Gooey rubber that's slowly ruining old hard drives

Rubber and polymer degradation

• Several participants think the drive bumpers are polyurethane, which is known to turn gummy over decades; others note 30 years seems long for PU and that LDPE foams existed but were less common then.
• Broader point: “rubber” covers many different polymers. Some age well (e.g., silicones), others either get sticky and melt or dry out and crack. Plastics can also embrittle and flake.
• Numerous anecdotes of soft‑touch coatings and rubber parts turning to goo on mice, phones, steering wheels, car interiors, camera grips, knives, boots, tape cartridges, printer solenoids, SLR mirror assemblies, typewriter belts, etc.

Electronics and mechanical aging in hard drives

• Some are surprised electronics weren’t a bigger failure point. Others respond that semiconductors are usually long‑lived and HDDs use relatively few electrolytic capacitors, though some 1990s drives hide small aluminum electrolytics in plastic packages.
• Several stories of old SCSI/IDE drives that still work, occasionally needing a tap, heat (hairdryer), freezer trick, or manual arm movement to get them going.
• People speculate that in modern drives, aging rubber, grease, or tiny mechanical misalignments can be enough to cause failures given very tight tolerances.
• One commenter notes opened older drives can still run briefly in a reasonably clean environment; airflow tends to keep dust from settling on platters.

Cleaning and DIY fixes

• Suggested methods for removing sticky rubber include lots of isopropyl alcohol (mixed reports), acetone/nail‑polish remover, lighter fluid (with warnings about brittleness), mineral spirits, vinegar soaks, and mild abrasives like baking soda.
• Printer and tape‑drive failures are often cured by removing or bypassing degraded rubber pads or belts, at the cost of a bit more noise.

Product longevity vs. planned obsolescence

• Several engineers argue intentional “break right after warranty” design is rare and technically hard; most failures come from cost/weight/size tradeoffs plus imperfect accelerated testing.
• Others counter that “value engineering” often pushes components right up to warranty limits, citing fragile capacitors near heat sources, plastic engine parts, LED bulbs, and a thermostat allegedly programmed to misbehave after an internal battery discharges over ~10 years.
• Debate focuses on whether this is malice, systemic cost pressure under capitalism, or consumer unwillingness to pay for truly durable goods. Non‑replaceable batteries and poor repairability are highlighted as easy obsolescence levers.

Data and media preservation

• Commenters draw parallels to degrading DVDs, QIC tape belts, and film stocks. Consensus: no medium is permanent; long‑term preservation requires active migration and periodic checking, not “write once, forget forever.”