Is it bad to have a HDD angled at 45 degrees?

[Leros]

I have an external harddrive and the most convenient place for me to put it is leaning in between my printer and the wall, which puts it a at 45 degree angle. Is this bad for the drive?

 

[corkyg]

I don't think it will make any difference. It can go siudeways, upside down, right side up - so why not in between?

 

[Rubycon]

Our hard drives are practically in constant motion - although I hope they never see 45 degrees of list. (unless they're being carried!) :Q

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: corkyg
I don't think it will make any difference. It can go siudeways, upside down, right side up - so why not in between?

I was trying to think about the physics of a rotating disk and for some reason having it at an angle doesnt seem as stable or easy to keep moving for some reason.

 

[ajchun]

the only possible problem i can think of is if the drive has fluid dynamic bearings it might settle strangely, but fdb drives have been run sideways and upside down without problems by plenty of people.

 

[pkme2]

I have seen HDDs mounted horizontally and vertically, never at a tilt.
I tried having my laptop run at an 25 degree angle and it didn't like that after a while, so it was back to horizontal.
It could be the settling problem, or maybe not.

 

[SparkyJJO]

a friend of mine ran an old drive at a 30-something angle upside down, and never had a problem with it.

 

[corkyg]

Another thought - laptops often run at all sorts of angles. Look at the HP Docking station - it p[uts the laptop in at about a 30 degree angle. No problem.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Another thought - laptops often run at all sorts of angles. Look at the HP Docking station - it p[uts the laptop in at about a 30 degree angle. No problem.

Good point, enough to convince me. Thanks.

 

[d3n]

My understanding of HD's has me thinking that this would be perfectly fine. What is not fine from my understanding of physics is moving this drive from say 45 degrees to 0 degrees while it is spinning. The rotating platter would be like a bike tire and want to maintain the same orientation of its spin. This could cause some flex on the spindle as the angle of the platter changed. The seek head then has a very good chance of crashing the platter.

Thats my thinking anyway.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: d3n
My understanding of HD's has me thinking that this would be perfectly fine. What is not fine from my understanding of physics is moving this drive from say 45 degrees to 0 degrees while it is spinning. The rotating platter would be like a bike tire and want to maintain the same orientation of its spin. This could cause some flex on the spindle as the angle of the platter changed. The seek head then has a very good chance of crashing the platter.

Thats my thinking anyway.

Yah thats what bothered me.

 

[bigboxes]

Originally posted by: d3n
My understanding of HD's has me thinking that this would be perfectly fine. What is not fine from my understanding of physics is moving this drive from say 45 degrees to 0 degrees while it is spinning. The rotating platter would be like a bike tire and want to maintain the same orientation of its spin. This could cause some flex on the spindle as the angle of the platter changed. The seek head then has a very good chance of crashing the platter.

Thats my thinking anyway.

Well, if all those hdd i-pods and other mp3/video players are whirling around just fine at all sorts of angles then I'm sure your modern hdd will be fine at whatever angle you desire. You should back up your data regardless so that a crash will not have a disastrous effect on your life.