HD> it is happening more frequently.That is what got me worried.

If you decide to clean the drive heads with a simple store bought kit,
and (from your last message) you live in a "dusty area", I'd urge you to
open your drive up and (_carefully!_) clean the heads by hand with a
cleaning kit. (check the "audio" section of your electronics store for a
"professional tape-head cleaning solution".
  Ordinary disk cleaners will just "wipe" the heads clean, and if dirt
or sand is on those heads when it wipes them... goodbye disk drive.

  If possible, try to clean between the heads with the cleaning
solution. DO NOT use alcohol. It leaves a residue. If you use cotton
swabs, make sure you leave no cotton behind on the heads.

  If you are uncomfortable with this, your probably okay using a "kit".
If the worst does happen, replacement drives are fairly cheap.

  And in the future, when the computer is off, always leave a disk in
the drive (all the way in) so that the heads are engaged. It's harder
for dirt to get on them if they are against the disk surface.

 -*- Tom -*-



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