Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!esseye!scholten
From: scholten@esseye.UUCP (David Scholten)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: IDE hard disk problems
Message-ID: <1991May28.115149.14644@esseye.UUCP>
Date: 28 May 91 11:51:49 GMT
References: <3084@odin.cs.hw.ac.uk>
Organization: Smiths Industries
Lines: 49

From article <3084@odin.cs.hw.ac.uk>, by scott@cs.hw.ac.uk (Scott Telford):
> 
> I've got a 20MHz 386SX clone which originally came with DOS 4.01, an
> Acer IDE/floppy/COM/LPT card and an NEC D.... (can't remember) 42-ish Mb
> IDE drive.
> 
> The drive developed a problem, where occasionally, during
> moderate-to-heavy disk activity, the heads would stop moving (ie. the
> chirruping noise would stop) for about 15 secs, then, if DOS 3.30 was
> running, it would then generate "Not Ready" critical error. Retrying would
> continue as normal. If DOS 4.01 was running, no error message would
> appear and whatever was running would continue as normal.
> 
> I got the drive replaced under warranty with a Microscience 8040 40Mb
> drive, and, would you believe, it's happening again! Not so often this
> time, and apparently only under DOS 3.30. Since it was shipped with DOS
> 4.01, I expect the company to be a bit reluctant to change the drive
> again, so I'm problably going to try installing 4.01 (been using 3.30
> because of all the bug stories) soon.
> 
> Has anybody else had problems like this? Does anybody know what the
> problem is? It happens at 8 & 20MHz, in & out of Windows 3, and on a
> completely clean floppy-booted system.
> 
> Please reply by mail & thanx in advance...
> 
>  _____________________________________________________________________________
> | Scott Telford, Dept of Computer Science,               scott@cs.hw.ac.uk    |
> | Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.                 scott%hwcs@ukc.uucp  |
> |_____ "Expect the unexpected." (The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy) ______|


I am having severe errors with my IDE drive too!  I had posted an earlier
S.O.S message, but recieved no replies... must not have made out.  But
anyway,  I have a Rodime 105M IDE drive.  I have had the following problems:

	When turning on the computer, the drive won't spin up.
	While accessing the disk, it will also stop for extended periods of time
	and gives the one of the following errors: (Under DOS 3.3)

		"Sector not found"
		"Drive not ready, door open"  <-- my favorite for a HD!

	I can't seem to figure out what is happening.  Does anyone have any
	advice out in netland?


	Thanks, Dave scholten.