Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!jdickson
From: jdickson@jato.jpl.nasa.gov (Jeff Dickson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Message-ID: <1991Mar27.185919.3386@jato.jpl.nasa.gov>
Date: 27 Mar 91 18:59:19 GMT
References: <142@ra.MsState.Edu> <1991Mar27.163630.5256@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Reply-To: jdickson@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Jeff Dickson)
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
Lines: 30

In article <1991Mar27.163630.5256@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> witzany@sparc1 (David Witzany) writes:
>jra1@ra.MsState.Edu (Mephisto) writes:
>
>>I hate this!  my internal drive has suddenly decided to find errors on everything
>
>>It started when I used one of those disk head cleaner thingys on it.  
>>Does anyone know if those can mess up a drive, or is it coincidence that
>>my drive screwed up when it did?
>
>>-jeff
>>jra1@ra.msstate.edu
>
>
>     I've been wondering about those cleaners, too.  I looked at the ingredientslist for the solution; it's mostly alcohol, but they've added an alkali to the
>mix, as well.  Is this actually better for the drive, or should I switch to the
>91% alcohol I use on my tape player's heads, instead?

	My experience with these cleaners is that the cleaning disk is some-
what abrasive and absorbant. Basically you wet the disk with the cleaning
solution and stick it in the drive. The head rests on the cleaning disk sur-
face and is cleaned as the disk rotates beneath it. The solution is normally
isoprene (sp?) alcohol (i.e. Teac tape head cleaner), because it does not
leave a residue when it dries. 

	This problem you're having sounds strange. I doubt that the solution
is at fault.  Put a few drops on a piece of glass and let dry. Inspect for
residue (if you don't see anything there's no residue). This is a dumb ques-
tion, but you did wet the cleaner disk didn't you?

					Jeff