Hard Drives: is Horizontal or Vertical Positioning Best?

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ggdbr01

Hello all:

I'd just like to get your opinion: do you think it makes any difference
in the life-expectency of a hard drive whether you position it
horizontally or vertically? Which do you think is best?

I've noticed that on the boxes of many external hard drives, they show
the drive positioned vertically on a little stand enclosed for that
purpose. Presumably, this is more a space saver than anything, but
maybe it actually makes a performance difference.

Somehow it seems to me that horizontal positioning would be best since
the drive is symmetrical with respect to gravity. But maybe this is
not the right way to think about it.

Any thoughts or opinions on this matter would be appreciated.
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote
I'd just like to get your opinion: do you think it makes
any difference in the life-expectency of a hard drive
whether you position it horizontally or vertically?
Click to expand...

The drive manufacturer's clearly dont think so, they allow both.
Which do you think is best?
Click to expand...

Whatever works best with the box.
I've noticed that on the boxes of many external hard drives, they
show the drive positioned vertically on a little stand enclosed for that
purpose. Presumably, this is more a space saver than anything,
Click to expand...

Its mainly to help with cooling.
but maybe it actually makes a performance difference.
Nope.

Somehow it seems to me that horizontal positioning would
be best since the drive is symmetrical with respect to gravity.
But maybe this is not the right way to think about it.
Click to expand...

Yep, the mass off the heads is trivial compared with the power
of the head actuator. That power is what's needed for fast access.
 
difference in the life-expectency of a hard drive whether you
position it horizontally or vertically? Which do you think is best?
Click to expand...

Horizontally - it's less likely to be knocked over when turned on &
spinning.
I've noticed that on the boxes of many external hard drives, they show
the drive positioned vertically on a little stand enclosed for that
purpose.
Click to expand...
Presumably, this is more a space saver than anything, but
maybe it actually makes a performance difference.
Click to expand...

No performance difference.
Somehow it seems to me that horizontal positioning would be best since
the drive is symmetrical with respect to gravity. But maybe this is
not the right way to think about it.
Click to expand...

It's most important to:

a) keep drives cool
b) protect them from any shock/movement - especially when spun up.
 
:[email protected] wrote:
:> difference in the life-expectency of a hard drive whether you
:> position it horizontally or vertically? Which do you think is best?
:
:Horizontally - it's less likely to be knocked over when turned on &
:spinning.

In addition to horizontal, does it make any difference as to which side
of the drive is facing up?
 
as long as its at a 90 degree to a side its ok

i.e. either horizontal or vertical anyway up but NOT say 30 degrees

from an article i read years ago
 
I think its better to ensure it cant get knocked over instead.

The cooling is usually better vertically if the cooling isnt that great.
In addition to horizontal, does it make any difference
as to which side of the drive is facing up?
Click to expand...

I normally run them the right way up, logic card down, but I doubt it matters.
 
Thank you all for these thoughtful answers, many good points.

More thoughts on this question are most welcome.

For what it's worth, I also found some ideas on the horizontal vs.
vertical question at this forum page:

http://forums.storagereview.net/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=17516

There's some overlap in the ideas expressed here and the ideas
expressed there, many of which I suspect are valid.

Thanks again.
 
as long as its at a 90 degree to a side its ok

i.e. either horizontal or vertical anyway up but NOT say 30
degrees

from an article i read years ago
Click to expand...
I can only assume that is because drive manufacturers don't specify
their products for use in any other orientations, rather than any
firm evidence that such orientations adversely affect reliability or
performance. Otherwise deployment in transportation systems would
require some very sophisticated mountings to maintain those
orientations in practice.
 
:[email protected] wrote:
:> difference in the life-expectency of a hard drive whether you
:> position it horizontally or vertically? Which do you think is best?
:
:Horizontally - it's less likely to be knocked over when turned on &
:spinning.

In addition to horizontal, does it make any difference as to which side
of the drive is facing up?
Click to expand...

When it is horizontal, yes. The circuit board must face down.

The drive bearings are designed to be used horizontally or vertically,
but not up-side-down. At least that's the information that I read in
some magazines on this topic some years ago.

- anton
 
Anton Ertl said:
When it is horizontal, yes. The circuit board must face down.

The drive bearings are designed to be used horizontally
or vertically, but not up-side-down. At least that's the
information that I read in some magazines on this topic
some years ago.
Click to expand...


This is contrary to several hard drive manufacturer's
support departments' answers to my questions on exactly
this topic 2 years ago. I called Seagate, Maxtor, and
Western Digital and I asked the support reps whether
hard drive orientation made any difference. After putting
me on hold while they conferred with more experienced
personnel, they all said that orientation didn't matter,
although 2 said that the orientation should not be
"at a slant". And when specifically asked, all said that
there was no "upside down" or "rightside up". Therefore,
by their pronouncements, it didn't matter if the circuit board
faced up or down in a horizontal orientation. As with many
high tech products, what may have been true 10 years ago
may no longer be true, but the pundits just can't keep up
with all developments, so they continue to propagate the
old truths.

*TimDaniels*
 
Previously Timothy Daniels said:
This is contrary to several hard drive manufacturer's
support departments' answers to my questions on exactly
this topic 2 years ago. I called Seagate, Maxtor, and
Western Digital and I asked the support reps whether
hard drive orientation made any difference. After putting
me on hold while they conferred with more experienced
personnel, they all said that orientation didn't matter,
although 2 said that the orientation should not be
"at a slant". And when specifically asked, all said that
there was no "upside down" or "rightside up". Therefore,
by their pronouncements, it didn't matter if the circuit board
faced up or down in a horizontal orientation. As with many
high tech products, what may have been true 10 years ago
may no longer be true, but the pundits just can't keep up
with all developments, so they continue to propagate the
old truths.
Click to expand...

Makes sense to me. With FDBs even the "at a slant" may
not be an issue anymore.

Arno
 
I'd just like to get your opinion: do you think it makes any difference
in the life-expectency of a hard drive whether you position it
horizontally or vertically? Which do you think is best?

I've noticed that on the boxes of many external hard drives, they show
the drive positioned vertically on a little stand enclosed for that
purpose. Presumably, this is more a space saver than anything, but
maybe it actually makes a performance difference.

Somehow it seems to me that horizontal positioning would be best since
the drive is symmetrical with respect to gravity. But maybe this is
not the right way to think about it.

Any thoughts or opinions on this matter would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

With modern hard drives only temperature, workload, mechanical shock, power
supply voltages and air pressure seem to have impact on their reliability
(beside component quality). In external disks vertical position helps to
cool drive better (by few degrees), but it increases a risk of a shock, as
it can be knocked off more easily. Internal drives can be mounted in any of
typical six orientations. Placing them with PCB down, reduces a risk of a
dust buildup, which has negative impact on component cooling. In clean and
well ventilated enclosure it does not matter.
 
I can only assume that is because drive manufacturers don't specify
their products for use in any other orientations, rather than any
firm evidence that such orientations adversely affect reliability or
performance. Otherwise deployment in transportation systems would
require some very sophisticated mountings to maintain those
orientations in practice.
Click to expand...

I had a case a while back, where mounting in 1 bay resulted in the
drive being on a slight angle. The result was the drive running MUCH
hotter than it should, and an overheating tape drive (when in the
bay). This was not a cooling issue. Even though times have changed I
still like to make sure drives aren't significantly off level, or
perpendicular to it. Call it superstition but I just don't trust
these motors on odd angles.
 
Previously Curious George said:
On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 03:01:41 GMT, Frazer Jolly Goodfellow
Click to expand...
I had a case a while back, where mounting in 1 bay resulted in the
drive being on a slight angle. The result was the drive running MUCH
hotter than it should, and an overheating tape drive (when in the
bay). This was not a cooling issue. Even though times have changed I
still like to make sure drives aren't significantly off level, or
perpendicular to it. Call it superstition but I just don't trust
these motors on odd angles.
Click to expand...

Likely bearing load, but I am surprised it should show that
strongly.

Arno
 
Hello all:

I'd just like to get your opinion: do you think it makes any difference
in the life-expectency of a hard drive whether you position it
horizontally or vertically? Which do you think is best?

I've noticed that on the boxes of many external hard drives, they show
the drive positioned vertically on a little stand enclosed for that
purpose. Presumably, this is more a space saver than anything, but
maybe it actually makes a performance difference.

Somehow it seems to me that horizontal positioning would be best since
the drive is symmetrical with respect to gravity. But maybe this is
not the right way to think about it.

Any thoughts or opinions on this matter would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

If you check the IBM site you'll find that some of their servers mount
drives horizontally and some vertically. Bear in mind that IBM made their
first disk before any current hard disk manufacturer was even incorporated
and they used to lease their equipment with support included so any
reliability problems came out of their pocket not the customer's. If there
was a real difference in reliability they would have picked one or the
other and stuck with it.
 
I had a case a while back, where mounting in 1 bay resulted in the
drive being on a slight angle. The result was the drive running MUCH
hotter than it should, and an overheating tape drive (when in the
bay). This was not a cooling issue. Even though times have changed I
still like to make sure drives aren't significantly off level, or
perpendicular to it. Call it superstition but I just don't trust
these motors on odd angles.
Click to expand...

this is known issue. Topic have never been about odd angles. And it has ALWAYS been
recommended to use HDDs horizontal, *or* vertical !

CD reader devices also state that clearly in specifications: roughly flat +/-20 deg,
rougly vertical +/- 15 deg.

************************************************************

the problem for me is rather geographical:

position vert vs hor seems a singificant discussion to me:
on very long term use, horizontal drives will keep disks parallel to the ground,
reducing and improoving the gyroscopique effect: rotation axe should for any device
in the world VERTICAL, what means horizontal disks; other wise, motor and rotation
balls will endure very strong and bad vibrations. Thats just physic laws.

I still see an advantage of vertical storage: even though the heads are very light,
the head spring are designed symetrical: vertical storage allow perfect symetricity
of heads around of each plate, when horizontal storage will make upper head heavier
than lower one, per plate. This is to be linked to the fact the head flies over the
surface, because of air turbulances: the spring stick the head to the plate when
stopped, and speed of rotation induce air that liftf the head away. Speed of plate,
and shape of head will determine distance of flight. that is why keeping HDD
horizontal makes me think the insignificant assymetry of weight still shall affect
the life time of heads.

The question I ask is thus:

who will damage most on long term use:
(more than 2 years, constant temperature, never stopped, constant humidity, never
moved, no velocity, not touched, not chocked, not spinned ... )
- the heads when horizontal ?
- the motor when vertical ?

By the way, alghout it is said for good reasons handling and turning spinning disks
is bad, I do think it is quiet ok if, having the disk flat on table, it should be ok
if you turn it around the rotation axe of plates (but not moving/shifting the axe at
all).
 
If you check the IBM site you'll find that some of their servers mount
drives horizontally and some vertically. Bear in mind that IBM made their
first disk before any current hard disk manufacturer was even incorporated
and they used to lease their equipment with support included so any
reliability problems came out of their pocket not the customer's. If there
was a real difference in reliability they would have picked one or the
other and stuck with it.
Click to expand...

or, maybe they offer a waranty 1 day shorter than the hoped life time of disks ...
 
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