Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:2605 comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc:3073 Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!know!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!noao!coyote!jmh From: jmh@coyote.uucp (John Hughes) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc Subject: Re: HD will not spin up (sometimes), banging it helps; Suggestions? Message-ID: <1990Oct28.023730.591@coyote.uucp> Date: 28 Oct 90 02:37:30 GMT References: <1447@pedsga.UUCP> Reply-To: jmh@coyote.UUCP (John Hughes) Organization: Datalog Consulting, Tucson, AZ Lines: 33 In article <1447@pedsga.UUCP> mikes@pedsga.UUCP (Mike Shulman ,SPCSYS,7586) writes: > > Well, like the subject line says, I seem to have a masacistic HD. It's >a Seagate ST125 (20 Meg, 3.5 format), and every once in a while when I >turn on my computer it refuses to spin up. The solution seems to be to >take it out and bang it hard a few times. Then re-install it, and it >works like a champ...until the next time it feels like doing this. >Now, I've heard that this is a known problem with some older HDs of some >brands, so I was wondering - is there also a known solution? (Aside from >buying a new HD, wiseguys!) > Thanks for your replys! > > > - Mike I don't know about the ST125, but on some of the older drive types that kind of problem could be caused by (1) the brake shoe not releasing all the way (eg. the solenoid core rod had some dust/gunk on it), (2) the rotary contactor (usually in the middle of the PCB) wasn't sitting well on the little carbon button which is attached to the axis of the platter rotor assembly, or (3) the motor harness connector needed a dose of something like Cramolin (sometimes no tach signal = no work). By the way, banging on a hard drive is a pretty sure way to leave lots and lots of nice gouges in the platters, and lots of oxide chips running around loose in the platter housing. Upshot: Don't bang it, fix it. -- ============================================================================== John M. Hughes | jmh@coyote.UUCP | Programmer at large, P.O. Box 43305 | john.hughes@emdisle.fidonet.org | or large programmer. Tucson, AZ 85719 | noao!coyote!jmh | Take your choice,