$&@(%^$#!!! I HATE this Raptor!

[CurseTheSky]

Ok. When I built a new computer back in 2006 I decided to grab a Raptor-X (150 GB), knowing then that HDDs were roughly the slowest component in a modern computer. I loved the thing for several years... until SSDs came along.

My main computer and my laptop both have Intel G2 SSDs in them. I just recently setup a backup / guest computer at a desk next to me (SFF in my sig) and threw the old Raptor in there figuring it would be a decent OS drive. Holy mother of God it's LOUD. I haven't had it in an active system since I bought my 160GB X-25M months ago, and I'm wondering now how I ever put up with it. It's slow too, but I know everything else is going to feel slow coming from a SSD.

Anyway, any recommendations for a cheap ($60-80ish) HDD that's decently fast and quieter than this stupid thing? I'll be more than happy to sacrifice random I/O performance for better sequential performance, more capacity, and most importantly, PEACE AND QUIET!

Thanks. 😀

 

[kmmatney]

The Western Digital "green" series of drives are quiet, and have reasonable performance.

 

[Blain]

Ok. When I built a new computer back in 2006 I decided to grab a Raptor-X (150 GB),

Anyway, any recommendations for a cheap ($60-80ish) HDD that's decently fast and quieter than this stupid thing? I'll be more than happy to sacrifice random I/O performance for better sequential performance, more capacity, and most importantly, PEACE AND QUIET!

WD Caviar Black 640GB if you can find them. If you want to shell out a few more bucks, go with a WD 1TB WD1002FAEX

 

[mvbighead]

I kinda like the 7200.12 series of Seagate drives. Quite fast, pretty cheap, and 5 year warranty. Using two 500s in my system in RAID0 and they are very quiet, and 1 in the wife's. Just bought 4 250s for a RAID array in my ESXi host, and I assume they'll be nice and quiet as well.

 

[Copenhagen69]

WD Caviar Black 640GB if you can find them. If you want to shell out a few more bucks, go with a WD 1TB WD1002FAEX

I kinda like the 7200.12 series of Seagate drives. Quite fast, pretty cheap, and 5 year warranty. Using two 500s in my system in RAID0 and they are very quiet, and 1 in the wife's. Just bought 4 250s for a RAID array in my ESXi host, and I assume they'll be nice and quiet as well.

either of the above will be great for your ...

you can always send me that crappy raptor 🙂 ... hell i will even pay your shipping and gas to the post office ... seriously :thumbsup:

 

[CurseTheSky]

Storage is still a bit tight for me, Copenhagen, or I'd take you up on the offer - it's probably being retired to a backup drive for the moment until I can afford a 1TB or so (right now, every GB counts!) I will keep you in mind when I do replace it, though.

I'm glad to hear the testimony for the Seagate 7200.12 drives. I have my eye on the single platter 500GB drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148395. The price / capacity ratio is pretty good. If I could afford to shell out $100 right now, I'd grab a 1TB Black drive.

 

[Zap]

How about decoupling the Raptor X from your chassis? Just from making sure there is no metal-to-metal contact (even through the screws) with the chassis, your Raptor X will magically be quieter.

I have three (now unused) Raptor X drives. One was in an Antec Solo case and using the supplied bungee cords to suspend the drive. The second was in a Lian Li case with 1/8" Neoprene padding wedged between the drive and the sides of the drive bay (pretty darn secure, no screws needed). Those two were pretty darn quiet. The third Raptor X was in an X-Qpack case with the drive screwed directly into the bay, and it was one noisy mofo'.

 

[Copenhagen69]

Storage is still a bit tight for me, Copenhagen, or I'd take you up on the offer - it's probably being retired to a backup drive for the moment until I can afford a 1TB or so (right now, every GB counts!) I will keep you in mind when I do replace it, though.

I'm glad to hear the testimony for the Seagate 7200.12 drives. I have my eye on the single platter 500GB drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148395. The price / capacity ratio is pretty good. If I could afford to shell out $100 right now, I'd grab a 1TB Black drive.

thanks please do 🙂

 

[CurseTheSky]

How about decoupling the Raptor X from your chassis? Just from making sure there is no metal-to-metal contact (even through the screws) with the chassis, your Raptor X will magically be quieter.

I have three (now unused) Raptor X drives. One was in an Antec Solo case and using the supplied bungee cords to suspend the drive. The second was in a Lian Li case with 1/8" Neoprene padding wedged between the drive and the sides of the drive bay (pretty darn secure, no screws needed). Those two were pretty darn quiet. The third Raptor X was in an X-Qpack case with the drive screwed directly into the bay, and it was one noisy mofo'.

Hmm... Raptor X or VelociRaptor? I thought the Raptor X were 3.5" drives, not 2.5". It's one of the ones that's black in color and has a clear plastic cover so you can watch the read / write heads going nuts.

 

[Elixer]

I kinda like the 7200.12 series of Seagate drives. Quite fast, pretty cheap, and 5 year warranty. Using two 500s in my system in RAID0 and they are very quiet, and 1 in the wife's. Just bought 4 250s for a RAID array in my ESXi host, and I assume they'll be nice and quiet as well.

That isn't correct anymore, since AFAIK, all Seagate HDs are 3yrs warranty now.
The WD black are 5yr, green/blue are 3yr.
Samsung & Hitachi are also 3yr.

 

[F1shF4t]

Ah the old raptor grind while seeking. You should hear the first series 36 gig ones, those things made some serious noise.

Personally I wouldn't touch seagate drives but thats probably my bias towards them after the whole 7200.11 drive issues. WD green drives are the quitest, Samsung drives are good as well (I have 7 of them, mix of 7200rpm and 5400rpm ones)

 

[Zap]

Hmm... Raptor X or VelociRaptor? I thought the Raptor X were 3.5" drives, not 2.5". It's one of the ones that's black in color and has a clear plastic cover so you can watch the read / write heads going nuts.

Right. I know exactly what they are. I have three of each. The X-Qpack was my LAN party box and I would always get people watching the HDD seeks.

The Raptor X are now unused because I replaced all three with VelociRaptors.

The VelociRaptors will soon be replaced by SSDs.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Right. I know exactly what they are. I have three of each. The X-Qpack was my LAN party box and I would always get people watching the HDD seeks.

The Raptor X are now unused because I replaced all three with VelociRaptors.

The VelociRaptors will soon be replaced by SSDs.

Ah, I thought only the VRs came with a removable outer case, hence the confusion. I'll have to give it a shot. If I can get this thing to be a bit quieter I'll save myself some cash.

Thanks.

 

[Binky]

If it's just a seldomly-used secondary computer, why not encase the Raptor in some kind of foam to silence it? 😀

Some foam packing material from around the house and some tape would do the job. It would probably die MUCH sooner than necessary because it would run too hot inside the foam. Just keep anything important backed up and use it as long as it lasts!

 

[Zap]

Ah, I thought only the VRs came with a removable outer case, hence the confusion.

I'm not sure we're on the same page here.

My Raptor X is a 150GB drive that is the same family as the other 150GB Raptor, NOT the 150GB VelociRaptor which is a different drive. The Raptor X is different in that there is a Window over the platters so you can see the heads move (platters spin too, but can't really see much of that). Nothing is removable.

Picture at this link

My VelociRaptors are 300GB drives (150GB version available too) which look like 2.5" notebook hard drives (only a bit thicker). To make them fit into a normal 3.5" drive bay, the drive is attached to an aluminum heatsink "sled" which is removable, though removing it voids the warranty.

Picture (w/o cover) at this link

If it's just a seldomly-used secondary computer, why not encase the Raptor in some kind of foam to silence it? 😀

Don't need to encase it, just decouple it.