Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!mailrus!uwmcsd1!lakesys!tomk
From: tomk@lakesys.UUCP (Tom Kopp)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Leaving the hard disk on continuously
Summary: Parking and unparking
Keywords: hard disk park
Message-ID: <837@lakesys.UUCP>
Date: 19 Jul 88 00:05:43 GMT
References: <12184@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Organization: Lake Systems, Milwaukee Wisconsin
Lines: 27

In article <12184@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>, cotner@jif.berkeley.edu (Carl Cotner) writes:
> Now I hear that I should park the heads of my disk whenever it is not in 
> use to prevent data corruption from a power surge.  That sounds reasonable.
> When I bought my Mountain HardDrive, the disk came with a head parking utility
> for such a purpose.  Now I'm wondering how do I UNPARK the hard disk to use it
> again?  
> 
> As far as I know, I have to turn off the PC and turn it back on
> in order to bring up the hard disk.  However this this seems to defeat the 
> purpose of leaving the computer on continuously to save wear and tear on 
> the hard disk.  Can anyone set me straight?  Is there a utility to unpark a 
> parked disk?

Carl...Now maybe the Mtn HD is different, though I doubt it.  All hard drives
I've worked with (Siders, internals on PS/2's etc) Were parked by means of a
program (which you apparently have).  All this does is move the head away from
the recording platter.  The reason your manual probably tells you to turn it
off is, I think, drives are usually parked for shipping.  My guess is that the
next read/write command you issue will 'unpark' the head.

(Lemme know if I'm wrong on this, folks)
B-)

-- 
_____ _____ |"Reading computer manuals without    |tomk@lakesys.UUCP
  |     |   | the hardware is as frustrating as   |uunet!marque!lakesys!tomk
  |   \_|   | reading sex manuals without the     |uunet!uwmcsd1!lakesys!tomk
------------- software" - Arthur C. Clarke        ----------------------------