

Article 34891 of comp.sys.mac:
From: [email-masked] (Olle Furberg)
Subject: Seagate drive self-seeking -- what is the truth?
Summary: What about Seagate drives?
Keywords: Quantum, Seagate
Date: 14 May 89 01:34:46 GMT
Organization: Swedish Institute of Computer Science, Kista
Was: "Quantum drive self-seeking -- the truth"

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Martin Minow) writes:
>Summary: people notice that their 3.5 inch Quantum (40/80 Mbyte)
>disks occassionally do some I/O without any prompting from the
>host.  They asked why. I talked with my local Quantum technical
>support person.  Here's his answer:
> [---]
>Quantum drives contain a thermistor that triggers recalibration when
>the temperature changes by 2 degrees-Celsius.  Recalibration is also
> [---]

 I have an Apple HD40 with a Seagate 3.5 inch drive (Seagate ST-157N).
It behaves in the same way, I/O every 20 minutes. It's a bit irritating
because I have the HD under my bed. However, if I park the heads the
seeking stops.
 Note: It's in the HD, because:

1. It does not depend on MultiFinder or any exotic inits:
   I've tried the good old System 3.2 without any inits: it's still there.

2. It continues even if I turn off the Mac

Does Martin's explanation also apply to Seagate drives?

           /Olle

PS. Driver software: Apple's  HD SC Installer version 2.0