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Is it advisable to allow my HDD to go into standby mode?

F

Fun Guy

Golden Member
When I configured a new machine under Win98 it automatically set up Power settings to shut off my HDD after one hour. I have heard that it is the starting up and slowing down of a HDD that effect wear and tear on it, that shutting off and turning on again heats and cools the drive, which leads to the expansion and contraction of metal parts that eventually kills the drive. Is this true and if so, should I tell Win98 to never turn off the drive?
 
i usually turn all power save mode off being I dont pay for electricity. I would have to agree with the wear and tear factor but that would take years and you probably would have replaced the drive anyway.
 
i have seen ordinary drives rated at 40000 stop-starts. i really wouldn't bother letting anything manage my power on the drive alone. only when the whole rig goes to sleep. and even then I would prefer "hibernate".
 
I agree with you - its wear and tear. I have a hard drive in my 2nd PC which sometimes does not spin up if I shut the PC down. I have to tap it with a screw driver and it spins up. I leave that machine on 24/7 and the drive is fine!

Just let your monitor turn off.
 


<< Just let your monitor turn off. >>


The monitor being the part of a PC consuming the most electricity I second that advice.
 
Plus, it usually takes a lot more to get your drive up to speed than to just keep it spinning, it doesn't even start to save money on power unless it's been off for several hours. And then there's still the wear and tear problem. I don't know that the expansion and contraction are really problems there (it more greatly affects circuit boards), but there is certainly a motor keeping your drive spinning. Electric motors can wear out if they're stopped and started all the time - I know because a) my dad own's an electric motor repair shop and b) I used to work for him.
I don't know what kind of motors they've got in there, but starting and stopping and starting puts a strain on the bearings.
 
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