Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!husc6!rutgers!gatech!dcatla!dxjsb From: dxjsb@dcatla.UUCP (Jack S. Brindle) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: disk squeak Message-ID: <7627@dcatla.UUCP> Date: 4 Aug 88 13:51:40 GMT References: <5635@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> <61185@sun.uucp> <2937@utastro.UUCP> <4482@mit-vax.LCS.MIT.EDU> <1831@iscuva.ISCS.COM> Reply-To: dxjsb@sunb.UUCP (Jack S. Brindle) Distribution: comp Organization: DCA Inc., Alpharetta, GA Lines: 21 jimc@iscuva.ISCS.COM (Jim Cathey) writes: > The traditional cause of hard disk squeal is not the bearings, but a static > discharge brush pressed against the spindle of the drive. The 'fix' is > usually to just rip it loose. No one seems to have an adequate explaination > why you need/don't need this thing. This squeal isn't harmful to anything You might want to think twice before doing this, and be sure you back up the disk real well if you decide to do it. As the disk spins, the action of the air passing the platters causes quite a bit of static electricity to build up. The graphite button that presses against the spindle allows the static to discharge through a controlled path. If you remove the button, the discharge will still occur, but through places you may not like. The upshot of this is that data will start becoming corrupting or just disappearing from your disk. This can occur quite rapidly, actually. Try it and see the effects after a week or so. (This is where the backup comes in...). There ARE ways to resolve the squeal, such as moving the botton slightly so that the contact point with the spindle is different. Some of the disk manufacturers also have a silicon or graphite grease of some sort that should eliminate (or at least quiet) the problem. Hope this helps. Jack Brindle.