old disk access

[rikona]

On Wed, 15 May 2019 19:02:50 -0400 (EDT)
Robert Heller <heller at deepsoft.com> wrote:

> At Wed, 15 May 2019 13:47:25 -0700 "Ubuntu user technical support,
> not for general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Some of the old disks I'm trying to access are likely quite old - in
> > the 250 to 750 MB range. Same connectors as old but larger disks
> > [1GB and up] that I can access. In disks they just show up as
> > generic ATA/ATAPI and it says "no media". A couple did a lot of
> > screeching/beeping before they finally decided to run, but none of
> > the very small ones show as a disk. What may be preventing me from
> > accessing those smaller disks?  
> 
> Old rotating rust disks often suffer from "sticktion" -- the spindle
> lub turns to something like glue.  *Sometime* a wack with unstick
> them.  Sometimes, they are just ready for a trip to the landfil (or
> recycling center)...

That description fits what happened pretty well. I was going to recycle
them after getting off info I'd like to keep - if anyone is still
interested in such ancient drives, otherwise grind em up and give to a
place that can use the metals.