Seagate U6 lifespan

  • Thread starter Thread starter nutso fasst
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nutso fasst

Can anyone comment on the longevity of these drives? A bought a couple
(340810A, 40GB) a few years ago and only used one, as a backup/scratch drive
that doesn't get used much. I'm planning to use the unused one to replace a
Fujitsu MPB3064A (6.5GB) that's seen over 3 years of 24/7 use in a server
(and unknown years in a workstation before that) and is beginning to whine a
bit.

Thanks,
nf
 
nutso fasst said:
Can anyone comment on the longevity of these drives?
A bought a couple (340810A, 40GB) a few years ago and
only used one, as a backup/scratch drive that doesn't
get used much. I'm planning to use the unused one to
replace a Fujitsu MPB3064A (6.5GB) that's seen over 3
years of 24/7 use in a server (and unknown years in a
workstation before that) and is beginning to whine a bit.
Click to expand...

I have a Singapore-made 80GB Barracuda (ST380021A, probably fluid
bearing) and worried that its chips would run very hot because of the
metal cover and foam insulation over the circuit board. The drive
body reached 46C at idle in 25C surrounding air, compared to 42C for
IBM, WD, and Maxtor drives (horizontal and either 0.25" or directly on
top of a table; I don't remember). When I removed the metal cover I
noticed that the chips stayed cooler during continuous reads than
those of the IBM and much cooler than the Maxtor's (WD couldn't be
checked because its chips faced inward). The Seagate remained my
quietest even with that cover removed, so that's how I operate it.

I found that any air flow at all, even natural convection from
vertical orientation, cooled the hottest chips of the drives by
10-15C. So I hang all my drives on the bottom or side of the drive
bay rack, with about 3/8" of air space next to their circuit boards.
 
"larrymoencurly":
I have a Singapore-made 80GB Barracuda (ST380021A, probably fluid
bearing) and worried that its chips would run very hot because of the
metal cover and foam insulation over the circuit board. The drive
body reached 46C at idle in 25C surrounding air, compared to 42C for
IBM, WD, and Maxtor drives (horizontal and either 0.25" or directly on
top of a table; I don't remember). When I removed the metal cover I
noticed that the chips stayed cooler during continuous reads than
those of the IBM and much cooler than the Maxtor's (WD couldn't be
checked because its chips faced inward). The Seagate remained my
quietest even with that cover removed, so that's how I operate it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion.

I just replaced a Barracuda IV ST380021A that was installed in Dec 2001 and
run constantly since. No catastophic failure but it had a few bad clusters.
Not sure how hot it was running, but I don't think it was close to the rated
max of 60C. The old U6 has a rubbery cover that must up the working temp a
bit.

nf
 
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