Beginning of the end?

Robtrapp · 05-01-2006, 10:40 AM

I had downloaded several pieces of software and in the attempt to install them on my 2 year old Maxtor Drive (recently installed xp home system) I received an message stating the installation could not continue due to "unknown platform" I assumed operating system. Later I was attempting to copy file from on PC to another using a 512k Kingston drive; the operation aborted with an "unknown destination" message.
Is this the beginnings of a failing drive? If this drive is getting wiggy I'd like to off-it ASAP.

**jnob** · 05-01-2006, 10:53 AM

You can download and install this program Speedfan 4.28.
Once started go to the S.M.A.R.T. tab, select your Hard disk from the pull down menu and it will give you an indication of the life left in the drive. There's a fitness and performance meter at the bottom. All my drives are heavily used compared to the average home user, and run 24 hours, 7 days a week. They are anywhere from 1-3 years old IDE Maxtor and Western Digitals. My poorest performing drive is missing two squares. I would think if you are missing more than five squares in fitness it would be time to start considering a replacement.

BTW- If you have a lot of heat in your system (pentium 4, decent video card) and little airflow I wouldn't expect a drive to last longer than a couple years. The best thing you can do for a hard drive is put a fan or two on the front of your case to bring cool air across it.

Robtrapp · 05-01-2006, 11:16 AM

Dell Dimension 4400 - P4 - light graphics - Could you recommend a fan configuration?

**jnob** · 05-01-2006, 11:37 AM

If you have room 120mm in the back blowing air out of the case, 120mm in the front pulling air in the case and 80mm on the side pulling air into the case. A fan in the top blowing air out of the case is ideal however most cases are not designed for this. IMO the key is to have more intake than exhaust, this creates a good circulation of air and keeps components virtually dust free.

I personally have 4 80mm fans in the front by my hdd's, 2 80mm exhaust in the back of my case, and 1 80mm intake on the side. My internal temp stays around 40C, My HDD stay at about 35C-45C and my processor does not reach 60C with stock cooling.

geoffm · 05-03-2006, 03:39 AM

Hi.
Since a hard drive failier last year I now use hard drive fan rigs (two fans built into a plate and screwed to the underside of the drive) on all my drives which seems to keep them much cooler, they cost about £5.00 here in the uk and power off the 12v system that powers the h/drive and cd/dvd drives.
geoffm

**jnob** · 05-03-2006, 11:28 AM

geoffm, do you monitor your hdd temps? I'm just curious as to what temps you're getting with those fans, I've been considering them myself.

BTW- that is an excellent suggestion but do not use hdd fans exclusively; you must bring cool air into the system and blow hot air out of the system. Otherwise you are just blowing 60C+ air right into your components.

05-01-2006, 10:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
Robtrapp Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 172 OS: XP	Beginning of the end? I had downloaded several pieces of software and in the attempt to install them on my 2 year old Maxtor Drive (recently installed xp home system) I received an message stating the installation could not continue due to "unknown platform" I assumed operating system. Later I was attempting to copy file from on PC to another using a 512k Kingston drive; the operation aborted with an "unknown destination" message. Is this the beginnings of a failing drive? If this drive is getting wiggy I'd like to off-it ASAP.

05-01-2006, 10:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
jnob TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CA Valley Posts: 692 OS: XP Pro, SP2 My System	You can download and install this program Speedfan 4.28. Once started go to the S.M.A.R.T. tab, select your Hard disk from the pull down menu and it will give you an indication of the life left in the drive. There's a fitness and performance meter at the bottom. All my drives are heavily used compared to the average home user, and run 24 hours, 7 days a week. They are anywhere from 1-3 years old IDE Maxtor and Western Digitals. My poorest performing drive is missing two squares. I would think if you are missing more than five squares in fitness it would be time to start considering a replacement. BTW- If you have a lot of heat in your system (pentium 4, decent video card) and little airflow I wouldn't expect a drive to last longer than a couple years. The best thing you can do for a hard drive is put a fan or two on the front of your case to bring cool air across it. __________________ Everest Memtest86

05-01-2006, 11:37 AM	#4 (permalink)
jnob TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CA Valley Posts: 692 OS: XP Pro, SP2 My System	If you have room 120mm in the back blowing air out of the case, 120mm in the front pulling air in the case and 80mm on the side pulling air into the case. A fan in the top blowing air out of the case is ideal however most cases are not designed for this. IMO the key is to have more intake than exhaust, this creates a good circulation of air and keeps components virtually dust free. I personally have 4 80mm fans in the front by my hdd's, 2 80mm exhaust in the back of my case, and 1 80mm intake on the side. My internal temp stays around 40C, My HDD stay at about 35C-45C and my processor does not reach 60C with stock cooling. __________________ Everest Memtest86

05-03-2006, 03:39 AM	#5 (permalink)
geoffm Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 22 OS: win xp pro sp2	cooling Hi. Since a hard drive failier last year I now use hard drive fan rigs (two fans built into a plate and screwed to the underside of the drive) on all my drives which seems to keep them much cooler, they cost about £5.00 here in the uk and power off the 12v system that powers the h/drive and cd/dvd drives. geoffm

05-03-2006, 11:28 AM	#6 (permalink)
jnob TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CA Valley Posts: 692 OS: XP Pro, SP2 My System	geoffm, do you monitor your hdd temps? I'm just curious as to what temps you're getting with those fans, I've been considering them myself. BTW- that is an excellent suggestion but do not use hdd fans exclusively; you must bring cool air into the system and blow hot air out of the system. Otherwise you are just blowing 60C+ air right into your components. __________________ Everest Memtest86

05-01-2006, 11:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
Robtrapp Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 172 OS: XP	Dell Dimension 4400 - P4 - light graphics - Could you recommend a fan configuration?