Xref: utzoo sci.electronics:1756 comp.misc:1584
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!gatech!purdue!krc
From: krc@cs.purdue.EDU (Kenny "RoboBrother" Crudup)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,comp.misc
Subject: Re: Cleaning a Hard Disk ??
Message-ID: <2739@arthur.cs.purdue.edu>
Date: 19 Dec 87 21:23:18 GMT
References: <1987Dec8.161307.12488@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu> <856@unccvax.UUCP> <1987Dec18.182017.340@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu>
Organization: The Little Computer Fixit Shop of Horrors
Lines: 42
Summary: You probably have to re-fmt (maybe.....)

In article <1987Dec18.182017.340@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu>, lharris@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu (Leonard Harris) writes:

> Well , I managed to get the disk cleaned and dust free again ( i blew filtered
> air through the unit in a HEPA filter hood, then packed it up and let it
> rotate without loading the heads for an hour.)

Jeez! You musta been desperate to open up a HD! You *do* know you've violated
the warranty now!!  :-)

> It now appears to pass its
> power-on self test (it doesn't disengage the spindle and seeks tracks) but
> I can't get any controller to recognized the drive.  I'm using a western digital
> controller (the 3/4 board for ibm pc) and it doesn't recognize it.  The ibm says
> "invalid drive c" and both the program diskmanager and the WD EPROM format can't
> find the drive.  What gives ??
> /leonard

(IBM PC. My condolences :-)

If its a WD HDC in an IBM PC/XT (today is "acronym" day) you probably need to
re-low-level-format it again. The WD controllers read-out the tracks/cyls/
sectors/drive type stuff right off the HD when formatting, and if it does'nt
see this stuff it'll bitch and tell the PC.

OK. You've now tried that and it still doesnt work. What error does it give?
There is a probability if it is a large (>10 MB) disk that the HD itself can
find an internal error (not up to speed, no servo tracks) and the CPU on it
says no-go. When it gets to speed, does it do a restore? (That inital
swee-sick it makes when it moves the head in some, then out again to
track 000) Does the speed "sound" right? One thing you may want to
do is take a look at /READY (pin 34, I believe on the 34 pin conn) to
see if it is low. Just for checking, see if the edge conn's are on
right (and have no breaks in the lines) and that the select jumper
is in the right place.

I hope this helps.

-- 
Kenny "_R_o_b_o_B_r_o_t_h_e_r" Crudup		krc@arthur.cs.purdue.edu
Purdue University CS Dept.		
W. Lafayette, IN 47907			A mind IS a terrible thing to waste,
+1 317 494 7842				but I AM having fun at it!