Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!gatech!purdue!i.cc.purdue.edu!j.cc.purdue.edu!pur-ee!iuvax!bobmon
From: bobmon@iuvax.UUCP (Bob, Mon)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: RESET BUTTONS AND HARD DISKS
Message-ID: <6136@iuvax.UUCP>
Date: 12 Feb 88 04:44:40 GMT
Reply-To: bobmon@iuvax.UUCP (Bob, Mon)
Organization: Schizophrenics `R` Us
Lines: 19

[Discussion:  Why does a harddisk want a reset button?]

In article <19824@bu-cs.BU.EDU> madd@bu-it.bu.edu (Jim Frost) writes:
>
>The best reason for the reset switch is that the drive doesn't
>have to be spun up again.  Spin up is the most strenuous time for a
>drive and also for the computer's power supply, and it is best to
>avoid doing it more than necessary.

Turning the power supply off or on also induces momentary power surges in
the chips themselves.  These power surges in turn cause electrical and
thermal stress in the chips; i.e., the chips "age".  This might be worth
doing a few times on new chips, to catch any that are going to suffer
"infant mortality" anyway.  Ordinarily, though, the circuits will last longer
if they're constantly powered than if they're turned on and off a lot.
(Naturally, they'll also last a long time if you NEVER power them up....:-)

-- 
You TOO Can Defeat The 4-Line .signature Limit And Be Obnoxious To Your Friends And Neighbours!!!!!								...---...									Charles Cabbage on the Difference Engine running SE grade 10W40 at UKnoWhere	Babble@diffEQ	bob,mon@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu	Chucky on Ada	The Slide Rules!"Spaceship Earth!  There IS no substitute!"