Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!hpcc05!hpdmd48!alien
From: alien@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Tom von Alten)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Re: HD will not spin up (sometimes), banging it helps; Suggestions?
Message-ID: <5560003@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com>
Date: 5 Nov 90 01:54:29 GMT
References: <1990Oct28.023730.591@coyote.uucp>
Organization: Hewlett Packard - Boise, ID
Lines: 22

> But the 3.5" drives are mostly thin-film drives (not just Seagate's,
> every manufacturer's) and thin-film is not yet reliable enough for me to
> try one.  The stiction problem is usually related to thin-film lubricant
> binding the head to the platter, or the magnetic field binding the head
> to the platter.  Whatever the cause, I'm sticking with the old media
> until thin-film problems are solved.

As someone involved in the manufacture and the frequent use of various
disk drives, I would not base my product selection on the type of media
alone.  There are products that use thin film media or thin film heads
or both that have proven themselves very reliable.

There are products that use ferrous oxide ("brown") media that have
proven much less reliable.

Anecdotal evidence is as likely to be misleading as it is to be useful.
_____________
Tom von Alten   email: alien@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com
                Hewlett-Packard Disk Mechanisms Division_______________

"Your mileage may vary.  Use only as directed.  No warranties expressed
 or implied.  This is a statement of personal opinion.  Etc."