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Hitachi HD problem. YIKES. (modified 0 times) parasyght Profile | Email Ill try and make this quick and to the point. I have two hitachi 4.3 gig laptop HD's, same model and make. One which works in the io, and one which doesnt; they both work in my tower system(duron 700). When the HD that doesnt work is hooked up to the io, it clicks over and over like its trying to read the disk, and the platters are spinning, i know this because it produces a certin amount of centri-force. When i hold the drive upside down on end, it works without fail, T---T | | |___| The pict is how the drive has to stand for it to work, the two "T's" indicate the top left and right corner. infact, im typing with one hand, on my tower comp, and holding the drive for the io while it installs win 98. Any ideas as to why one would do this and the other doesnt, other than the fact it may be broken?? canttype any more. 02-26-2001 02:22:04

RE:Hitachi HD problem. YIKES. (modified 0 times) Programmer Profile it requires a slight bit more startup power than the IO is willing to supply. 02-26-2001 07:33:43

RE:Hitachi HD problem. YIKES. (modified 0 times) parasyght Profile | Email then why would holding it upside down make it work? and why would another hd of the same model and make work just fine? and how would i fix that. it says is req's +5v 0.5A 02-26-2001 11:22:37

RE:Hitachi HD problem. YIKES. (modified 0 times) Linuxguru Profile | Email The current ratings are nominal values, usually for continuous normal operation. There's a wide variation in startup peak power consumption between individual drives, even from the same batch. Why? Because stiction (friction between head and platter) varies widely between drive to drive, and the lubrication on the main rotor bearings may not be identical. As the drive ages, the variations become even more divergent, because of stiction and oxide debris that has detached from the drive surface. 02-26-2001 13:02:44

RE:Hitachi HD problem. YIKES. (modified 0 times) parasyght Profile | Email Guess what, It works now. I held it upside down while it installed win 98, and rebooted, and it works with having to hold it in an awkward position. Well im glad thats fixed, im not sure how but it is. any ideas? cause i have none. 02-26-2001 19:50:13

RE:Hitachi HD problem. YIKES. (modified 0 times) Msatan666 Profile Call and get an RMA # for the drive. Their tech support # is 1-888-800-2770 03-01-2001 18:38:11

RE:Hitachi HD problem. YIKES. (modified 0 times) Texman Profile Is this a new drive, or has it been run in a certain position for a while? The reason I ask is that because harddrives that have been run laying flat (for example) wear in a certain way. When you put them vertically, friction increases inside the HDD (needing more currect to run). I had a hard drive that had been running horizontally for 6 months, then layed the tower on its side (to save space) and fried the harddrive (wouldn't spin up anymore, just sat there an clicked). 03-01-2001 20:44:17

RE:Hitachi HD problem. YIKES. (modified 0 times) mp3boombox Profile | Email In my own opinion that drive is NO LOGER a good drive OR it was broken to start with. First question is that drive NEW? If yes i strongly reccomend getting it replaced under warrenty. If you where to use that drive in a laptop having the drive lay flat it will fail like you stated. The main reason for it NOT being able to access the drive and ust itting there clicking is that of 2 major problems, First problem I'd lean twarwds is a bad bootsector. You can use programs to rewrite this area. The second thing that comes to mind is a phicial problem, when the hard drive is shut off the heads go off the hard drive platters and to the side. When the drive comes on they go back on to the platter via a little plastic device which looks sumwat like a plane's wing. or SUMwhat like a water drip. it seperates the heads with enuff space for them to go and land on the edge of the platter. Now if that plastic part is worn in or malformed your going to have problems. If the head's track bar is bent, (track par is a small piece of metal which glides over the wing or water drop shaped part to go on to the platter). Well your again going to have problems. the 3rd reason would be just a week head in the first place, basicly meaning its got no power and cant go anywheres very easly. This could be due to the low power of the IO and maby the setup of the hard drive. Could be same make/modle but different HD controler boards. These are just some basic examples of waht the problem could be. To be honist if your fialing on the IO then theres a good chance that if that drive was being used in a regular laptop it would fail befor the GOOD hard drive would in a reg laptop. Reason being you'v found a weekness in the device what ever it may be. if its new and under waren. get it replaced. If its old and used if possable find some way of using it safly. Or sell it on ebay and get a new one. I'v got a tosheba 12gig 9mm hard drive. works find no problems. And the frigen connector is as thick as the frigen drive, its totaly WILD!!! 03-02-2001 04:35:13

RE:Hitachi HD problem. YIKES. (modified 0 times) cerulean Profile It sounds like the drive's air latch is holding the head(s) over the landing zone. The air latch is a safety mechanism that holds the heads over the landing zone until the disk(s) are spinning fast enough to create enough air flow so that the heads are flying at the right height (not dragging on the disk). Once the airflow is fast enough for the heads to fly, then the airflow is should be enough to push the air latch out of the way. Maybe the IO wasn't giving the drive enough current to spin the disk(s) fast enough to release the latch. Tipping the drive on end added gravity to the force on the latch so that it released. 03-02-2001 06:13:10

RE:Hitachi HD problem. YIKES. (modified 0 times) parasyght Profile | Email the drive works fine now, even laying on its side, or any position i put it in. I had contacted hitachi and they said that it wasent reciving enough power to the drive and to check the connections. That wasent much help because i used an identical drive with the same ide ribbon on the same computer that worked fine in the first place. And as far as warrenty, i bought the drive off ebay, actully i bought one and they sent me two by accident. They had crappy shipping service, it took for ever to get to me and i had to keep reminding them. Anyhow, im happy. 03-02-2001 08:52:33

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