Heads looking at the Microscope

[zebong]

Hi to all,

Looking the heads with a microscope i can see the heads very dirty, and with a lot off "particle".

What can i use to clean it and remove that "particle"


ZeBong

[hddguy]

Isopropyl alcohol and folded paper, tracing paper is ideal. Many other methods can be used, but this method has some success. Only tested on Seagate heads so far.

Would be good to hear of other successful methods though...

[mbatsos]

To clean effectively "something" you need to know its chemistry.

What you see with your microscope what do you suspect it is?

Definitelly you will remove them mechamicaly but you can help a lot with the appropriate "detergent" (metaforically speaking).

Alcohols (as isopropyl alcohol) can dissolve are very polar liquides and can disolve very well polar

If the head contains material like the onew that fly inside a regular atmospear (our rooms, smoke, soiling material ...) then alkaline solution such as azax do a better job.

I have not exoerience in hard disk cleaning but I do have experience in cleaning field.

[helpdisc]

on wd it helps a lot, I am suprised Zebong did not try this yet

[Russwinters]

It is also safe to submerge the heads (not the whole headstack, you could but there isnt much point to) in 99% isoprophyl for ~30 seconds to 1 minutes and that should dissolve most of the particles; and then dry them with an air duster (very carefully)

Do this inside you cleanroom/ laminar flow so that no new particles attach themselves and render your cleaning pointless. You can also you straws (like small ones you find at coffee shops) cut them small and place them over the heads for extra protection.

[hddguy]

on wd it helps a lot, I am suprised Zebong did not try this yet

I dont recall ever having a WD with dirty heads, I pretty much assumed WD heads did not get dirty. Do you have success in cleaning heads from WD?

[mbatsos]

Assuming there is some oily sumbsance inside the hard disk chamber (maybe from the motor bearing !!!), then it is safer to submerge the heads inside an mildly alkaline solution (water and triethanolamine) to convert the oily sustance into a soap thus cleaning the heads.

The secreat is in the word "convert" the dirtiness into a soap and then rinse it.
Much more efective method.

If you use isopropyl alcohol you "disolve" the oily substance.

[zebong]

Hi,

I think we see where some metods to clean the heads


Thanks to all

ZeBong