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seagate ST-412

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k2x4b524[

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Tacoma, Washington, USA. Zip code 98404
Just how many are left alive? And what are they used for? I have 1 of them, starts up loud, then quiets down after getting to temperature, wasn't there a guide on re-oiling these things? Anyway, who else still has some of these buggers in working order?
 
I acquired one with an XT. It can't have seen much use as it's still very quiet, spinning and seeking, and has no bad sectors :)
 
I have two currently that both work.

1) Came in an XT that the original owner shipped to me in the original box with packaging.
The ST-412 was working when he had it .....but did not work when I received it. I used the trick
of relocating the track 0 position, to restore it and its been working fine for several years.

2) The drive was shipped to me in an envelope :-( but fortunately survived and has also
worked fine for several years.
 
mikey99 said:
I used the trick of relocating the track 0 position, to restore it...
Click to expand...
Care to elaborate? It's always good to learn new tricks to use with these old drives. The one I've used with some limited success is to create a small partition first and then ignore it. Then make a (hopefully) useable partition with the rest of the drive. The problem with that is when track 0 is so bad that you can't even partition the drive at all. So I'm curious what you've been using.
 
If it involves opening the drive and adjusting the screw that limits the arm.... BTDT and never had any success with that method.
 
Stone said:
If it involves opening the drive and adjusting the screw that limits the arm.... BTDT and never had any success with that method.
Click to expand...
I've never had a 412 open, but I wouldn't think that that would work; track 0 would still be where the track0 sensor and the relevant stepper phase say it is, and that wouldn't change, would it?
 
Not sure. I suppose if one adjusted the arm then did a low level format it would just assume the tracks are offsets from it's current location..?
 
Stone said:
Saw it, tried it, no joy. :)
Click to expand...
Some reasons that I can think of as to why the technique would not work on some drives:
1. Drive has a different problem, i.e. not a track 0 problem.
2. Not only is track 0 unuseable (track 0 using unextended arm), but so is the 'new' track 0 (track 0 using extended arm).
3. Material used to extend arm is not opaque enough for optical sensor.
4. Arm extended too far (e.g. 5 cylinders), resulting in a problem when the drive tries to access the final cylinders.
 
k2x4b524[ said:
Just how many are left alive? And what are they used for? I have 1 of them, starts up loud, then quiets down after getting to temperature, wasn't there a guide on re-oiling these things? Anyway, who else still has some of these buggers in working order?
Click to expand...

I was given one. Noisy but boots fine. I need to add that drop of oil (noise is clearly from the bearing).
Only bad block during formatting was the one it had at the factory.

Not currently in use, waiting for another IBM XT to turn up for sale aroundhere. My XT is the later made enhanced model (20Mb - 640Kb - half height devices). Saving the 412 for a normal XT.

In a random conversation with someone who works in the building, he has an ST412 as well and said 'amazingly reliable drives'.
 
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