Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!hpfcso!hpfcmdd!edm
From: edm@hpfcmdd.hp.com (Ed Moore)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Setting a PC on its Side
Message-ID: <84050025@hpfcmdd.hp.com>
Date: 25 Apr 91 12:32:38 GMT
References: <47696@ut-emx.uucp>
Organization: HP Mechanical Design Division
Lines: 11

I've had a desktop computer sitting on its side on the floor for almost
three years.  Every slot is filled (near-maximum heat generation).  This
machine is four years old and has never had a hardware problem.  Long after
I made the position change I read something in PC Magazine that makes sense.
All bearings have some clearance.  If you take a hard disk that was
low-level formatted in a horizontal position and rotate it to a vertical
position, the position of the heads relative to the bits on the platters
will change slightly.  It may be a good idea to do a new low-level format
after changing position.  I run Gibson SpinRite periodically to do a
low-level format anyway, so my experience doesn't confirm or disprove this
concept.