Maxtor drives stalling at startup.

[videobruce 0]

I wasn't too sure how to list this.

 

I put this problem under another forum as a "beeping" problem with the drives, but beeping isn't the right term.

 

It would appear that it is a power supply problem, BUT this has only happened the last 9 months in the 1 3/4 years I have had this setup with the only changes being a different 2nd USB camera and more memory (256 to 512).

 

I have a Epox 8KTA M/B, a AMD 700 T bird, a 20G and a 40G Maxtor drive, burner, CD rom, audio card, modem and NIC.

 

When the drives are in standby or at bootup (with no pattern), sometimes they are fine, other times they hang, the drives won't spinup right away and will hesitate that the bios doesn't always see the second drive on startup or the system pauses when the drive(s) start up at a request of the system, either to open a folder or start a program. I have the timeout at 10 minutes in pwr mgnt. as I always have had to help keep them cooler since they sit on top of one another.

 

I have a 300w PS and it would seem that it is a current issue, BUT this is the same setup (almost) as it was when new and the prioblem only recently started showing up. I know it is easy to blame the supply, but I don't want to run out and buy another supply on the chance that really is the problem.

 

The different camera has the same current ratting and the 256MB of additional RAM can't really draw that much more current, besides this is a 12volt issue IF it is a current problem with the drives not 3.3 or 5 volt

right?

 

Also the drives emit a strange squeal that is a cross between a beep and a mechincal squeak. I have run the Maxtor diagnostic program and the drives pass.

[GTwannabe 0]

Seems to be a common problem among Maxtors. My 30 gig used to do that when I was using it as my primary hard drive. It also developed the problem of randomly hanging up w/ the hard drive dead, LED lit, while W2k was loading taskbar items.

 

Got so bad that I bought a 120 gig WD drive and slaved in the 30 as a scratch disk. Haven't had any problems w/ the Maxtor since (which is unfortunate, since I'd like to get it replaced)

 

I believe it might be a problem w/ the thermal calibration sensor that manifests itself when the drive is cold. I've got the 120 and the 30 stacked on top of each other now, so the Maxtor stays nice and toasty

[videobruce 0]

This doesn't seem to be a thermal problem. It happens hot or cold!

[videobruce 0]

I sent the drive back to Maxtor. I subsistuted another Maxtor drive (5400 vs 7200), imaged it and transfered files to the other partition. This is my backup drive with a 2nd O/S on it. So far so good.

 

I monitored the voltage off the 12v bus into the drives with a digital meter and Motherboard Monitor. The lowest I saw was 11.7v This was at spinup. Normaly it sits at 12.03v, MB Monitor shows 11.9

 

I don't feel it is a PS issue, I don't overclock and it is only a 700 T-Bird.

[shearerc 0]

Hi I've a 20G Maxtor 7200(about a year old) and I have the same stalling prob too. But it happens rarely and I don't think my 350W PS is the problem. I only have this drive, burner & cdrom, so insufficient power isn't likely to be the cause.

But yesterday the drive would not startup no matter how many times i reset and switch on/off. So I took out the power connector(for the HD) and plugged it in again. No probs whatsoever since then. If it happens again Maxtor's gonna get a call from me.......

[videobruce 0]

I think it was a thermal problem.

 

I have moved the floppy to a 5 1/4 bay and separted the 2 drives by a half a space and added another exhaust fan.

 

The case is Enlight with a separate cage for 1 floppy and 2 HD's or similar combination.