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From: blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com (Blaine Gardner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Could NoClick damage any drive?
Message-ID: <1991May2.162543.7165@javelin.sim.es.com>
Date: 2 May 91 16:25:43 GMT
References: <91120.220304MAJI@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU>
Reply-To: blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
Lines: 23

MAJI@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (Ma Ji) writes:
>I saw this NoClick program on one of fish disk which silence the disk drive.
>I talked to one of expert here.  He said NoClick may damage some of drives
>if the drive is a good one. 

The no-clicker programs CAN damage some drives, but the ones at risk
are cheap drives, not "good" ones. The drives click because the Amiga
steps the heads from track 0 to track 1 to see if a disk has been
inserted. The no-click programs make the heads step backwards from track
0 to (the non-existant) track -1. If it's a good drive with a track 0
sensor it refuses to step the head backwards past track 0. If the drive
does not have a track 0 sensor, it bangs the head mechanism against a
physical stop. This can cause head alignment problems.

Fortunatly, it's easy to tell if your drive can be safely de-clicked.
Just run the noclick program. If your drive stops clicking, everything
is fine. If your drive continues to click, or makes a louder clicking
sound, don't use the program with that drive.
-- 
Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland  580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108
blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com                               BIX: blaine_g
DoD #46           My other motorcycle is a Quadracer.            FJ1200
    Safety at any cost! Support the new national 0 mph speed limit.