Hot hard drive

Running Win XP pro SP2

I installed a Maxtor SATA 500 GB hard drive in my 7 year old computer, using
an IDE/SATA controller. Its running fine.

However, it runs quite a bit warmer (hotter) than my 80 GB IDE hard drive. I
cannot
touch it for more than 5 seconds, without letting go.

Is this high temp normal for a big hard drive? Is the temp of a drive
depending
on the size of the drive?

Thanks


--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-

Walter R. wrote:
> Running Win XP pro SP2
>
> I installed a Maxtor SATA 500 GB hard drive in my 7 year old computer, using
> an IDE/SATA controller. Its running fine.
>
> However, it runs quite a bit warmer (hotter) than my 80 GB IDE hard drive. I
> cannot
> touch it for more than 5 seconds, without letting go.
>
> Is this high temp normal for a big hard drive? Is the temp of a drive
> depending
> on the size of the drive?
>
> Thanks
>
>

You can check the drive temperature, using a utility that can read
SMART parameters. An example is Speedfan from almico.com . (Naturally,
there are lots of caveats when it comes to these kinds of measurements,
such as incorrect motherboard temperatures, or drives that don't really
read temperature etc. YMMV.)

It sounds like your drive casing is at 55C-60C or so, and that is
a bit on the high side. I'd probably have an "adverse reaction",
if my drive was doing that :-)

Currently, my 80GB drive is at 31C, and the case air temp is
25C. So my drive is 6C above internal ambient. And has a good flow
of air across the top (as the intake vent on the PC, is right
next to the drive bay). If your computer case is not well cooled,
or if the hard drive is in a dead zone with regard to air flow,
that will be part of the problem.

Go to the Seagate site, and download their disk diagnostic (whatever
one is used with Maxtor drives). If the diagnostic fails the
drive, get it replaced under warranty. You will likely
receive a refurb in its place. The reason I suggest a test,
is to see whether there are already symptoms caused by
the high temperature.

One reason high temperature is not good for modern drives,
is it can accelerate the rate that fluid evaporates from
the fluid bearings. The bearings are sealed, but high temperatures
don't help matters.

And just for fun, some stats from Russia.

http://hardware.slashdot.org/comment...8&cid=18059050

Paul

"Walter R." <wer25@example.com> wrote in message
news:Ol%23OuOz3IHA.3480@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Running Win XP pro SP2
>
> I installed a Maxtor SATA 500 GB hard drive in my 7 year old computer,
using
> an IDE/SATA controller. Its running fine.
>
> However, it runs quite a bit warmer (hotter) than my 80 GB IDE hard drive.
I
> cannot
> touch it for more than 5 seconds, without letting go.
>
> Is this high temp normal for a big hard drive? Is the temp of a drive
> depending
> on the size of the drive?
>
> Thanks
>


Hi temperature is definitely a problem...

be sure there is enough space around the drive for air flow...
and a cooling fan may help.

philo wrote:
> "Walter R." <wer25@example.com> wrote in message
> news:Ol%23OuOz3IHA.3480@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Running Win XP pro SP2
>>
>> I installed a Maxtor SATA 500 GB hard drive in my 7 year old computer,
>> using
>> an IDE/SATA controller. Its running fine.
>>
>> However, it runs quite a bit warmer (hotter) than my 80 GB IDE hard
>> drive. I
>> cannot touch it for more than 5 seconds, without letting go.
>>
>> Is this high temp normal for a big hard drive? Is the temp of a drive
>> depending on the size of the drive?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>
>
> Hi temperature is definitely a problem...
>
> be sure there is enough space around the drive for air flow...
> and a cooling fan may help.

The fact that he can't touch it for more than 5 seconds sounds pretty bad!
Maybe it's a defective unit. Surely these HDs can't get THAT hot normally
(even without a fan), can they (I mean, without being defective)?

Bill in Co. wrote:
> philo wrote:
>> "Walter R." <wer25@example.com> wrote in message
>> news:Ol%23OuOz3IHA.3480@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Running Win XP pro SP2
>>>
>>> I installed a Maxtor SATA 500 GB hard drive in my 7 year old computer,
>>> using
>>> an IDE/SATA controller. Its running fine.
>>>
>>> However, it runs quite a bit warmer (hotter) than my 80 GB IDE hard
>>> drive. I
>>> cannot touch it for more than 5 seconds, without letting go.
>>>
>>> Is this high temp normal for a big hard drive? Is the temp of a drive
>>> depending on the size of the drive?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>
>> Hi temperature is definitely a problem...
>>
>> be sure there is enough space around the drive for air flow...
>> and a cooling fan may help.
>
> The fact that he can't touch it for more than 5 seconds sounds pretty bad!
> Maybe it's a defective unit. Surely these HDs can't get THAT hot normally
> (even without a fan), can they (I mean, without being defective)?
>
>
My first hard drive (a 40 MB unit) failed this way. It worked fine
unless I used the drive solidly for a couple of hours when it totally
corrupted the drive. After it cooled it seemed to be fine and could be
reformatted an DOS reinstalled.

>> "Walter R." <wer25@example.com> wrote in message
>> news:Ol%23OuOz3IHA.3480@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Running Win XP pro SP2
>>>
>>> I installed a Maxtor SATA 500 GB hard drive in my 7 year old computer,
>>> using an IDE/SATA controller. Its running fine.
>>>
>>> However, it runs quite a bit warmer (hotter) than my 80 GB IDE hard
>>> drive. I cannot touch it for more than 5 seconds, without letting go.
>>>
>>> Is this high temp normal for a big hard drive? Is the temp of a drive
>>> depending on the size of the drive?
>>>
>>> Thanks


Walter:
Unless you have unusually heat-sensitive fingertips something is definitely
amiss with your HDD if you can't touch it for more than 5 seconds. As one of
the responders to your query has suggested, you should download the HDD
diagnostic utility from Seagate/Maxtor at
http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.js...00dd04090aRCRD
and check out the disk. Even if it passes the diagnostic tests (which it
might very well do), it would be wise for you to get in touch with
Seagate/Maxtor to inform them of the situation and determine if an RMA is in
order.

In the meantime ensure that you're backing up your data.
Anna

On Sat, 5 Jul 2008 23:44:09 -0700, "Walter R." <wer25@example.com>
wrote:

>Running Win XP pro SP2
>
>I installed a Maxtor SATA 500 GB hard drive in my 7 year old computer, using
>an IDE/SATA controller. Its running fine.
>
>However, it runs quite a bit warmer (hotter) than my 80 GB IDE hard drive. I
>cannot
>touch it for more than 5 seconds, without letting go.
>
>Is this high temp normal for a big hard drive? Is the temp of a drive
>depending
>on the size of the drive?
>
>Thanks

Why ask HERE? What does this have to do with the XP OS? NOTHING.

Ask elsewhere

"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:O$ZIIt53IHA.1200@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> philo wrote:
>> "Walter R." <wer25@example.com> wrote in message
>> news:Ol%23OuOz3IHA.3480@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Running Win XP pro SP2
>>>
>>> I installed a Maxtor SATA 500 GB hard drive in my 7 year old computer,
>>> using
>>> an IDE/SATA controller. Its running fine.
>>>
>>> However, it runs quite a bit warmer (hotter) than my 80 GB IDE hard
>>> drive. I
>>> cannot touch it for more than 5 seconds, without letting go.
>>>
>>> Is this high temp normal for a big hard drive? Is the temp of a drive
>>> depending on the size of the drive?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>
>>
>> Hi temperature is definitely a problem...
>>
>> be sure there is enough space around the drive for air flow...
>> and a cooling fan may help.
>
> The fact that he can't touch it for more than 5 seconds sounds pretty bad!
> Maybe it's a defective unit. Surely these HDs can't get THAT hot
> normally (even without a fan), can they (I mean, without being defective)?
>

Normally speaking you're right. However, if the user has suffered damage to
one or both of the 2 nerve centers in the hand, sensitivity to cold and heat
may be heightened in the natural healing process. Got same in my left hand,
the major central nerve center side.
--
Dave

Speculation on a product or material that is
an obvious need, is not speculation per se
as there is no risk to the speculator.
Common were those selling food and other
supplies in the gold rush days.
In this case, its oil and its everyone who
bites the bullet. And most everyone has no gold
to be made, just business as usual.

"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message news:6ch274tgiv81623tdi662ibij5eoj5719c@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 5 Jul 2008 23:44:09 -0700, "Walter R." <wer25@example.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Running Win XP pro SP2
>>
>>I installed a Maxtor SATA 500 GB hard drive in my 7 year old computer, using
>>an IDE/SATA controller. Its running fine.
>>
>>However, it runs quite a bit warmer (hotter) than my 80 GB IDE hard drive. I
>>cannot
>>touch it for more than 5 seconds, without letting go.
>>
>>Is this high temp normal for a big hard drive? Is the temp of a drive
>>depending
>>on the size of the drive?
>>
>>Thanks
>
> Why ask HERE? What does this have to do with the XP OS? NOTHING.
>
> Ask elsewhere

Why don't you just crawl back under the porch?

Frank-FL wrote:
> "Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message
> news:6ch274tgiv81623tdi662ibij5eoj5719c@4ax.com...
>> On Sat, 5 Jul 2008 23:44:09 -0700, "Walter R." <wer25@example.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Running Win XP pro SP2
>>>
>>> I installed a Maxtor SATA 500 GB hard drive in my 7 year old computer,
>>> using
>>> an IDE/SATA controller. Its running fine.
>>>
>>> However, it runs quite a bit warmer (hotter) than my 80 GB IDE hard
>>> drive. I
>>> cannot touch it for more than 5 seconds, without letting go.
>>>
>>> Is this high temp normal for a big hard drive? Is the temp of a drive
>>> depending on the size of the drive?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>
>> Why ask HERE? What does this have to do with the XP OS? NOTHING.
>>
>> Ask elsewhere
>
> Why don't you just crawl back under the porch?

Does he have a porch, or is he still living in a basement tenement?