mac-tip/x86-asm-source/RTF.RTF

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\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs24 [instruct]\par
\pard\qc\ul\b\fs44 Very Important Information\ulnone\par
\b0\fs16\par
\fs28 You \cf1\ul\b MUST\cf0\ulnone\b0  take time to read through this\par
\cf1\b CRUCIAL OPERATING INFORMATION\par
\cf0\b0 or this program's test results will be\par
erroneous and meaningless.\fs22\par
\pard\par
\cf2\b Welcome to TIP Version 2.1:\cf0\b0\par
Version 2.1 of TIP offer several "incremental" improvements that did not warrant a jump to a version number of 3.0 (that's still to come.)  Version 2.1 adds compatibility with the 250 Mb ZIP drive and with all USB Iomega drives. It also boasts an automatic self-repairing facility that allows TIP to reconstruct a cartridge's file system after being damaged by an obscure Windows 95/98 removable media bug.\par
\par
\cf2\b TIP Version 2.0 Versus the Original 1.0 Release:\cf0\b0\par
Version 2.0 of TIP is a \b significant advancement\b0  over 1.0. It far surpasses the earlier version's sensitivity to "soft errors" and provides, not only the original capability of helping users to detect drive misbehavior, but goes much further by empowering them to sensitively compare the integrity and reliability of drives and cartridges.\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b Be sure to see the "EXPLAIN RESULTS" page for detailed instruction in the interpretation of TIP's error results.\par
\pard\cf0\b0\par
\cf2\b Background:\cf0\b0\par
Iomega* Zip* and Jaz* drives cause \b 'Click Of Death' \b0 by incorrectly writing to their removable media. This miswriting can damage the user's data, the factory-written low-level formatting, the head's positioning servo information, and the proprietary \b\i Z-Tracks\b0\i0  that are used internally to manage and maintain the Zip and Jaz drive's cartridge data.\par
\par
\b The clicking sound itself\b0  is nothing more than the sound of the heads being retracted from the cartridge into the drive then immediately reinserted. This deliberate strategy is employed by the drive when it is having trouble locating, reading, or writing any of the cartridge's data. This removal and reinsertion of the heads recalibrates the head positioning mechanism, 'scrubs' the heads to remove excessive oxide deposits, and eliminates any electrostatic charge build-up on the heads.\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b It is important for you to understand that the clicking\par
sound itself is \ul NOT\ulnone  the problem.  The clicking is just\par
an audible indication of a drive that is having trouble\par
accessing the data on the cartridge. \par
\pard\cf0\b0\par
Incidents of Click Death have been linked to bad external power supplies, loose power connectors, excessive magnetic oxide build-up on the drive's heads, magnetic and radio interference from nearby sources, media damage from excessive wear or mistreatment, and a seemingly endless array of internal electrical and mechanical problems from causes ranging from rough handling through defective original manufacturing.\par
\par
\cf2\b Why is this happening all of a sudden?:\cf0\b0\par
An unbiased appraisal of recent experience with the large population of Zip -- and to a lesser extent Jaz -- drives, leads to the inescapable -- and unfortunate -- conclusion that recently manufactured Iomega products are experiencing a significantly higher incidence of problems -- both immediately after purchase and after relatively short term use in the field -- than the older versions of the Zip and Jaz drive products which established their reputation for quality and reliability.\par
\par
The \b Iomega Zip and Jaz\b0  section of my web site contains a \b Q&A\b0  area where I am logging many of my interactions with Iomega's customers. Though these experiences are anecdotal in nature, upon reading them one gets the clear sense that something must have gone very wrong as Iomega attempted to scale up their Zip and Jaz drive manufacturing in order to meet the huge demand \ul for what were originally very reliable drives\ulnone .\par
\par
\b I have a lot of respect for the design of the Zip and Jaz drives.\b0  The personal computing industry \b desperately needs a \ul STANDARD\ulnone\b0  high-quality, high-capacity removable media solution -- rather than an industry fragmented by incompatible storage formats. Iomega was the first with a really terrific solution, and has had the opportunity to unite the industry through the strength of the their products' design.  But it remains to be seen, as many new competitors enter this marketplace, whether Iomega will be able to cure what appear to be manufacturing quality-control problems, and hold the industry together with a single strong universal standard.\par
\b\i\par
\pard\qc\cf1\fs36 I sincerely hope they can!\b0\i0\par
\pard\cf2\b\fs22\par
About This Program:\cf0\b0\par
I wrote the first version of \b\i SpinRite\b0\i0  -- my well-known mass storage data recovery and maintenance utility -- more than eleven years ago. At the time of this writing, SpinRite is at version 5.0 and remains without peer in the industry.  It was with those years of experience in mass storage maintenance that I set out to \b "cure"\b0  whatever the problem was with these newer Iomega Zip and Jaz drives. But I soon learned, as you have seen above, that \ul\b there was no single cause for these problems\ulnone\b0  because so many different things were apparently going wrong with the Iomega drives.\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf2\b So instead, \ul I decided to create two programs\ulnone  to address the PC user's need for reliable removable mass storage\par
. . . while remaining with the Iomega standard.\par
\pard\cf0\b0\par
\cf1\ul\b Program 1\ulnone .  \cf0\b0 This \b\i 'Trouble In Paradise'\b0\i0  freeware program is the first of the two. Since no one can 'cure' the problems which may afflict any Zip or Jaz drive without warning, the first step to assuring long data life is \b early detection of the POTENTIAL for the problem\b0 . For example, although we can't cure cancer, early detection of cancer's signs in our bodies allows us to take extra measures to assure our survival. \ul Similar early detection of 'Click Death' is exactly what I've created here in Program 1.\par
\ulnone\par
\cf1\ul\b Program 2\ulnone .  \cf0\b0 The second program, to follow this one, will be an inexpensive (but not free) tool allowing any Iomega drive user to maintain and manage \ul their entire collection of Zip and Jaz cartridges\ulnone  while individually monitoring each cartridge's condition and receiving early warning of impending trouble.\par
\par
It will also be able to "field re-certify" your aging Zip and Jaz cartridges by providing FAR more sensitive defect testing than is provided by any other "generic" hard disk utilities. (Yes, including even our own SpinRite 5.0.)\par
\par
Please see our web site at  \b http://grc.com\b0   for news of the status of this second program \b . . .\b0  as well as for more extensive background information about this whole issue.\par
\par
\cf3 (You are also invited to join our \b COD mailing list\b0  to receive a short notice whenever something significant to Iomega Click Of Death occurs -- and to be informed when my next program (\b Program 2\b0 ) is ready.  To add yourself to this mailing list, please visit  \b http://grc.com/mail.htm\b0  )\par
\cf0\par
\cf2\b An Important Note About One Click Of Death Myth:\cf0\b0\par
There has been widespread rumor that 'Click Of Death' acts as some sort of contagion, able to be spread from one drive to another by a 'contaminated' Click Of Death afflicted cartridge.\par
\par
\b This actually can occur\b0 , but only in \ul\b extremely rare cases\ulnone\b0  of \ul\b massive physical damage\ulnone\b0  to the mylar disk spinning inside a Zip cartridge. In these very rare -- \i but absolutely verified cases\i0  -- the bent and torn mylar disk catches and 'beheads' any Zip drive attempting to load its heads into the cartridge.\par
\par
Please see the Iomega pages of my web site for detailed discussions \ul\b\i and photos!\ulnone\i0  \b0 of this rare and bizarre occurrence. \par
\par
However, for the most part, \b Zip users should not be concerned\b0  about the possibility of one troubled Zip drive somehow 'infecting' or destroying another one through a 'disease carrier' cartridge. \b It \ul can\ulnone  definitely happen -- \b0 but then, you can also be struck by lightning in your sleep.  So the possibility should not occupy too much of your waking concern.\par
\par
What actually \b does\b0  happen -- which has created and maintained this unfortunate myth -- is that a Click Of Death drive \ul miswrites to its cartridge making it start clicking\ulnone . Then the worried user takes this cartridge to another drive and \b that other drive also starts clicking!\b0  But it does so only because it is now unable to read the damaged cartridge. \ul\b\i This does not mean that the second drive is now damaged!\ulnone\b0\i0  Only the \ul cartridge\ulnone  damaged by the first drive is in trouble. It is not the second drive's fault that it's unable to read the cartridge that was actually damaged by its use in the first drive.\par
\par
\cf2\b What Is This 'Trouble In Paradise' Program?:\cf0\b0\par
This 32-bit Windows freeware utility program, which I have named Trouble In Paradise (TIP), is a tightly monitored, non-destructive, data pattern surface tester.  This program reads and writes every sector of data on the drive with surface and drive testing data patterns \ul\b while preserving all data originally contained on the cartridge\ulnone\b0 . Your data is preserved while allowing the function of the drive, and the data surfaces of the cartridge's disk(s), to be fully exercised under closely monitored conditions.\par
\par
Even if this process wasn't being used to locate potential drive and cartridge troubles, running TIP upon your cartridges from time to time \b will help to keep them in TIP top shape\b0 . The process of reading, rewriting, and refreshing the data in every sector of the cartridge is \b absolutely safe \b0 and is good for them, since it allows any slowly developing trouble to be spotted and handled safely before the data becomes unreadable. (Note that the second program in this series, mentioned above, will go much further in this direction, being specifically designed to support and monitor the long-term maintenance of your removable data cartridges.)\par
\par
Amazingly, throughout the entire development of this program -- from the first moment that it began working -- \b Not one single byte of data was ever damaged on any of my test cartridges!\b0   \i I believe that using TIP is extremely safe\i0 , and that you'll find TIP to be a useful tool to add to your personal computing experience.\par
\par
\cf4\ul\b\fs18 Please Note\ulnone :\b0  \b Non-ATAPI Internal IDE Zip\b0  drives did \b NOT\b0  support the standard ATAPI / SCSI software interface, \ul so this program can not operate upon those IDE ZIP drives at all\ulnone .  I really wish it could, but those drives conceal ALL special Iomega information. TIP does operate upon ALL OTHER internal and external ZIP and Jaz drives.\par
\cf0\fs22\par
\cf2\b\fs36 How to Use This Program:\par
\fs22\par
\cf3\fs18 Please Note\b0 : The contents of any of this program's pages can be copied to the Windows' clipboard at any time by pressing the "Copy" button below. Graphical pages will be copied as images and scrolling text pages (like this one) will be copied as text.  You can retain the text formatting by pasting the clipboard into the Windows Wordpad, or Word. If you wish to remove or ignore the formatting, paste into Notepad.\par
\par
You are completely free to share and redistribute any of this information, but providing a link to our web site would be appreciated.   \cf5\f1 http://grc.com\cf3\f0\par
\cf2\b\fs22 __________________________________________________\par
\cf0\b0\par
The trick for properly using TIP for diagnosing drive and/or cartridge problems lies in interpreting the results.\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b You'll find that TIP contains extensive result-driven explanations which you will automatically receive when any test run has concluded. But a bit of preparation and background is still necessary before you begin: . . .\par
\pard\cf0\b0\par
\ul In order for this program to find no problems\ulnone , \b both\b0  the Zip drive \b and\b0  the Zip cartridge must be in perfect working condition.  If either the drive or the cartridge is damaged \b in any way\b0  this very sensitive program will show you the trouble \b . . .\b0  but in many mild cases of trouble, TIP will be unable to determine \b which\b0  of the two components -- the drive or the cartridge -- is actually the source of the problems.  This is the bit of detective work you'll need to pursue, aided by feedback from TIP.\par
\par
One way to think of it is that with a drive that's known to be good, you can use TIP to test the condition of unknown cartridges. Or, with a cartridge that's known to be (initially) good, TIP can test a drive whose condition is unknown. Note that testing an initially good cartridge on a truly bad 'Click Of Death' drive \ul can create damage on the cartridge\ulnone , but I have deliberately designed TIP so that even in these cases your data will be safe, and you'll see this happening as the test runs so you can stop the test before the damage becomes extensive.\par
\par
The 'detective work' is not really any big deal, since it only entails reading through the result analysis that will be presented after each test, and perhaps running the test again with the same or a different cartridge, or -- if possible -- finding another drive to test with the same cartridge \b . . .\b0  depending upon the outcome analysis.\par
\par
Aided by TIP, if you're not sure whether the drive or cartridge is causing the trouble, changing one or the other -- and seeing what happens then -- will allow you to develop a much deeper feeling for what's going on within your system than you've ever been able to get before. And you'll find that after a few experiences you'll get the hang of it and will be able to accurately judge what's happening from the way the test runs.\par
\par
\cf2\b Thank you very much for taking the time to read through all this material! . . . \cf0\b0 I know you're probably anxious to get to it, but you needed to first be equipped with the essence of what I've learned through my research into these confusing, troubling, but very important issues.  Also, \ul don't forget my web site\ulnone , since it will always contain more recent information, data, and experience than can be packaged into a static computer program such as this.\par
\par
So \b . . .\b0  with \b ALL\b0  of that said, please insert a cartridge into whichever Iomega drive you want to use and proceed to the \b Next\b0  panel \b . . .\par
\par
\pard\qc\b0\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\pard\i0\fs24 [noaspi]\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b\fs36 This System's ASPI Drivers are\par
Not Installed or Not Functioning.\cf0\b0\fs22\par
\fs16\par
\cf2\b\fs22 To use this program, which communicates with mass storage devices through the A.S.P.I. programming interface, you must first install operating system\par
 support for the ASPI device driver layer.\cf5\b0\par
\pard\par
\cf4\b Background:\cf5\b0\par
\cf0 The Windows operating environments include built-in support for the \b A\b0 dvanced \b S\b0 CSI \b P\b0 rogramming \b I\b0 nterface (ASPI) which allows peripheral vendors to create ASPI-compatible drivers for use in interfacing their equipment to the operating system. But this Windows system's ASPI drivers are apparently missing or not functioning correctly at the moment.\par
\par
Out of date or incorrectly installed ASPI drivers can be the cause of drives "missing" from the system,  or not being "seen" by TIP.\par
\par
\cf4\b How did this happen?:\cf0\b0\par
Since ASPI layer drivers are readily available, and are frequently provided in haphazard fashion by peripheral vendors, Windows systems often wind up with obsolete, oddball, missing, or out-of-synch sets of ASPI driver files.\par
\par
\cf4\b So what do you do?:\cf0\b0\par
ASPI drivers are built into Windows 95 and 98, but are not part of Windows NT.\par
\par
If you are using Windows 95 or 98 and received this message then something is seriously messed up in your system. Reinstalling Windows may be necessary. If you own Adaptec controllers or software you \b\i may\b0\i0  be able to use their free \b\f1\fs24 ASPI32.EXE\b0\f0\fs22  program, located on the Adaptec web site at: http://www.Adaptec.com to fix the trouble.\par
\par
If you are using Windows NT you will need to locate a source for ASPI drivers for Windows NT.  Adaptec's \b\f1\fs24 ASPI32.EXE\b0\f0\fs22  program (mentioned above) may work for you if you own Adaptec hardware or software.\par
\par
Also, the next release of this freeware (v3.0) will be re-engineered to NOT REQUIRE ASPI drivers. If all else fails, please place yourself on my eMail Notification System so that I can let you know when TIP can run without requiring ASPI drivers!\par
\fs24 [ppaver]\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b\fs44 WOW! . . . Do I Have\par
\ul GREAT NEWS\ulnone  for YOU!\par
\cf0\b0\fs16\par
\cf2\b\fs22 Very soon, your external Parallel Port Zip Drive will be running \ul more than 400% faster\ulnone  than it does right now!\par
\pard\cf5\b0\par
That's right! This Windows system is currently using \b an old, obsolete  (and slow!) version\b0  of the Iomega Parallel Port Driver (PPA3.MPD) which runs less than \ul one-quarter of the speed\ulnone  of the latest driver! You can download and install the updated driver for \ul free\ulnone  and instantly gain more than \b FOUR TIMES the performance\b0  from your current external Zip drive!\par
\par
\cf4\b Background:\par
\cf5\b0 I discovered this problem when 'Trouble In Paradise' (TIP) was having difficulty running on many existing external Zip systems.  When I tracked down the problem, it turned out that TIP was attempting to transfer 64k bytes of data at a time (for good TIP-testing performance) \ul but those external Zip systems \b (like this one right here!)\b0  could only handle a maximum transfer of 8k bytes at a time\ulnone !  This meant that any software trying to read or write files to the drive would need to break up the data into eight times as many smaller pieces in order to squeeze the data out through the parallel port!\par
\par
Well, of course, I enhanced TIP immediately so that it \b would\b0  work on performance-crippled parallel port systems like this one \b . . .\b0  but I also added this information page so you'd know what TIP had discovered here, and \b how you could get your system rev'ed up to 400% more Zip Drive speed!\b0\par
\par
\cf4\b What do you need to do?\par
\cf5\b0 Although you may only need one relatively small (53k for Win95/98 or 44k for NT) driver file changed, it would probably be wisest to update your \b entire set\b0  of Iomega files \b . . .\b0  though this will take some downloading time. The "IOware9x" drivers are available in various flavors and are located on Iomega's FTP server at the following URL addresses:\par
\par
\cf4\b For Windows 95/98:\par
\cf6\b0 For the whole set of IOware9x Iomega Tools files:\par
\cf2\f1\fs18 ftp://ftp.iomega.com/pub/english/ioware9x.exe (4,375k)\cf5\f0\fs22\par
\cf6 For just the basic IOware9x driver files:\par
\cf2\f1\fs18 ftp://ftp.iomega.com/pub/english/ioware9xdrv.exe (811k)\par
\cf5\f0\fs22\par
\cf4\b For Windows NT:\cf5\b0\par
\cf6 For the whole set of IOware9x Iomega NT Tools files:\par
\cf2\f1\fs18 ftp://ftp.iomega.com/pub/english/iowarent.exe (4,240k)\cf5\f0\fs22\par
\cf6 For just the basic IOware9x NT driver files:\par
\cf2\f1\fs18 ftp://ftp.iomega.com/pub/english/iowarentdrv.exe (937k)\par
\cf5\f0\fs22\par
To simplify things for you, I've set up the two buttons below to \ul automatically choose the proper operating system version of the files\ulnone , and start the download from Iomega's FTP server. So you only need to decide whether you want the whole Tools file set (probably a good idea) or just the updated driver files (to save on download time.)\par
\par
No matter which you choose, simply run the resulting file.\par
\par
It will unpack the replacement files into your system's "temp" directory. Then you need to run the \b SETUP.EXE\b0  program located there to install the drivers.  After restarting your system, you'll be all set with the latest and greatest files \b . . .\b0  and your parallel port Zip drive will be running more than FOUR TIMES faster than it ever has before!\par
\par
\cf1 (You might want to measure the transfer time of a large file \b before\b0  you perform the upgrade, then again afterward, to see for yourself how much your own Zip drive's performance has increased!)\par
\cf5\par
\cf4 Also note that you will \ul not\ulnone  see this screen again after you upgrade since you'll then be using a parallel port driver that's capable of transferring 64k byte blocks for much greater performance! Therefore, if you wish to save this text for any reason, you should \ul press the \b Copy button\b0  below\ulnone  to copy the contents of this window into your system's clipboard, then paste it into Notepad, Wordpad, or any other text container where it can be saved, eMailed, or shared with others.\par
\cf5\par
Best of luck to you, and I'm glad that I was able to help provide this significant performance boost for your system! Remember that this "Trouble In Paradise" program is freeware and that I encourage its distribution and sharing. You are invited to help me spread the word of this program's existence!\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf0\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\pard\i0\fs24 [trouble]\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b\fs44 TIP has Not Found\par
Any Compatible Drives.\par
\cf0\b0\fs16\par
\cf2\b\fs22 PLEASE NOTE: This program is specifically\par
designed for use with Iomega Corporation's ZIP\par
 and JAZ removable media mass storage devices.\par
\par
\pard\cf5\b0 This Trouble In Paradise (TIP) program has been specifically designed for use with Zip and Jaz drives. This has allowed it to take advantage of many features specific and unique to these drives. Therefore it can NOT operate on other types of drives made by other manufacturers.\par
\par
\b Since TIP uses the ASPI interface, it may also fail to operate on some of the older non-ATAPI IDE ZIP drives:\par
\par
\cf1 The firmware revision of IDE/ATA drives that are NOT compatible with TIP have their letter appearing before the number like 'B.09'  If your firmware revision level is like this, TIP will never be able to operate on this drive.  Sorry!\cf5\par
\par
If you are having trouble with any other drive\b0 , or wishing to maintain or recover drive data, our commercial SpinRite disk utility product ($89) is the industry's leading general purpose hard disk maintenance, repair, and recovery tool. SpinRite functions with \b all\b0  drives of any make and model. Please see my web site for full information and purchasing details.\par
\par
If you believe that this program \b should\b0  be seeing a drive that it is not, you may need to update your system's ASPI drivers. \cf0 ASPI drivers are built into Windows 95 and 98, but are not part of Windows NT.\par
\par
If you are using Windows 95 or 98 and received this message then something is seriously messed up in your system. Reinstalling Windows may be necessary. If you own Adaptec controllers or software you \b\i may\b0\i0  be able to use their free \b\f1\fs24 ASPI32.EXE\b0\f0\fs22  program, located on the Adaptec web site at: http://www.Adaptec.com to fix the trouble.\par
\par
If you are using Windows NT you will need to locate a source for ASPI drivers for Windows NT.  Adaptec's \b\f1\fs24 ASPI32.EXE\b0\f0\fs22  program (mentioned above) may work for you if you own Adaptec hardware or software.\par
\par
Also, the next release of this freeware (v3.0) will be re-engineered to NOT REQUIRE ASPI drivers. If all else fails, please place yourself on my eMail Notification System so that I can let you know when TIP can run without requiring ASPI drivers!\cf5\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf0\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\pard\i0\fs24 [defect]\par
\pard\qc\ul\b\fs44 Z-Track Failure!\ulnone\par
\b0\fs16\par
\cf1\fs28 The Drive Reports that it has been\par
completely \cf7\ul unable to access \b ANY\cf1\ulnone\b0\par
of this Cartridge's Four "Z" Tracks.\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
\cf2\b Background:\cf0\b0\par
Zip and Jaz drives are completely dependent upon private information stored in four redundant hidden cartridge disk tracks known as \b\i Z-tracks\b0\i0 .\par
\par
\cf2\b Consequence:\cf0\b0\par
When all four of these \b Z-tracks\b0  have been damaged by a 'Click Of Death' defective writing drive, all drives (whether they are good or bad) will refuse to access \cf1\ul\b ANY\cf0\ulnone\b0  of the data contained within the cartridge \b . . .\b0  \cf1\ul\b and ALL information is lost forever!\cf0\ulnone\b0\par
\par
\cf2\b Recourse:\cf0\b0\par
\pard\qc\b\par
\fs28 There is \ul NO KNOWN MEANS\ulnone  of\par
repairing or reconstituting a\par
cartridge's dead Z-tracks.\par
\b0\fs22\par
\pard Perhaps Iomega can bring a cartridge's Z-tracks back to life. However, I have been told over and over by engineers within Iomega that the Z-tracks are completely inaccessible to external software utilities and that \b there's nothing anyone can do\b0  to access the data on any cartridge that has had all four of its Z-tracks damaged.\par
\par
Depending upon the precise nature of the Z-track damage, I would think that there's an \ul outside chance\ulnone  that another drive \ul might\ulnone  be able to read at least one of the Z-tracks, or that even \ul this\ulnone  drive might.  Since Z-tracks are initially read upon insertion of the cartridge, you must eject and re-insert the cartridge hoping to eventually get one Z-track recognized.\par
\par
However, \ul if this drive\ulnone  is the one which is believed to have damaged the tracks in the first place, then doing so won't repair the damage.  You \ul must\ulnone  use a known-good drive in order for it to re-write the bad Z-tracks, thus making the cartridge's data once again available.\par
\par
\b But be sure you understand: \b0 This might \ul only\ulnone  work if you are \ul extremely lucky\ulnone  and manage to briefly get a drive to successfully read at least one of this cartridge's Z-tracks.\par
\par
\cf2\b And now:\cf0\b0\par
TIP can do nothing further with this cartridge in its present condition. Please eject it now and try working with another cartridge, or try this cartridge with this program on another drive to induce that drive to possibly effect Z-track repair.\par
\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\pard\i0\fs24 [locked]\par
\pard\qc\b\fs44 This Cartridge is Locked\par
\b0\fs16\par
\cf1\fs28 Since this program reads and writes,\par
the removable cartridge must be\par
unlocked for reading and writing.\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
You must eject and re-insert this cartridge, then properly respond to the password dialog box, or use another cartridge that has not had write or read/write protection applied to it.\par
\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\i0\fs22\par
\pard\fs24 [nospares]\par
\pard\qc\b\fs44 This Cartridge is in\par
Serious Trouble!\par
\b0\fs16\par
\cf1\fs28 The drive reports that this cartridge's\par
spare sector pools have been\par
completely exhausted.\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
\cf2\b Background:\cf0\b0\par
Zip and Jaz drives maintain spare sectors that are automatically called into use when an \ul apparently defective \ulnone sector is encountered during reading and writing.\par
\par
I say "\ul apparently defective\ulnone " above, since "Click Of Death" Iomega drives damage its cartridge's sectors. Then, after the sectors have been damaged, they are replaced with new sectors from the cartridge's spare sector pools! In other words, nothing was really wrong with the sectors the drive was replacing -- until it had damaged them itself, or in misreading them believed them to be damaged -- then the drive replaced those previously good sectors with spares.\par
\par
\pard\qc\b This destructive cycle repeats until all\par
spare sectors have been consumed !\par
\pard\b0\par
Therefore, the fact that this cartridge's spare sectors have all been consumed, \b strongly suggests\b0  that at some point in the past this cartridge came into contact with a bad Iomega drive.\par
(\ul Even if the drive it is running on now is perfectly fine.\ulnone )\par
\par
\cf2\b Consequence:\cf0\b0\par
Since spare sectors \b are required\b0  for safe use of any Iomega cartridge, this cartridge can not be safely tested, nor can it be safely used for storing data.\par
\par
\cf2\b Recourse:\cf0\b0\par
If this cartridge contains valuable data, the data should be moved to safety immediately, then the cartridge should receive a "Long Format" on a \b known good Iomega drive\b0  (i.e. a drive which has recently passed TIP testing.)\par
\par
If the data can not be read from this cartridge on a known good drive then my commercial SpinRite utility can be used to repair and recover the cartridge's data, but \ul\b ONLY\ulnone\b0  use SpinRite with cartridges on Iomega drives that are known to be good. (SpinRite description and purchasing information can be found on my web site at: http://grc.com.)\par
\par
At the time of this writing I plan to create another utility program for users of Iomega products.  It will be able to test Iomega drive products and also to perform short and long Iomega reformats.  Please check my web site at http://grc.com for further information on this next product.\par
\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\i0\fs22\par
\pard\fs24 [outofspares]\par
\pard\qc\b\fs44 This Cartridge's Spare Sectors Have All Been Consumed!\par
\b0\fs16\par
\cf1\fs28 The drive reports that this cartridge's\par
spare sector pools have been\par
completely exhausted.\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
\cf2\b Background:\cf0\b0\par
Zip and Jaz drives maintain spare sectors that are automatically called into use when an \ul apparently defective \ulnone sector is encountered during reading and writing.\par
\par
I say "\ul apparently defective\ulnone " above, since "Click Of Death" Iomega drives damage its cartridge's sectors. Then, once they've been damaged it replaces them with new sectors from the cartridge's spare sector pools. In other words, nothing was really wrong with the sectors it was replacing -- until it had damaged them itself or in misreading them believed them to be damaged -- then it replaced those previously good sectors with spares.  This destructive cycle repeats until all spare sectors have been consumed.\par
\par
The primary function of this Iomega drive testing program is to induce this sort of behavior in the drive since sector damage is the most apparent symptom of a drive which is writing incorrectly to the cartridge.\par
\par
\cf2\b Consequence:\par
\cf0 The fact that this cartridge's spare sectors have all been consumed during this simple reading and writing test, \ul STRONGLY SUGGESTS that this drive is seriously defective and should no longer be used.\b0\par
\ulnone\par
\cf2\b Recourse:\cf0\b0\par
If this cartridge contains valuable data, the data should be moved to safety immediately, then the cartridge should receive a "Long Format" on a \b known good Iomega drive\b0  (i.e. a drive which has recently passed TIP testing.)\par
\par
If the data can not be read from this cartridge on a known good drive then my commercial SpinRite utility can be used to repair and recover the cartridge's data, but \ul\b ONLY\ulnone\b0  use SpinRite with cartridges on Iomega drives that are known to be good. (SpinRite description and purchasing information can be found on my web site at: http://grc.com.)\par
\par
At the time of this writing I plan to create another utility program for users of Iomega products.  It will be able to test Iomega drive products and also to perform short and long Iomega reformats.  Please check my web site at http://grc.com for further information on this next product.\par
\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\i0\fs22\par
\pard\fs24 [fewspares]\par
\pard\qc\b\fs44 This Cartridge Has\par
Very Few Available\par
Spare Sectors\par
\b0\fs16\par
\cf1\fs28 The drive reports that this cartridge's\par
spare sector pools are nearly exhausted.\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
\cf2\b Background:\cf0\b0\par
Zip and Jaz drives maintain spare sectors that are automatically called into use when an \ul apparently defective \ulnone sector is encountered during reading and writing.\par
\par
I say "\ul apparently defective\ulnone " above, since "Click Of Death" Iomega drives damage its cartridge's sectors. Then, once they've been damaged it replaces them with new sectors from the cartridge's spare sector pools. In other words, nothing was really wrong with the sectors it was replacing -- until it had damaged them itself or in misreading them believed them to be damaged -- then it replaced those previously good sectors with spares.  This destructive cycle repeats until all spare sectors have been consumed.\par
\par
\cf2\b Consequence:\par
\cf0\b0 The primary function of this Iomega drive testing program is to induce this sort of erroneous spare sector allocation since sector damage is the most apparent symptom of a drive which is writing incorrectly to the cartridge.\par
\par
However, the fact that so many of this cartridge's spare sectors have \ul already\ulnone  been consumed \b strongly suggests\b0  that at some point in the past this cartridge came into contact with a bad Iomega drive . . . \ul even if the drive it is running on now is perfectly fine.\ulnone\par
\par
This means that this drive testing program might detect sectors that were damaged by some \ul other\ulnone  drive, for which the drive being tested now would be erroneously and unfairly blamed.\par
\par
If no \ul additional\ulnone  damage is caused by this current drive on this questionable cartridge, then you'll know this drive is working correctly, but if \ul new damage\ulnone  is detected you won't know whether it was old damage only now being detected or new damage.\par
\par
\cf2\b Recourse:\cf0\b0\par
If you wish to proceed with the test using this questionable cartridge, press the "Press to Proceed" button in the upper right. Otherwise eject this cartridge and find another one to be used for this test.\par
\par
If your goal is to determine whether this drive is functioning properly and reliably then testing it with the best cartridge will yield the clearest and most reliable results.\par
\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\i0\fs22\par
\pard\fs24\par
[notrunning]\par
\pard\qc\cf2\b\fs44 Insert a cartridge,\par
then press the\par
"Press to Begin" button\par
\cf0\b0\fs16\par
\cf1\fs28 This explanation page will help you\par
to interpret the testing results once\par
the testing is completed.\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
\b Please return to this page once the testing has finished.\par
\b0\par
To start testing insert a cartridge into your Iomega drive of choice then press the "Press to Begin" button at  the upper right.\par
\par
You may interrupt the testing at any time by pressing the "Press to Stop" button at the upper right. However, final result interpretations will not be available unless the test is allowed to run to its conclusion.\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16\par
*Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\pard\i0\fs24 [running]\par
\pard\qc\cf2\b\fs44 The Testing is\par
Currently Underway\par
\cf0\b0\fs16\par
\cf1\fs28 When the testing is completed this\par
explanation page will help you to\par
interpret the testing results.\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
\b Please return to this page once the testing has finished.\par
\b0\par
You may interrupt the testing at any time by pressing the "Press to Stop" button at the upper right. However, final result interpretations will not be available unless the test is allowed to run to its conclusion.\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16\par
*Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\pard\i0\fs24 [interrupted]\par
\pard\qc\cf2\b\fs44 The Test was Interrupted before its Conclusion\par
\cf0\b0\fs16\par
\cf1\fs28 The condition of this drive and\par
cartridge is unknown because\par
the test was not completed.\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
\cf2\b Analysis . . .\cf0\b0\par
Although the drive and cartridge appear to be reasonably fine up to the point of interruption, conclusions can not be drawn from this partial testing.  To determine the condition of this drive and cartridge the test must run to its conclusion.\par
\par
You may restart the test from the beginning by pressing the "Press to Begin" button in the upper right.\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16\par
*Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\pard\i0\fs24 [perfectresult]\par
\pard\qc\cf2\b\fs44 This Drive & Cartridge are\par
in \ul PERFECT CONDITION\ulnone !\par
\cf0\b0\fs16\par
\cf1\fs28 The drive and cartridge have together\par
passed TIP's tests with flying colors!\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
\cf2\b Congratulations!\cf0\b0\par
\ul\b This test could not have run any more perfectly!\ulnone\par
\b0 Not one single problem of any sort was detected:\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   \ul\b No\ulnone\b0  sectors were difficult to locate,\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f3   \ul\b\f0\fs22 No\ulnone\b0  sectors needed relocation,\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   \ul\b No\ulnone\b0  read or write errors of \ul any\ulnone  sort occurred.\par
\par
The \b ONLY WAY\b0  this outcome could have been reached is if this drive and cartridge are \b BOTH\b0  in \b FLAWLESS\b0  working condition. (There's \ul NO trouble\ulnone  in your paradise!)\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf2\b\fs24 You May Use this Drive & Cartridge\par
with \ul Total\ulnone  Confidence.\par
\cf0\b0\fs22\par
\pard Please note that it's rare (but terrific) for a system to pass this test without even a single "Soft Error" as yours has just done.  So even if you seldom receive this perfect result, your drive and cartridges can still be in TIP top shape!\par
\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\pard\i0\fs24 [explainresult]\par
\pard\qc\cf2\b\fs36 This Drive & Cartridge Appear\par
to be in Good, \i but Perhaps\par
Not Perfect\i0 , Condition\par
\cf0\b0\fs16\par
\cf1\b\f4\fs32 Interpreting the Report of\par
Soft, Firm, and Hard Errors:\par
\pard\cf5\b0\f0\fs22\par
\b\fs24 Soft Errors \b0\fs22 are just that ... soft. They come and they go, they vary in size and number from one run of TIP to the next. \ul This is completely normal behavior and is not a cause for concern.\ulnone  These soft errors are the result of small defects in the recording media, or various environmental factors affecting the drive like vibration, humidity, and ambient magnetic fields. The troubled sectors can either be re-read or compensated for with the drive's built-in error correcting technologies.\par
\par
You can think of soft errors like a pen that skips while writing. Some degree of skipping is normal and expected, and you can easily go back and fill-in after the skip.  But as the pen begins skipping more and more, you end up being slowed down in your work, and excessive skipping \ul\i can\ulnone\i0  be an indication of a pending failure. So it's something that's worth keeping an eye on. This is what TIP's "Soft Error" report allows you to do.\par
\par
As with all things in TIP, there's no hard and fast rule that states exactly when you might be in trouble. But after a while you'll develop a sense for the way your various Iomega drives and cartridges behave, and TIP's reporting of "soft errors" will then provide you with a valuable and extremely sensitive measure of the state of your system.\par
\par
\b\fs24 Firm Errors\b0\fs22  are soft errors that grew so large that the drive became concerned that it might soon be unable to continue recovering and correcting them. So rather than risk losing the sector's data altogether (with a hard error), the drive removed the troubled sector from further use after relocating its data into a spare safe sector.\par
\par
This automatic defective sector relocation, reported by TIP as a "Firm Error", is completely normal behavior for all Iomega drives, \ul unless it begins happening with great frequency\ulnone .  Please see the "Analysis" section below, for further help with understanding the role and importance of Firm Errors.\par
\par
\b\fs24 Hard Errors\b0\fs22  are a problem. They are sectors that jumped directly from "recoverable" to "unreadable" without giving the drive the chance to rescue their data and them as defective. A healthy cartridge should \ul never\ulnone  have any hard errors, and as with firm errors, a cartridge with many hard errors is a sure sign of significant trouble.  The following "Analysis" section will help you to understand the significance of Hard errors.\par
\par
\cf2\b\fs24 Analysis . . .\cf0\b0\fs22\par
A relatively small number of completely correctable (\b Soft\b0 ) read/write errors occurred during the test, and may have resulted in one or more apparently questionable sectors being taken out of service, as a \b Firm Error\b0 .\par
\par
This \ul can\ulnone  be entirely normal operation for a completely healthy Zip or Jaz drive, particularly if this is the first time that a thorough disk scan of this sort has been performed after the cartridge has been in use for some time.\par
\par
However, excessive soft errors or repeating firm and hard errors can also be an \ul early\ulnone  indication of drive trouble.\par
\par
The test should be run again right now to see whether this pattern repeats: \par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   As was explained above, \ul a moderate number of soft errors\ulnone  is always to be expected and is \ul\b NO\ulnone\b0  cause for alarm. Soft errors will probably always be present.  Only the occurrence of a huge number of these should ever be a concern.\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   If \ul\b NO\ulnone\b0  additional firm errors occur, you can safely assume that the first pass actually \ul did\ulnone  find and resolved a few true media defects -- which is common and expected behavior.\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   \b BUT . . .\b0  if rerunning this test \ul AGAIN\ulnone  has apparently located some new firm or hard errors (which the last test "missed", and finds a few more "apparently bad" sectors \b . . .\b0  then you should conclude that this drive and/or cartridge is beginning to show early signs of 'Click Of Death' behavior.\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf2\b If impending 'Click Of Death' seems indicated,\par
the trick now is to determine whether the\par
trouble is with the drive or with the cartridge.\par
\pard\cf0\b0\par
(Note: If your data on this cartridge is important, this might be a very good time to consider saving this data somewhere else!)\par
\par
If you have another cartridge you should use it right away with the same drive under TIP to attempt to isolate the cause of the trouble as follows:\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   If another cartridge behaves similarly in the same drive, the trouble is more likely with the drive -- since the drive will have been the common element in both tests which were somewhat troubled.\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   But if a second cartridge behaves perfectly in the same drive (where the first one never did), then the trouble is more likely to be with the first cartridge -- since replacing the troubled element resolved the problems.\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   And if you have access to a second drive, you could try using the original cartridge in this second drive to gather additional objective evidence about the true behavior of the original drive and cartridge.\par
\par
\cf2\b Conclusion:\cf0\b0\par
As you can see, by using TIP to exercise various combinations of Iomega drives and cartridges, it will be possible for you to reach verifiable conclusions about the condition, behavior, and reliability of your Iomega removable storage products.\par
\par
\cf1\b It is my sincere hope that this will result in more effective and satisfying personal computing experiences for everyone, and may help Iomega's users to enjoy their products while providing valuable feedback to Iomega.\par
\b0\par
\cf5 Please see the \b Next\b0  panel in this program (by pressing the 'Next' button below) for information regarding Iomega's return policy for in-warranty and out-of-warranty drive products.\par
\par
Their official spokesman has stated that Iomega will stand behind their products and that \b any drives will be replaced whether they are in warranty or not!\b0   This is great news for people whose Iomega drives have been dying!\par
\cf0\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\pard\i0\fs24 [badresult]\cf5\fs22\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b\fs44 Something is VERY\par
WRONG Somewhere.\par
\cf0\b0\fs16\par
\cf3\fs28 The test has encountered a suspiciously\par
large number of "Firm" and/or\par
"Hard" errors while running!\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
\cf2\b Analysis . . .\cf0\b0\par
TIP has encountered a \b large\b0  number of data-loss related troubles, demonstrating that this drive and cartridge are not getting along together at all!\par
\par
Your task now is to determine the \b cause and source \b0 of these troubles:\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   \b Is it the drive\b0  which is not operating properly and reliably, thus creating these troubles on the cartridge?\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   Or, instead, were these troubles caused by a cartridge that had \b already been damaged\b0  by its use in some other malfunctioning Zip drive?\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf2\b If you have another cartridge or drive, you should use\par
them with the same drive or cartridge to attempt\par
to isolate the cause of the trouble as follows:\par
\pard\cf0\b0\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   \b If another cartridge behaves similarly in the same drive\b0 , the trouble is more likely with the drive -- since the drive will have been the common element in both tests which were somewhat troubled.\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   But\b  if a second cartridge behaves perfectly in the same drive \b0 (where the first one had serious problems), then the trouble is more likely to be with the first cartridge -- since replacing the troubled element resolved the problems.\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   And\b  if you have access to a second drive\b0 , you could try using the original cartridge in this second drive to gather additional objective evidence about the true behavior of the original drive and cartridge. (Although, with troubles as extensive as this first cartridge experienced, the damage may be too extreme for a test with a second drive to be conclusive.)\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   Or \b if you do not have access to other equipment\b0 , re-running the same TIP test on the same drive and cartridge might prove useful if TIP and the drive were able to repair some of the cartridge's initial damage. If the second use of TIP on the cartridge is substantially better than the first try, you could tentatively conclude that the cartridge was at fault, and that the drive is operating reliably.\par
\par
\cf2\b Conclusion:\cf0\b0\par
As you can see, by using TIP to exercise various combinations of Iomega drives and cartridges, it will be possible for you to reach verifiable conclusions about the condition, behavior, and reliability of your Iomega removable storage products.\par
\par
\cf1\b It is my sincere hope that this will result in more effective and satisfying personal computing experiences for everyone, and may help Iomega's users to enjoy their products while providing valuable feedback to Iomega.\par
\b0\par
\cf5 Please see the \b Next\b0  panel in this program (by pressing the 'Next' button below) for information regarding Iomega's return policy for in-warranty and out-of-warranty drive products.\par
\par
Their official spokesman has stated that Iomega will stand behind their products and that \b any drives will be replaced whether they are in warranty or not!\b0   This is great news for people whose Iomega drives have been dying!\cf0\par
\pard\qc\i\fs16\par
*Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\i0\fs22\par
\pard\fs24 [iomegaquote]\par
\pard\qc\cf2\b\fs36 So \ul WHAT CAN YOU DO\ulnone  If Your Iomega Drive Has Click Of Death?\fs44\par
\fs22\par
\cf1\fs44 THERE'S FANTASTIC NEWS,\par
Directly from Iomega!\cf2\par
\cf5\b0\fs16\par
\pard\cf0\fs22 Iomega's customers have believed that if their drive failed after the expiration of its one-year warranty that they were out of luck.\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf3\ul\b\fs28 But this turns out NOT to be the case at all!\par
\pard\cf0\ulnone\b0\fs22  \cf5\fs24\par
\fs22 On June 16th 1998, I appeared on ZDTV's nationally televised 'Screen Savers' program to explain everything I'd learned about the Iomega Click Of Death problem. \b During the second half of the show we were joined -- over the telephone -- by Iomega's Spokesman and the General Manager of Zip Aftermarket Business, David Hellier.\par
\par
\b0 During his telephone statement, David surprised me by telling the whole world that \b Iomega would replace \ul any\ulnone  drives suffering from CLICK OF DEATH \ul whether they are within warranty or not\ulnone  !!!\b0\par
\par
Here are David's exact words:\par
\par
\i "I\cf0 f our customers have a problem specific to this issue, whether it's in or out of warranty, we're going to take care of and replace the product if necessary."\i0\par
\par
\cf2\b That's Right!\par
\cf0\b0 This means that you are no longer stuck with bad Zip and Jaz drives \b . . .\b0  even if you've had the drive longer than one year! I'm very glad to be able to tell you that Iomega has decided to step up to the plate and take full responsibility for this problem!\par
\par
\cf1\b . . . And \ul YOU\ulnone  can hear him say this for yourself !\par
\cf0\b0 If you are running this program while you are connected to the Internet, or if your computer "knows" how to connect to the 'Net when you click on a URL-style link, you can use the two buttons below to quickly download two short (79k and 71k) wave files to hear David Hellier's statement for yourself!\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   The first button is his introduction of himself, by phone, during the television broadcast. The URL for this 79k wave file is:\par
\par
\pard\qc\f5\fs24 http\f1 ://grc.com/hellier1.wav\par
\pard\f0\fs22\par
\b . . .\b0  which you are welcome to eMail to your friends, post on other web sites, announce in newsgroups, or give to Iomega's Technical Support personnel if they have not yet received the great news that \ul Iomega has agreed to replace any out-of-warranty Click Of Death drives!\ulnone\par
\par
\cf1\f2\fs24\'b7\cf0\f0\fs22   The second button is the relevant excerpt from his full statement which comes as \b fabulous news\b0  to the tens of thousands of troubled users of Iomega's products! (Iomega has estimated that perhaps as many as 100,000 users will be affected by these problems.) The URL for the 71k 2nd wave file is:\par
\pard\qc\f5\fs24 htt\f1 p://grc.com/hellier2.wav\par
\pard\f0\fs22\par
\b . . .\b0  which you are similarly welcome to share with anyone who needs to hear it!\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b\fs24 You may press the buttons below at any\par
time to download these wave files.\b0\par
\pard\cf0\fs22\par
\cf2\b For additional background:\par
\cf0\b0 David Hellier's statement was made at the end of my segment of ZDTV's (Ziff-Davis Television) 'Screen Savers' program, and links to \b ZDTV's RealVideo clips\b0  of \ul my\ulnone  segment of the program can be found at my web site, and you can also find a link to ZDTV's page which they created for the show.\par
\par
Unfortunately, the RealVideo clip provided by ZDTV's server cuts off just as David Hellier starts to make his statement -- presumably because it wasn't really relevant to the technical issues we were discussing. \b So if you would like to hear the AUDIO track for the ENTIRE show\b0 , I have made that available on my web site at:\par
\par
\pard\qc\f1\fs24 http://grc.com/clickofdeath.ram\par
\pard\f0\fs22\par
. . . which you can listen to with a RealAudio player (which is free and also available through a link on my and ZDTV's site, and directly from http://www.real.com)  \b Just type that URL address (above) into your web browser . . . and you'll be listening to the audio track of the entire show!\b0\par
\par
\pard\qc\ul\i Please note that ALL of this content from the TV show is the copyrighted property of Ziff-Davis TV, at \i0 http://zdtv.com\i .\ulnone\i0\par
\pard\par
\cf2\b Convincing Iomega that your drive \ul Really IS Bad\ulnone  . . .\par
\cf5\b0 Obviously, replacing up to 100,000 Zip and Jaz drives in the field, will be quite expensive for Iomega. (But let's remember that up until now it's been \b very expensive\b0  for Iomega's customers, who frequently lost \b not only their drives\b0  but also their data as well.)\par
\par
So, until this 'Trouble In Paradise' program has been around long enough to become known and trusted as the standard and reliable means for measuring Iomega drive health, I would not be surprised if Iomega were disinclined to take my program's word for the fact that your drives are defective.\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b\fs28 So here's a work-around to help you\par
get past this potential hurdle . . .\par
\pard\cf2\fs22\par
\cf5\b0 The standard Iomega "Long Format" operation, which can be easily performed using Iomega's DOS or Windows utilities, \ul will fail on many 'Click Of Death" drives!\ulnone   So this provides you with another means -- \i not involving ANY non-Iomega third party software\i0  -- for demonstrating to them that your drive is no longer functioning as it should.\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf3\b\fs24 Given a working cartridge, there is \ul ABSOLUTELY\par
NO REASON\ulnone  why an Iomega Long Format should\par
fail . . . except if the drive is no longer even\par
able to format one of its own cartridges!\par
\pard\cf5\b0\fs22\par
Since a Long Format performs a brief media recertification, this performs a less sensitive version of TIP's sensitive read/write testing \b . . .\b0  and has the significant advantage of using \ul nothing\ulnone  other than Iomega's own software.  Of course, doing this will wipe out any data that was on the cartridge beforehand, and may very well damage the cartridge permanently \b . . .\b0  but all Iomega cartridges have always had a lifetime warranty, so you can get it replaced at the same time as your Click Of Death drive.\par
\par
The Long Format provides much less feedback to you -- before, during, or after its operation -- than TIP does, so you'll never really know what's going on. It'll just fail with an error message, but that's all you'll need to show Iomega that your drive needs replacement.\par
\par
Thus, this work-around gives you an inarguable position to take when getting Iomega to acknowledge that your drive is no longer safe to use and needs to be replaced under David Hellier's replacement policy.\par
\par
\cf2\b In case you have trouble with Iomega's Technical Support:\par
\cf0\b0 Since the Technical Support for Iomega's products has been sub-contracted to a outside company, they may be unaware of Iomega's return and replacement policies for Click Of Death drives.\par
\par
So, if you experience difficulty when dealing with Iomega's sub-contracted technical support, you may need to give David Hellier a phone call to let him know that the news of his policies have not yet filtered down to the appropriate persons handling product returns and replacements \b . . .\b0  and ask him what you should do to get your drive replaced.\par
\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b You can reach David at Iomega's main number:\par
1-801-778-1000, then ask to speak with David Hellier.\par
\pard\cf0\b0\par
Based upon the tremendous concern David demonstrated for the well-being of Iomega's customers (which you are welcome to hear for yourself -- in full -- on my web site), \b I am certain that David would want to know immediately if Iomega's customers were NOT receiving the treatment that he has said Iomega intends to provide to all of their customers. \b0 Thus, you would be doing your part \ul for everyone who has these problems\ulnone  by letting David know if his policies are not being correctly implemented by MCI Call Centers, the people who are handling Iomega's Technical Support.\par
\pard\qc\cf1\b\fs96 ~\cf0  \cf8 ~\cf0  \cf2 ~\cf0\b0\par
\pard\cf2\b\fs22 Well, this is Goodbye For Now . . .\par
\cf5\b0 I hope that you have found this 'Trouble In Paradise' Iomega drive and cartridge testing tool useful, and that it will serve as your trusted companion for the foreseeable future, providing you with tools and knowledge to increase the reliability of your Iomega data storage experiences.\par
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Remember to check back with my web site at http://grc.com for updates and news of other related developments in this area!\par
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As soon as the dust settles from this release of 'Trouble In Paradise', I'll be starting work on a new and inexpensive product which you'll be able to use to track, manage, and maintain all of your Iomega cartridges throughout their entire useful life.\par
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If that sounds interesting to you, you can drop by my web site and add yourself to the 'Click Of Death' mailing list so that you'll receive automatic notification when this next goodie is ready for you!      The address is:  http://grc.com/mail.htm\par
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Best luck to you!                                      \cf2\b\i\fs32 -- Steve.\cf5\b0\i0\fs22     \fs16 11/28/99\cf0\par
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\i\fs16 *Iomega, Zip, and Jaz are trademarks of Iomega Corporation.\par
\pard\i0\fs24 [EndOfText]\par
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