Antique hard disk - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: up.08.55
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 23, 2013, 02:28:47 pm
content: Dear community,i saw the video (http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/142911-ibm-3390-the-worlds-largest-and-most-expensive-hard-drive-teardown) and i really enjoyed it :-). I alredy have some nice piece from the late 80's (a 700MB 5,1/2 inch Maxtor hdd with 8 platters, a 40MB 5,1/2 inch Seagate, ...). I would like to expand my collection with such a disk. Do you know, where can i buy something like this?My email is: 84td84@gmail.comThanx,Daniel

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2013, 04:12:49 pm
content: Ebay? You will have to look a while to find one. Otherwise auctions of old surplus equipment from governments/universities and such.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2013, 11:15:09 pm
content: get a RAMAC. that is the original harddisk.

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 23, 2013, 11:57:29 pm
content: The big question is - can you afford the freight? That one is only ~40KG packed, some older ones are much heavier !Your best bet is to look for local surplus businesses and go and fish through their "junk". It's been 15yrs+ since I'vebought any, and it was getting harder even then. Most the ones I had were turned into clocks and jewellery :-)

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2013, 12:13:20 am
content: The first VAX I worked with had an RA81 disk, about 450 MB as I recall. It was the size of a typical microwave and needed two people to lift it. If I ever found a surplus one, I bet it had a nice electric motor inside it.

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2013, 01:00:16 am
content: In the old drives I worked on, the drive motors were nothing fancy, the fancy part was for the head movement. The linear track, voice coil motor for the heads.This from memoryRK05 1.2MB on 14 inch removable plater, recorded to both sides. Optical track alignment with linear voice coil motor for head movement. The full stroke head test would shake an 19" equipment rack if not bolted to floor. That head motor is just what you need for a huge bass speaker, or to move something like a mirror. Just the coil magnet asm was Huge, 6 to 8 inch deep and 4 to 5 in dia. and very heavy.C

author: up.08.55
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 25, 2013, 08:35:36 pm
content: Thanx.There is currently an RA81 on ebay, but for 1000 USD :-)

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2013, 05:20:51 am
content: Yeah, think of a portable kitchen dishwasher cabinet. I have an aluminum 1.4mb disk over my bench from those things.At my plant in the 80's the drives were named after comedians. One day we lost all Hope.

author: Ketturi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2013, 02:54:45 pm
content: I have one vintage Seagate ST-238R hard drive. 33MB with RLL controller card, 5.25" half-height form factor. Sadly not working properly, still booted to msdos, but had corrupted files and cover have been opened before. Weights about 2kg:s or so, shipping may be expensive, ~20-40€/$ depending on country. Interested?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2013, 03:38:26 pm
content: Oldest I have is a pair of SCSI DeathStars, one works ( of course) and the other died a slow lingering death. Still have a few MFM full length ISA cards around.

author: up.08.55
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 07:45:29 pm
content: Quote from: Ketturi on March 29, 2013, 02:54:45 pmThanx. I alredy have one :-) It's also about 30-40 mb.