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From: thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Seagate spin-up problem
Message-ID: <34682@cup.portal.com>
Date: 9 Oct 90 09:12:52 GMT
References: <2088@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca> <71@abode.UUCP>
  <162.2710d677@skbat.csc.ti.com>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
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dittman@skbat.csc.ti.com (Eric Dittman) in <162.2710d677@skbat.csc.ti.com>
writes:

``	By any chance are people experiencing stiction problems with Seagate
	drives operating the drive with the circuit board up?
''

Having researched the problem in great depth (talking directly with Seagate's
QA Manager and design engineers at their Scotts Valley home base, and talking
with numerous HD repair places), the answer to your question is:

	DON'T EVEN TRY OPERATING A SEAGATE DRIVE UPSIDE DOWN

Among other things, I have most (if not all) of Seagate's OEM and product
manuals, and the mounting instructions are quite clear (direct quote):

``	MOUNTING REQUIREMENTS

	The drive may be mounted horizontally with the spindle motor down, or
	on either side (edge).  Mounting vertically on either end is a
	prohibited orientation.  The drive should not be tilted (front to back)
	in any position by more than 5 degrees.

	For optimum performance the drive should be formatted in the same
	orientation as it will be mounted in the host system.
''

Mounting "horizontally with the spindle motor down" means the printed circuit
card is ALSO facing down (i.e. circuit board DOWN).

Contrast the above with the instructions for, say, a Quantum drive.  To wit,
from page 2-3 of the Quantum ProDrive Series, ProDrive 40S/80S Product Manual:

``	2.1.3	MOUNTING

	The ProDrive may be mounted in any orientation.
''

The Maxtor OEM manuals say essentially the same thing as the Quantum manuals.

There is a world of difference between quality drives and the drives mfd. by
Seagate.  I learned that lesson the hard way.  Attempting to save a few $$$
with one's data is foolhardy.

Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]