Can Constant RAR/UNRAR cause drive failure?

[Bob Brown]

I have about 25 files which are RAR'd and I constantly RAR and UNRAR
them, almost 3 times per day. Each RAR is about 300MB in size.

I was wondering if doing this constantly would begin to or cause drive
failure?

I ask because I've noticed a loud "thump/clank" noise from the drive
that wasn't there before. It's a "Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L080P0 80GB
7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA133 Hard Drive" if that helps answer my
question.

Thanks

 

[Rod Speed]

I have about 25 files which are RAR'd and I constantly RAR and UNRAR
them, almost 3 times per day. Each RAR is about 300MB in size.

I was wondering if doing this constantly would begin to or cause drive failure?
Nope.

I ask because I've noticed a loud "thump/clank" noise from the drive
that wasn't there before. It's a "Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L080P0 80GB
7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA133 Hard Drive" if that helps answer my question.

Maxtors are currently about the worst drives you
can buy and they hate not being cooled adequately.

Backup what you'll slash your wrists if you lose, NOW.

 

[don't look]

My 250GB maxtor is on deaths doorstep.Next drive will be WD.

 

[John Weiss]

I have about 25 files which are RAR'd and I constantly RAR and UNRAR
them, almost 3 times per day. Each RAR is about 300MB in size.

I was wondering if doing this constantly would begin to or cause drive
failure?

It should not.

I ask because I've noticed a loud "thump/clank" noise from the drive
that wasn't there before. It's a "Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L080P0 80GB
7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA133 Hard Drive" if that helps answer my
question.

Unfortunately, Maxtors have about the worst reliability reputation around.

 

[Bob Fry]

"BB" == Bob Brown <.> writes:

BB> I have about 25 files which are RAR'd and I constantly RAR and
BB> UNRAR them, almost 3 times per day. Each RAR is about 300MB in
BB> size.

BB> I was wondering if doing this constantly would begin to or
BB> cause drive failure?

No. Consider the page file, which sees far more reads/writes than
that.
--
If you go to a party, and you want to be the popular one at the party,
do this: Wait until no one is looking, then kick a burning log out of
the fireplace onto the carpet. Then jump on top of it with your body
and yell, "Log o' fire! Log o' fire!" I've never done this, but I
think it'd work.
- Jack Handey

 

[kony]

Maxtors are currently about the worst drives you
can buy and they hate not being cooled adequately.

Backup what you'll slash your wrists if you lose, NOW.

Hardly. I and millions of people have maxtors running fine.
"some" of them may have problems if allowed to run hot, but
then "some" Seagates do too, so it isn't the kind of blanket
statement that can be applied to an entire brand.

Further, today many of the lower end Maxtors aren't even
Maxtors, they're the same Seagate drives that merely have
warranty reduced from 5 years to 3.

Essentially what you are doing is thinking "maxtor drive
failed, must be because maxtor is crap", but then if any
other drive fails, you dismiss it instead of making same
presumption about the other brand as well.

Don't get me wrong, Maxtor isn't my first pick but having
bought a ton of them pretty cheap over the past few years
after rebate, they don't seem to have even remotely close to
the problems you allude to.

 

[Rod Speed]

Hardly.

Fraid so.

I and millions of people have maxtors running fine.

Have fun explaining why Maxtor went bust.

Hint: it was the obscene warranty failure rate that did that.

"some" of them may have problems if allowed to run hot,
but then "some" Seagates do too, so it isn't the kind of
blanket statement that can be applied to an entire brand.

Wrong, as always.

Further, today many of the lower end Maxtors aren't
even Maxtors, they're the same Seagate drives that
merely have warranty reduced from 5 years to 3.

Not that one.

Essentially what you are doing is thinking "maxtor
drive failed, must be because maxtor is crap",

Wrong, as always.

but then if any other drive fails, you dismiss it instead of
making same presumption about the other brand as well.

Wrong, as always.

Don't get me wrong, Maxtor isn't my first pick but
having bought a ton of them pretty cheap over the
past few years after rebate, they don't seem to have
even remotely close to the problems you allude to.

Have fun listing a current manufacturer with a worse record.

Have fun explaining how come they went broke.

 

[kony]

I have about 25 files which are RAR'd and I constantly RAR and UNRAR
them, almost 3 times per day. Each RAR is about 300MB in size.

Doing the math, 3 x 25 x 300 = ~ 22GB

If you are doing this continually, yes it will put more
wear on a drive than if you didn't. Wear on drive will
eventually cause drive failure, but it's not the kind of
thing you could predict with a calendar and shouldn't reduce
the lifespan below a few years.

I was wondering if doing this constantly would begin to or cause drive
failure?

I ask because I've noticed a loud "thump/clank" noise from the drive
that wasn't there before. It's a "Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L080P0 80GB
7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA133 Hard Drive" if that helps answer my
question.

When is thump/clank present?
Is it possible you have always had the noise but the drive
isn't screwed in tight or something else in the case is
loose? Minor drive noises can be amplified by the chassis.

If it is actually making a new loud noise, it does tend to
signal a problem IF the use was the same (otherwise, it
would tend to depend on what/when the noise occurs), and you
should run the manufacturer's diagnostics on it.

I won't even get into why you are constantly raring and
uraring these files everyday, but there may be a less
resource intensive way to get the job done.

 

[Shep©]

I have about 25 files which are RAR'd and I constantly RAR and UNRAR
them, almost 3 times per day. Each RAR is about 300MB in size.

I was wondering if doing this constantly would begin to or cause drive
failure?

I ask because I've noticed a loud "thump/clank" noise from the drive
that wasn't there before. It's a "Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L080P0 80GB
7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA133 Hard Drive" if that helps answer my
question.

Thanks

File formats cannot affect hardware.I've used and fitted Maxtor drives
in many systems and they are very robust however Q/C is the same for
all makers e.g if you are unfortunate,you may have got a weak one.

However I continue to use Maxtor/Seagate because of their superb free
replacment/support system which they honour so long as you follow
their free procedure,

http://shurl.net/2g5

Basically download their free,"Powermax," software and run it on the
drive(Works on virtually all hard drives no matter what make and I
always keep it in my,"Software Tool-Box).

http://shurl.net/2g6

If the drive fails post to Maxtor that you have run it and followed
their procedure and they will replace the drive. if you follow their
plan.
HTH

 

[Rod Speed]

Bob Brown <.> wrote

Doing the math, 3 x 25 x 300 = ~ 22GB

If you are doing this continually, yes it will
put more wear on a drive than if you didn't.

Wrong, drives dont wear based on the volume of data moved.

Wear on drive will eventually cause drive failure,

Wrong, as always.

but it's not the kind of thing you could predict with a calendar
and shouldn't reduce the lifespan below a few years.

It wont have any effect whatever.

When is thump/clank present?
Is it possible you have always had the noise but the drive
isn't screwed in tight or something else in the case is
loose? Minor drive noises can be amplified by the chassis.

Much more likely its the drive recalibrating.

If it is actually making a new loud noise, it does tend to
signal a problem IF the use was the same (otherwise, it
would tend to depend on what/when the noise occurs),
and you should run the manufacturer's diagnostics on it.

I won't even get into why you are constantly raring
and uraring these files everyday, but there may be
a less resource intensive way to get the job done.

No point in worrying about it, it wont have any effect on drive life.

 

[kony]

Have fun listing a current manufacturer with a worse record.

I can find tons of video capture cards, etc, etc, that
people seem to have problems with too. Doesn't mean the
drive is at fault, it typically means (especially after the
recent years of deep discounts after rebate) those trying to
built cheap systems have done so in many areas like power
and cooling (case choice). Go ahead and tell us that your
favorite brand would be ok overheating and getting bad
power. When there are several variables, finding the
commonality is key. Some don't have a problem running same
drives, so what else was different?

Have fun explaining how come they went broke.

If there was no value in their name, Seagate wouldn't have
acquired them.


Have fun explaining why I have so many still working fine.

 

[kony]

Wrong, drives dont wear based on the volume of data moved.

If you can't understand that the arm mechanics are only
wearing when moving, reading and writing, you have not
thought about it much. Drive also consumes more power, gets
hotter then as well. What do you attribute to failure of an
electromechanical component if not wear and heat?

Much more likely its the drive recalibrating.

That is certainly possible, though it wouldn't have started
doing that now opposed to previously, if under same usage,
thermal cycling as always.

No point in worrying about it, it wont have any effect on drive life.

Never claimed one should worry, the whole point of a drive
is to use it, but that doesn't mean a drive heavily used
won't fail quicker than one that wasn't, which might not
even be spinning the majority of the time otherwise.

 

[sbb78247]

My 250GB maxtor is on deaths doorstep.Next drive will be WD.

well then get ready with the razor blade. wd250s are crap

--
sbb78247

resident redneck alt.os.windows-vista
alt.os.windows-xp


you aint from around here, are ya' boy!

 

[sbb78247]

I can find tons of video capture cards, etc, etc, that
people seem to have problems with too. Doesn't mean the
drive is at fault, it typically means (especially after the
recent years of deep discounts after rebate) those trying to
built cheap systems have done so in many areas like power
and cooling (case choice). Go ahead and tell us that your
favorite brand would be ok overheating and getting bad
power. When there are several variables, finding the
commonality is key. Some don't have a problem running same
drives, so what else was different?

that series of maxtor drives was crap. i hate to agree with rod, but they
are.

If there was no value in their name, Seagate wouldn't have
acquired them.


Have fun explaining why I have so many still working fine.

pure luck? they had a major problem with the diamondmax 9 and 10s with
motor bearings


--
sbb78247

resident redneck alt.os.windows-vista
alt.os.windows-xp


you aint from around here, are ya' boy!

 

[Rod Speed]

I can find tons of video capture cards, etc, etc,
that people seem to have problems with too.

Irrelevant to hard drives, you pathetic excuse for a bullshit artist.

Doesn't mean the drive is at fault, it typically means
(especially after the recent years of deep discounts after
rebate) those trying to built cheap systems have done
so in many areas like power and cooling (case choice).

Irrelevant to hard drive failures, you pathetic excuse for a bullshit artist.

Go ahead and tell us that your favorite brand would be ok
overheating and getting bad power. When there are several
variables, finding the commonality is key. Some don't have a
problem running same drives, so what else was different?

The design cant handle basic stuff like poor
cooling, you pathetic excuse for a bullshit artist.

If there was no value in their name,
Seagate wouldn't have acquired them.

Thanks for that completely superfluous proof that you have never
ever had a ****ing clue about what the hard drive industry is about.

Have fun explaining why I have so many still working fine.

Thats true of even the notorious industry duds, fool.

 

[Rod Speed]

If you can't understand that the arm mechanics are only wearing when
moving, reading and writing, you have not thought about it much.

Have fun explaining how come drives that are used in data
intensive situations dont failure do to head arm mechanism failure.

Drive also consumes more power, gets hotter then as well.

No they dont if they are adequately cooled with that sort of data use.

What do you attribute to failure of an electromechanical
component if not wear and heat?

Oh, basic stuff like power on hours with
bearings, start and stop cycles, etc etc etc.

Most modern drives dont fail due to failure of
the electromechanical components now anyway.

That is certainly possible,

Much more likely in fact than your silly line.

And that even shows up in the SMART data with Maxtor drives too.

Damn, that means you will be needing that large towel, again.

though it wouldn't have started doing that now opposed to
previously, if under same usage, thermal cycling as always.

More meaningless waffle you always resort to when
you are in that hole well over your head, as always.

Never claimed one should worry, the whole point of a drive
is to use it, but that doesn't mean a drive heavily used

You aint established that that is 'heavily used'
you pathetic excuse for a bullshit artist.

If it was, you'd find PVRs would be notorious for eating hard drives, and they arent.

Damn, hope you didnt throw that large towel out.

won't fail quicker than one that wasn't, which might
not even be spinning the majority of the time otherwise.

Wrong again given that XP doesnt even spin down
drives by default with desktop drives anymore.

 

[kony]

pure luck? they had a major problem with the diamondmax 9 and 10s with
motor bearings

There is not sufficient evidence to conclude that, unless
we're only considering that any drive ran hot may have
bearing problems.

I'll change my mind when mine fail. Until then, I find them
better than the Plus 8, as plus 8 seemed to need a little
more cooling, but the last Plus 8 I had fail this month had
been running 24/7 for four years, which I deem acceptible
for the $30 or so paid at the time. I think half the reason
it even failed at that point was that the system's owner
beat it to death with pagefile activity because they
cheaped out and had only 256MB of memory in the system while
doing jobs requiring more.

Anyway, I don't think it's pure luck at all, as most of the
time I hear of someone who had theirs fail, they had one of
them, maybe two... I lost count of how many but it's over a
half dozen of the 9 and 10 series.

Regardless, that's no reason to dismiss the current
generation of Plus 21, which are Seagate drives in Maxtor
boxes. Thus, even if you didn't like Maxtors in the past,
"were crap" would be more appropriate than "are crap",
unless you dislike Seagate too, but when someone starts to
dismiss several brands it gets more and more peculiar.

In the end there is still the remaining issue that there are
milions of drives out there working fine. If maxtor sells
more of a given model because of deep discounts, it only
stands to reason there will be a larger # of failures.
People don't tend to pop up and say "mine works fine" as
often as "mine failed" even though the failure rates are
generally closer to 1:20 instead of 1:1.

 

[kony]

Irrelevant to hard drives, you pathetic excuse for a bullshit artist.

I can see this has degraded into a fruitless conversation.
Why bother typing if it isn't going to do any good?

 

[Rod Speed]

There is not sufficient evidence to conclude that, unless
we're only considering that any drive ran hot may have
bearing problems.

I'll change my mind when mine fail. Until then, I find them
better than the Plus 8, as plus 8 seemed to need a little
more cooling, but the last Plus 8 I had fail this month had
been running 24/7 for four years, which I deem acceptible
for the $30 or so paid at the time. I think half the reason
it even failed at that point was that the system's owner
beat it to death with pagefile activity because they
cheaped out and had only 256MB of memory in the system while
doing jobs requiring more.

Anyway, I don't think it's pure luck at all, as most of the
time I hear of someone who had theirs fail, they had one of
them, maybe two... I lost count of how many but it's over a
half dozen of the 9 and 10 series.

Regardless, that's no reason to dismiss the current
generation of Plus 21, which are Seagate drives in Maxtor
boxes. Thus, even if you didn't like Maxtors in the past,
"were crap" would be more appropriate than "are crap",
unless you dislike Seagate too, but when someone starts to
dismiss several brands it gets more and more peculiar.

In the end there is still the remaining issue that there are
milions of drives out there working fine. If maxtor sells
more of a given model because of deep discounts, it only
stands to reason there will be a larger # of failures.
People don't tend to pop up and say "mine works fine" as
often as "mine failed" even though the failure rates are
generally closer to 1:20 instead of 1:1.

Have fun explaining how come the return rate got so bad that Maxtor went bust.

 

[Rod Speed]

I can see this has degraded into a fruitless conversation.

Thats been obvious to us for some time now, child.

You never ever could bullshit your way out of a wet paper bag.

Why bother typing if it isn't going to do any good?

It obviously has, you've just run up the white flag, child.