ST506 WTB:Micropolis 1325 - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

9 Apr 2007

...

Subject: Re: ST506 WTB:Micropolis 1325
   From: "Andy Piercy" <andy.piercy at gmail.com>
   Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2007 09:17:47 +0000
     To: ajp166 at bellatlantic.net
     Cc: "General Discussion: On-Topic Posts Only" <cctech at
classiccmp.org>

Allison, All,

I have a similar problem with two ESDI Micropolis 1355 drives both driver
exhibit the same problem as you describe

Fault
====
The drives power up but just seem to fail to load the heads
i.e. You know that voice coil noise when a working drive loads, well it just
does not happen on the faulty drives.  The drives spins up but the drive
access light just stays on. After a while the drives re-tries to load, the
drive spins down the spins up again but still fails to load the head.

I have two drives with this problem, however both were working but failed
after a few hours of running (Not including all the years in service ;-),
and one still intermittently still works.

I had a quote to have the drive repaired but the UK firm wanted 380 UK
Pounds!

So anyway sorry to ramble, After you opened the drive, did you have any
problems with dust and head crashes? Do you think that it would be possible
to fabricate one of these bumpers? Do you have any pictures of this bumper
within the drive? 

That is the typical symptom. spinup no head load then spindown.

I plain removed the bumper. It makes a loud clack now but no ill effects.
The first time I jsut put some Teflon tape over it avoid the sticky
surface but it was harder to do.    No pictures.  I did it in a clean 
work area but not a clean room.  Fequires small tools inside (very small 
area) and I demaged all my tools beforhand.  The only prep I di was to 
clean the unit outside well (dust removeal) then clean the workarea well
with a damp cloth to keep ESD and dust down.

It's been years (at least 8) since I've done this and the drives are still
working.

Allison

...

On 08/04/07, Allison <ajp166 at bellatlantic.net> wrote:
>
> >
> >Subject: Re: ST506 WTB:Micropolis 1325
> >   From: "Steven N. Hirsch" < shirsch at adelphia.net>
> >   Date: Sat, 07 Apr 2007 08:42:34 -0400 (EDT)
> >     To: "General Discussion: On-Topic Posts Only" <cctech at
classiccmp.org
> >
> >
> >On Thu, 5 Apr 2007, Sridhar Ayengar wrote:
> >
> >> John Kourafas wrote:
> >>> Also looking for a Micropolis 1325 MFM Drive, 71/80MB , I've seen
both
> the
> >>> ST506 and Mic. 1325 on eBay for like 600.00 which I think is crazy...
> >>
> >> What's the largest capacity 3.5" MFM HDD available?
> >
> >I have an extensive collection of MFM/RLL drives and have _never_ run
> >across one with that interface in a 3.5" form-factor.  Not sure that
> >anything of this sort existed.  5.25" 1/2-ht. was about as sophisticated
> >as they got.
>
> I have several miniscribe 20mb in all flavors of interface st412, SCSI
> and IDE.  I have some really old 3.5" WD 10mb. to name a few.
>
> They show up around the beginning of the IDE era but by time IDE hit 40mb
> they seemed to have disappeared.
>
>
> Allison
>
>
> 