Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!burl!codas!killer!jolnet!rich
From: rich@jolnet.UUCP (Rich Andrews)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.att
Subject: Re: Query about the quality of UNIX/PCs and 3b1's (really 3b1 unix)
Summary: don't remove that tab...
Message-ID: <260@jolnet.UUCP>
Date: 9 Jan 88 06:04:16 GMT
References: <9691@shemp.UCLA.EDU> <18017@clyde.ATT.COM> <997@bakerst.UUCP> <916@neoucom.UUCP>
Organization: jolnet, Public Access UNIX, Joliet, IL
Lines: 23

In article <916@neoucom.UUCP>, wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew) writes:

>  getting at the anti-static tab is a pain in the ... um, neck-- but
> it it is the source of drive squeal. The anti-static tab is a piece
> of copper with a carbon button that rubs on the bottom spindle of
> a hard drive.  The idea is that the spinning platters can act like
> Vandergraf generators and discharge to ground through the head
> carriage.  Not exactly a nice situation.  The anti-static tab is
> supposed to prevent a charge build-up.  The tab is usually soldered
> to the drive electronics PC board.
> 
> --Bill


Nasty things can happen ( and with my luck they usually do!) and when 
you remove the brush from the drive you are asking for trouble.
Shortly after i got my 3b2/400, the drives started to squeal like a 
nest of crickets I took the drives out, took them apart, and lubricated 
the carbon brush with some moly grease.  Since then no more squeal.  
I have heard of lots of bad things that have happen to drives that did 
not have the brush contacting the spindle motor.  

rich