IBM Deathstar Hell

[Brian Densmore]

Another way if you are skilled and have the tools:
find an exposed diode, unsolder and resolder 
in the reverse direction. Then power it up.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Charles Steinkuehler [mailto:charles at steinkuehler.net]
> Sent: Monday, September 15, 2003 2:30 PM
> To: Kris Bodenheimer
> Cc: KCLug
> Subject: Re: IBM Deathstar Hell
> 
> 
> Kris Bodenheimer wrote:
> > I have a deathstar that develops "bad sectors" every 2 
> days, using IBM's 
> > Drive fitness utility I am on my 4th "erase and repair disk" which 
> > appears to be a low level formatting.   The drive is under 
> warranty for 
> > 3 more months, but I can't get the Drive fitness utility to 
> give me an 
> > error that earns me an RMA.  Anyone know how to "help" this 
> drive along 
> > its slow death?  BTW this will be the 10th IBM Deathstar to 
> go to hell 
> > in the past 2 months.  Kris
> 
> Find a dry location (low humidity)
> 
> Get a piece of 70's shag carpet (bonus points for avacado green)
> 
> Do a dance to the HDD gods (moon-walking works well).  You 
> know you're 
> doing it right if a fluorescent bulb you're simply holding in 
> your hand 
> illuminates when you move your feet.
> 
> Select a large, important looking IC, and while chanting "The 
> DeathStar 
> will never defeat the powers of good", point your finger at 
> the IC in a 
> meanicing manner, then actually touch some of the pins.  
> Alternatively, 
> hold one end of the fluorescent tube and point the other end at the 
> drive...when the tube lights (may require a dimmed room to see if you 
> don't have really low humidity and good shag carpet) your 
> work is done.
> 
> Repeat as required until Drive Fitness gives you an 
> acceptable error code.
> 
> Alternate methods would include:
> 
> - Hit the drive a couple of times with a cattle prod, electric fence, 
> neon sign transformer, or similar high-voltage low-current supply.
> 
> - Hook a wire to the 12V supply and randomly touch connections on the 
> drive with the other end (with power applied).  Be careful with this 
> technique, however...if you latch up one of the controller IC's, it's 
> possible for the case to pop off rather explosively, so make 
> sure your 
> eyes are out of the path of any possible projectiles.
> 
> - Put some *VERY* important data on the drive, then erase all other 
> backups.  This should guarantee drive failure, but probably 
> not until a 
> few days *AFTER* the warrenty period expires.
> 
> - Soak the drive in liquid nitrogen, then drop on concrete to 
> shatter it 
> into 1000's of little pieces (What's the drive fitness code for this 
> one? :-)
> 
> -- 
> Charles Steinkuehler
> charles at steinkuehler.net
> 
> 
> 
> 
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