SGI: Hardware

Covering Indy floptical hole

dukzcry avatar
dukzcry
From Russia
Who joined June 14, 2009, 11:53 p.m.
Wrote the following at Aug. 28, 2015, 6:09 a.m...
A question to people familiar with Indy.
I wonder whether those Indys shipped without floptical drive had hole covers or not?
Also I've heard these drives tend to stop working after getting some portion of dust, and imo there is no practical use for such a drive today, so it's better to dismount it if the machine has one anyway... So what did you do with your machine in such case? Just left the hole uncovered (for better ventilation but also more dust eating) or added hand-made cover (to reduce dust consume)?
Trippynet avatar
Trippynet
From Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
Who joined Aug. 15, 2013, 6:22 a.m.
Wrote the following at Aug. 28, 2015, 6:17 a.m...
Every single Indy I've ever come across has not had a Floptical drive, but has had the hole left open. It's just part of the design.
Systems in use:
:Indigo2IMP: - Nitrogen : R10000 195MHz CPU, 384MB RAM, SolidIMPACT Graphics, 36GB 15k HDD & 300GB 10k HDD, 100Mb/s NIC, New/quiet fans, IRIX 6.5.22
:Fuel: - Lithium : R14000 600MHz CPU, 4GB RAM, V10 Graphics, 36GB 15k HDD & 300GB 10k HDD, 1Gb/s NIC, New/quiet fans, IRIX 6.5.30
Other system in storage: :O2: R5000 200MHz, 224MB RAM, 72GB 15k HDD, PSU fan mod, IRIX 6.5.30
dukzcry avatar
dukzcry
From Russia
Who joined June 14, 2009, 11:53 p.m.
Wrote the following at Aug. 28, 2015, 7:04 a.m...
Thank you! Better to follow the design and leave it open then.
pentium avatar
pentium
From Kamloops, BC
Who joined Aug. 28, 2006, 6:29 p.m.
Wrote the following at Aug. 28, 2015, 8:47 a.m...
CAll me crazy but I would look into how hard it would be to shim in a ZIP drive.
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jan-jaap avatar
jan-jaap
Donor
From Wijchen, The Netherlands
Who joined June 17, 2004, 11:35 a.m.
Wrote the following at Aug. 28, 2015, 9:31 a.m...
Trippynet wrote: Every single Indy I've ever come across has not had a Floptical drive, but has had the hole left open. It's just part of the design.

Wrong.

Normally you'd have a cover plate which can be "installed' in the top drive bracket, and when the drive bracket is installed in the system it closes the floptical drive hole.

If you look carefully at this photo you can see it somewhat (well, maybe only if you know what to look for) ;) It's just a piece of sheet metal, like the drive bracket.
http://www.sgistuff.net/hardware/system ... erior1.jpg
To accentuate the special identity of the IRIS 4D/70, Silicon Graphics' designers selected a new color palette. The machine's coating blends dark grey, raspberry and beige colors into a pleasing harmony. ( IRIS 4D/70 Superworkstation Technical Report )
dukzcry avatar
dukzcry
From Russia
Who joined June 14, 2009, 11:53 p.m.
Wrote the following at Aug. 28, 2015, 9:43 a.m...
jan-jaap wrote:
Trippynet wrote: Normally you'd have a cover plate which can be "installed' in the top drive bracket, and when the drive bracket is installed in the system it closes the floptical drive hole.

If you look carefully at this photo you can see it somewhat (well, maybe only if you know what to look for) ;) It's just a piece of sheet metal, like the drive bracket.
http://www.sgistuff.net/hardware/system ... erior1.jpg

Thanks for your priceless correction! That's good to see their engineers thought about this bit too :)
SAQ
From Renton, WA
Who joined July 19, 2006, 8:37 a.m.
Wrote the following at Aug. 28, 2015, 9:22 p.m...
Yep, mine has the cover on the top bracket.

They wouldn't leave it open from the factory because someone's just gonna stuff a floppy in there (you know it) - or something worse (especially if kids are involved).
"Brakes??? What Brakes???"

:Indigo: :Octane: :Indigo2: :Indigo2IMP: :Indy: :PI: :O3x0: :ChallengeL: :O2000R: (single-CM)
Trippynet avatar
Trippynet
From Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
Who joined Aug. 15, 2013, 6:22 a.m.
Wrote the following at Aug. 29, 2015, 8:31 a.m...
Apologies, I was more meaning from a plastic point of view. There was certainly never any insert or plastic covering that I'm aware of.

Although for that matter, I'm not sure if dust is much of an issue, seeing as all systems have a fan to pull air out, and ventilation holes to let it in...
Systems in use:
:Indigo2IMP: - Nitrogen : R10000 195MHz CPU, 384MB RAM, SolidIMPACT Graphics, 36GB 15k HDD & 300GB 10k HDD, 100Mb/s NIC, New/quiet fans, IRIX 6.5.22
:Fuel: - Lithium : R14000 600MHz CPU, 4GB RAM, V10 Graphics, 36GB 15k HDD & 300GB 10k HDD, 1Gb/s NIC, New/quiet fans, IRIX 6.5.30
Other system in storage: :O2: R5000 200MHz, 224MB RAM, 72GB 15k HDD, PSU fan mod, IRIX 6.5.30
uunix avatar
uunix
Donor
From Stourbridge / England / UK
Who joined March 27, 2011, 12:48 p.m.
Wrote the following at Aug. 29, 2015, 9:27 a.m...
I've never seen one covered by any plastic or otherwise covering. Mine is blocked by the second hard disk.
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chicaneuk
Who joined July 10, 2012, 3:48 a.m.
Wrote the following at Aug. 30, 2015, 7 a.m...
Would be a nice project for 3D printing. But must admit it's never bothered me as the drive caddy blanks access off to it!
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SAQ
From Renton, WA
Who joined July 19, 2006, 8:37 a.m.
Wrote the following at Sept. 1, 2015, 5:41 p.m...
Nope, SGI didn't do that. Sun did on the Sun4m lunchboxes, but never SGI. Being on the side it was a bit more hidden, and the Indy was the only one with an exposed possible floppy port anyway.
"Brakes??? What Brakes???"

:Indigo: :Octane: :Indigo2: :Indigo2IMP: :Indy: :PI: :O3x0: :ChallengeL: :O2000R: (single-CM)