From: joe@user.com   
      
   > Ok, I read about this lubricant stuff somewhere, maybe it was only a   
   > reference to the bearings, not the disks or heads. I also had the   
   > impression that it was the heads that had stuck so thanks for the   
   > explanation. I actually never opened a drive to see, though I do have   
   > several broken ones. These typically spin but isn't readable and won't   
   > be low-level formatted.   
   >   
   > I guess that drive I have that needed extra force, more than just the   
   > slap, to unstick wasn't parked and the heads were somewhere in the   
   > middle because there were bad areas that could not even be low-level   
   > formatted back to shape.   
   >   
   > I wouldn't know if it applies to the T1K but on the Olivetti M24 one   
   > used debug to run an address, the rom on the MFM controller actually, to   
   > low-level format MFM drives. The Spinrite program I have would also do   
   > that, revive the drive by rewriting the low level format, it was pretty   
   > intelligent because it wouldn't low level format RLE and IDE drives,   
   > only MFM.   
   >   
   > The MFM drives were very different from IDE drives in that it was very   
   > normal to low-level format them, I think it was even a part of the   
   > installation of a new drive or a drive to a new controller (to ensure   
   > that the controller and the drive agreed on timing).   
   >   
   > BTW I didn't know that there could be an IDE drive on the T1K, I was   
   > assuming MFM. Was there IDE drives as small as 5MB? (the smallest IDE   
   > drive I have is 20MB, I think).   
   >   
   > Knut   
      
   Actually, I have 1/2Meg IDE drive.  Well, it's  a prototype.  Solid state,   
   long story.   
      
   The issue with IDE being 'different' is just that when they went to IDE,   
   with   
   a controller matched to the drive, they could hide a multitude of sins.   
   Specifically, what is 'inside' the package is now controlled by the   
   interface,   
   and does it really matter as long as you can get to it?   
      
   In fact, MOST IDE drives in the early days were ESDI, but the interface   
   hid everything from you.  Then they got this thing called ZBR which stood   
   for 'Zone Bit Recording' if I remember correctly.  What that means is that   
   the drive had different densities on different tracks.  And there's no way   
   there was 8 heads in there.  The who drive was 'translated'.  Again, does   
   it matter?  No need for 'reduced write current' as it didn't matter.  The   
   drive managed all that for you.   
      
   Now, the kicker is what does a 'format' do?  Depends on the drive!   
      
   Bottom line is once the 'package' of a drive and controller became the   
   norm, the drive manufacturers were free to really start using the media,   
   instead of having to be compatible with a crippled interface spec.   
      
   As to the lubricant issue, there's a lot of 'urban legend' flying around   
   about   
   the stuff.  The only drive that I actually know of with a lubricant problem   
   was the Fujitsu Eagles (big rack mount drives).  But that doesn't mean   
   there aren't problems with other drives.  Or with other issues that 'could'   
   be wrong in the drive.  Like the Tandon hard drives that had the head   
   stop positioner so that the head could get 'beside' it and it would jam up   
   as the temp changed...  (What a piece of ...  Well, you know!)   
      
   Mike   
      
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