🚀 go-pugleaf

For those of you with 128k or  512k macs, I have noticed a couple of questions
on the group lately that mentioned that your 400k drives will no longer eject.
Although the trick below is fairly well known to most maint. people, some users
may not be aware how easy this problem is to fix.

How to Solve 400k drive Eject Problems:

The problem with Apple 400k drives when they won't eject is two fold.
First, they get dirty.  This can be solved by using some cleaning fluid
on the working parts.  Unfortunately, must solvents also remove the lubrication
and some can damage non-metal parts.

The real problem is that the ejection spring on the side of the drive is
too loose.  You can either replace it with a beefier spring or install a
"helper" in the form of a rubber band.  I first used a spring in mine, but
the one I chose was too tight and I achieved a quite comical "toaster effect",
the disk quite literally flew across the room.  The spring in question lies
in plain view on the side of the drive once the protective casing has been 
removed.  If you work the action of the drive a few times, it will be obvious
which spring is ejecting ( or failing to eject) the disk.  To install a band,
simply poke one end through the hole that the current spring is mounted on
and lasso the hook that the spring connects on the other side.  Convientantly
enough, there is a screw on the back of the drive that can be loosened to allow
you to secure the band there.  I have found that medium standard bands fit this
gap perfectly.

I first did this to my mac about a year ago and have only had to replace the
band once.  Although this may seem a rediculous soloution it seems to work
quite well.

Alex Jauch
UCI, AIS
ajauch@bonnie.ics.uci.edu