Remove Sliders Stuck Between Platters

[Jared]

Anyone know a good method to remove a couple sliders that are stuck to the platters? And not on the top platter but rather sandwiched in between like you see here:



And a video where you can see them both:
[bbvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pel1t3dFUHI&feature=youtu.be[/bbvideo]

 

[LarrySabo]

I know some drives you can remove platters and put them back without it affecting readability, but I'd want to try it on a donor first. When I tried it, it didn't work but a colleague has tried it (unintentionally) and was able to read the data without drama. If it works on your model, that would seem to hold the most promise.

 

[Jared]

Yeah, given that it's a Seagate my money is on it not working if I remove the top platter. Maybe I should just install a set of junk heads that are already ruined but not physically damaged (and fit in the drive).... let it whack them out when it starts clicking.. :lol:

 

[pclab]

What if with some tweezers you can push them out?

 

[LarrySabo]

I guess I would try heating the sliders using an IR wand/heat lamp, then pulling them off with a plastic Sheppard's hook/hemostat of some sort. I don''t think using a SMT hot air tool would be wise as it would contaminate the interior with room dust. Freeze spay would likely be just as reckless. Maybe put the cover back on and heat it in an oven to around 100C, experimenting with a donor fist in case it melts some critical plastic parts.

 

[Jared]

What! your SMD rework station doesn't have a HEPA filter on it??? Just kidding. I'm not sure I'm keen on the idea of heating platters, have your even found that to help with removing sliders?

I've usually only had to deal with the top ones being stuck, so physical force did the trick. Plastic shepherds hook is a good idea, I think I'll grab a pack of those little disposable flossers.

 

[LarrySabo]

Yeah, heating the platters doesn't sound like a good idea to me either, but somehow heating just the slider might make it break the adhesion to the platter, due to thermal expansion. I have a spatula tip for my soldering iron; maybe just touching the slider with it would do the trick. Then again, it might just weld it to the platter. :lol: A plastic caliper might let you grip the slider to dislodge it, or maybe file a notch in a plastic knitting needle to push-pull it to break the tension. idk.

Anyway, let us know what finally worked (or failed) for you.

 

[abedalkareem]

[post]4507[/post] Anyone know a good method to remove a couple sliders that are stuck to the platters?

what about powerful vacuum cleaner with tight hose ?

 

[Bankole Oladoja]

I have actually tried removing some stubborn particles from platter with a blower. All I did was just to remove the head and use the blower, and it has actually worked.

 

[Jared]

Sliders both removed and data is now imaging at 35Mb/s from the drive . I never expected that.

I did three head swaps today, and this was the one I was pretty sure would fail. Now it's the only one that's actually working and the Toshiba & Hitachi drives I expected to work, both didn't.