RA82 Disk Drive User Guide

This document is a User Guide for the RA82 Disk Drive, providing both a detailed product description and operating information for end users, alongside comprehensive installation instructions primarily intended for DIGITAL field service engineers.

The RA82 is a movable-head disk drive with non-removable recording media, part of the Digital Storage Architecture (DSA) family, which uses the Standard Disk Interconnect (SDI) cable and protocol. It boasts a storage capacity of 623 megabytes. Key features include a high data transfer rate, robust data integrity (due to protected media and error recovery hardware), modular construction, and extensive internal microcode diagnostics for easy maintenance. The drive utilizes dual microprocessors (master and slave) to control its operations.

The manual covers:

• Operating Instructions: Details the functions of the front control panel switches and indicators (RUN/STOP, FAULT, READY, WRITE PROTect, Port Select), and explains rear power controls (circuit breakers). It provides procedures for spinning the drive up and down, emphasizing precautions like ensuring the drive spins down completely before powering off. Routine customer care, such as air filter maintenance, is also described.

• Installation Procedures: This section, crucial for field service, outlines steps for installing the RA82 disk drive in various cabinet configurations (three-high, four-high, and SA482 cabinets). It covers:

  • Site Preparation: Addressing environmental considerations (temperature, humidity, cleanliness), floor loading, heat dissipation, and power supply requirements.
  • Physical Setup: Adjusting leveler feet, extending cabinet stabilizer feet (critical for stability), removing and preparing internal shipping brackets, and mounting the drive onto cabinet slides. Optional Head Disk Assembly (HDA) removal is also covered to reduce weight during installation.
  • Cabling: Detailed instructions for connecting external and internal SDI cables (for data), sequence cables (to regulate drive spin-up order), and power cords (emphasizing load distribution). Programming the drive's unit address plug is also included.
  • Safety: Strong emphasis is placed on electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection measures and other safety precautions during handling and installation.

• Diagnostics: The document describes the drive's internal self-diagnostics (displayed via LED indicators) and more advanced diagnostics performed using an RS232 diagnostic terminal.

Appendices include a comprehensive list of RA82 LED error codes and a list of static control materials.