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+--- Thread: Speed inhibited by disk malfunction... (/showthread.php?tid=55311)
Speed inhibited by disk malfunction... - Buzz - 05-21-2008
I'm assuming after several hours w/ this warning on screen, that the future is not looking good for the client's eMac.
Actually, it's an original 700MHz model that's on its fourth HD (soon to be fifth), which begs the question, what keeps frying the internal HD's? The optical drive was also replaced, but that was to add functionality, and the RAM has been maxed out. Its screen has been a solid performer, but every time, the drive gets a case of the slows, then craps out a few weeks, or months, later. This is now officially beyond coincidence. Other than waiting for DW to finish, and rescuing whatever data is possible, any suggestions for HD #5? Fast, regular speed, slim profile, regular profile, size, brand, anything that'll keep it working and not die again before the machine itself?
I'd so like to donate it to a school, and have him get something like a refurb white 20" Intel iMac, but it was a challenge getting him into the eMac back when from his fairly stock PM7300. Thank goodness for minimum browser requirements on that one. All thoughts appreciated for for long lasting drive suggestions. When eMacs work, I'm a fan, but when they don't, they're kinda big and clunky to have to deal w/ when fixin' 'em. Thanks,
Buzz
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Re: Speed inhibited by disk malfunction... - JoeH - 05-21-2008
Possibly a bad ribbon cable for the IDE connection? Or something not placed correctly, so it either interferes with airflow for cooling or distorts the drive mounting.
Re: Speed inhibited by disk malfunction... - modelamac - 05-21-2008
If it has FW, forget about internals, and just get an external drive and case. Too much evidence that a drive eater resides in that eMac. Could be dust bunnies, slow fan, no fan, ... who knows?
Re: Speed inhibited by disk malfunction... - raz - 05-21-2008
makes terribly little sense.
however, if the above don't prove out, it might be the power supply. Is the eMac on a nice sized UPS?
Re: Speed inhibited by disk malfunction... - C(-)ris - 05-21-2008
Is the fan in the eMac spinning and not clogged up? Heat kills hard drives.
Re: Speed inhibited by disk malfunction... - Buzz - 05-21-2008
it's got fan, reasonably quiet, too, for the most part compared to some eMacs. it checks out OK each time the drive is replaced. strange thing is, it's actually munched two FW drives in the past, so I've been leery about relying solely on an external. plus, he only turns the external on for backups, or accessing seldom used files, and plus again FWIW, one of internals that croaked had been in a FW enclosure first, but didn't have probs until after the transplant.
DW has been on overnight, w/ minimal, if any, further movement. the cursor beachballs for several seconds every couple of minutes, and every so often the status bar wiggles a very small bit just above the message contain in this thread's subject line. I'm hesitant to go big on the drive, as the 80's & 120's keep crapping out, so going to a 300-500GB drive seems like a bad bet, unless they're more durable for some reason... I'll give DW till the end of the day, then check the cable upon the next transplant. the UPS thing may be part of it; I think it's just on a surge suppressor, so it may be getting poor power, even though his building has its own back up generator system, and he might just be getting fooled into thinking it provides cleaner power than it really does.