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+--- Thread: Another 2 IDE hard drives bite the dust (/showthread.php?tid=85836)
Another 2 IDE hard drives bite the dust - sekker - 10-10-2009
1 3.5", 1 2.5"; both less than 100GB. Each developed different hardware failures. Each have seen only sporatic use in the last 2 years. One had very low mileage.
What's surprised me this past year was how many of my older IDE hard drives have failed - and most are not ones in regular use. I was thinking the new hard drives are poorer in quality than older models, but now I'm not so sure.
I used to think hard drives stored on the shelf was a good way to secure data. I've certainly had my share of poor shelf-life optical discs despite being stored properly.
But now I'm wondering how many duplicates of critical archival data I need to keep to be sure to have one functional copy!
Re: Another 2 IDE hard drives bite the dust - Acer - 10-10-2009
In my experience continuously powered hard drives last forever, but put one that served glitch-free for many years into storage and it will tend to seize up in short order.
Re: Another 2 IDE hard drives bite the dust - AAA - 10-10-2009
I have had three hard drives fail this month.
None before that for YEARS.
Re: Another 2 IDE hard drives bite the dust - Black - 10-10-2009
It would be useful to hear how these drives are installed and used when they fail, what brand and how old. Unless this thread is just supposed to be cathartic.
Re: Another 2 IDE hard drives bite the dust - space-time - 10-10-2009
Black wrote:
... Unless this thread is just supposed to be cathartic.
aren't most threads here just like that?
Re: Another 2 IDE hard drives bite the dust - JoeH - 10-10-2009
"Each have seen only sporatic use in the last 2 years."
Part of the reason may be right there. Depending on the type of bearings, the lube can seep out when just sitting if the seals are going, but be fine when kept running. Different issues can effect the operation of the other mechanical parts during non-use.
Also, hard drives on a shelf need to be protected from moisture, other atmospheric changes, and static. Time to save those desiccant bags from electronics, dry them out in a low oven, and insert some into the anti-static bag you seal the drive into.
Re: Another 2 IDE hard drives bite the dust - RAMd®d - 10-10-2009
Alex Lindsey of PixelCorp has a ton of archive HDs with data, and he says they are routinely spun up every six months to keep the lube from drying up.
I also remember a similar recommendation about doing the same for cameras, years ago. Regularly fire the shutter and different speeds, work all the controls, etc.
Re: Another 2 IDE hard drives bite the dust - sekker - 10-10-2009
Both drives were in external cases, one used as a time machine backup, another was an OWC on the go drive. The latter had less than 100 hours of use.
Neither stored in any particularly good way. One in a box in my lab, another on a desk.
I have some data I want to store long-term, so I think I'm going to go with the 2 hard drives for the moment.