For desktop workstations like the ThinkCentre towers and ThinkStation entries, Lenovo deployed full-sized 3.5-inch mechanical drives. These units were meant to stay powered on under heavier workloads.
Motor Bearing Seizure
Because ThinkCentre business desktops were often shoved into tight cubicle spaces or left running 24/7 on carpeted office floors, dust buildup and thermal trapping were massive issues. Over years of continuous operation at high temperatures, the fluid dynamic bearings (the lubricants keeping the central spindle spinning smoothly at 7,200 RPM) would dry out and oxidize. The drive would experience a thermal-lock or physical seizure. When powered on, the desktop would throw a disk error, and a distinct, high-pitched electrical whine could be heard from the chassis as the spindle motor tried and failed to rotate the heavy internal platters.
