VOGONS


First post, by Kahenraz

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See the label at the top. The hard drive was dead, but rattling is still okay, I guess.

The rattling is due to this little metal arm at the bottom of the disk. Does anyone know what it was used for?

I've also linked a video of the drive "clicking". It keeps trying to read the disk, then throws itself back to the parking position and bags its head violently, as if to shake off some debris.

https://youtu.be/LiPE2KvxYGc

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Reply 3 of 7, by Kahenraz

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That's pretty cool that you find the exact patent. Thanks for that.

Reply 4 of 7, by zapbuzz

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Software used to park heads on the old drives from early 80's but a latch to lock parking is deftineately a good idea for laptops falling from skyscrapers 🤣

Reply 5 of 7, by mkarcher

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DAVE86 wrote on 2022-10-25, 07:32:

A solution found in modern 2.5" Western Digial drives.

This might well be true. The 2.5" IBM drive shown in the OP was the first mainstream drive to park the arms in a way that causes rattling noise. That's why these drives have the note printed on them.

Reply 6 of 7, by gca

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Ah, so that is what that rattle was. Had the same drive in one of my laptops but I changed it because I thought it was on the way out. Didn't have the rattle is normal notice on it. Glad I didn't chuck the thing out now if its actually fine.

Reply 7 of 7, by Kahenraz

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It's definitely alarming enough to warrant the notice. I imagined the swing arms that hold the heads wobbling about, but this is definitely not the case. They are locked in place and don't move at all.