cleaner.

Regards Alan