Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!uunet!shelby!bloom-beacon!snorkelwacker!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cica!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!wsm
From: wsm@mathcs.emory.edu (William Mahavier)
Newsgroups: unix-pc.general
Subject: 3b1 floppy problems
Keywords: heat, floppy, floppy controller, power supply
Message-ID: <4947@emory.mathcs.emory.edu>
Date: 3 Feb 90 21:06:11 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Math & Computer Science, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Lines: 27


I have recently had the following problems (3b1, 67m, vers.3.51):
First my floppy started giving intermittent read/write problems.
Next my hard disc refused to boot. I replaced the power supply
and all seemed ok for a while. Then I started getting intermittent
floppy read/write errors again. I tried swapping out the floppy drive
and all seemed ok at first but the read/write errors started again.
I found that the floppy would read 3 or 4 discs, and then start giving
errors. I could leave the floppy alone for a few hours and then it
would read or write 3 or 4 discs and then start giving errors again.
I assumed it was a heat problem with the heat generated from the floppy
drive motor. I have only one fan on the power supply side. So I tried
swapping out the socketed WD2797 floppy controller chip with one from
a 7300. The same problems persist. 

I am at a loss as to what to try next. I will certainly appreciate
any suggestions. I did think I might add a fan on the floppy disc side.
Otherwise I don't know what to do except sent it off to whoever it is
in California that works on this machine.

I do have the error messages from /usr/adm/unix.log but don't know
what they mean.

Thanks in advance for any help.

W. S. Mahavier    wsm@mathcs.emory.edu    ....gatech!emory!wsm
Emory University