Dec RA60 Drives and HSC40 Controller... worth rescuing? - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

23 Jul 2003

The RA60's should be opened with power on.  However, 
unlike RL02's, the solenoid can be overridden with a 
thin blade.  

...
  From: Corda Albert J DLVA
&lt;CordaAJ(a)NSWC.NAVY.MIL&gt;
 ...  As I recently acquired a VAX6630, I am considering
 latching onto the HSC40, but am vacillating on the drives... 
   You have to really *want* one of these.  They are power 
hungry little beasties. 

...
  they _are_ heavy, and the dealer has no disk packs
unless,
 god forbid, they are still in the drives 8-( ... I need to go
 back sometime this week and open 'em up for a look-see.

 Not being familiar with the RA60, and being unable to find any
 docs on-line, I have no idea how to open these up... does anyone
 have any experience with these critters? Can they
 be opened without power (i.e. is the top door locked with a
 solenoid?)   
   As far as what to look for, hold the pack so that light 
is passing through the side of it.  Every surface should be completely smooth.  If you see
any rings, it's had the head 
touch it.  The heads should be white to yellowish white with a dark bar in the middle.  If
there are black or brown smudges on the head, they've been crashed.  If they clean up
smooth with 95% alcohol, they ~may~ be okay.  I'd have to look, but I think good heads
ohmed out at 4-6 ohms.  (It's been a while since I last worked on one.)

Dale the DECdude