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From: jec@nesac2.UUCP (John Carter ATLN SADM)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.att,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Help needed with AT&T 6300 hard disk problem!!
Message-ID: <843@nesac2.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 29-Nov-87 22:09:37 EST
Article-I.D.: nesac2.843
Posted: Sun Nov 29 22:09:37 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 11-Dec-87 05:43:25 EST
References: <2225@killer.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: A.T.&T. NTSC, Lisle, Ill.
Lines: 52
Summary: bad batch of drives
Xref: mnetor comp.sys.att:1986 comp.sys.ibm.pc:10869

In article <2225@killer.UUCP>, strianta@killer.UUCP (Spiros Trianta) writes:
] Help! The following problem started happening after I moved my AT&T 6300 PC
] from Michigan to Indiana (Shipdisked it and drove it at 55mph :-) in its     
] original carton/packing)
] 
] Initially I got 3 hard disk errors in a period of 2 months, and light use.
] Message was in all cases (either read or write) Drive C not ready, abort, retry
] etc. Diagnostics (customer) showed no problem.
] 
] Then one day it really hit the fan. Could not do anyththing with drive C, 
] without getting TONS of said errors. Diagnostics said DISK & DRIVE CONTROLLER
] TIME OUT (?). I low- and high- level formatted the drive with no avail.
] Format went thrui once and said not ready, immediately after said OK. Still
] same problem.
] 
] Now that I use the system from floppyu only, after half an hour or so of use the
] system (drive) makes funny seeking noises, but without me referencing it. The 
                                                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sounds more like a controller (or bus) problem than a drive.

] seek light does not come on. The noises are similar to the ones done while tryiotrying to reboot. 
] 
] A friendly technician said that probably the controller is shot. What is 
] your opinion, Oh Net? AT&T won't sell me the advanced diagnostics,
                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Have you tried the 800 number?  There's very little that they won't
sell - dealers are sometimes more interested in doing the work....
as they said in TV repair - "Captive service is a captive buck"
Seriously though, try ordering the 6300 Service Manual - it has the
diagnostic disks in the back (including low level format, read/write
tests, etc).
There are some good PD diagnostics for the 6300 - almost as good as
the 'official' ones.
] at least the few authorized dealers in the Indy  area won't.    
] 
] I would like some opinions or educated guesses before taking the box to service.
] Any help will be appreciated, and as usual, I will summarize if interesting
] facts arise. Remember, it is an AT&T 6300 with its original 20 MB hard disk
] and controller from AT&T. I think the controller is an RLL western digital,
                                                         ^^^
No RLL on a 20 meg Seagate drive - the original ST225's are not that
level of media (and I have one that's gone thru two Seagate drives
in less than 90 days - it sits on a table and the drive still ate
itself).

] while the drive is a seagate.
                       ^^^^^^^
See comments above.
-- 
USnail: John Carter, AT&T, Atlanta RWC, 3001 Cobb Parkway, Atlanta GA 30339
Video:	...ihnp4!cuea2!ltuxa!ll1!nesac2!jec    Voice: 404+951-4642
(The above views are my very own. How dare you question them? :-)