Is it OK to mount a Hard Drive vertically or on a slant?

[Macro2]

Someone brought me a computer to repair an I noticed the back of the HD hits the motherboard/IDE connector on the IDE cable and they just have the back two screws missing and it just kind of resting on a slant. I'm thinking maybe it's better to hand the thing vertically?
Is there a problem with HDs on a slant or vertically mounted?

Thanks, Mac

 

[NokiaDude]

Hard drives can be mounted vertically or horizontally. As long as you don't move the hard drive it should be okay slanted. I personally would fix it so it wouldn't slant.

 

[beatle]

No problem. Mount it however you want as long as its secure.

 

[Kaieye]

I just mounted a hard drive upside down. I hope I don't have any issues soon but it seems to be working fine. This is not for any mission critical use and is used strictly for recreational purposes.

 

[thorin]

Yup as long as it can't move while in operation then it should be fine.

Thorin

 

[Macro2]

thanks

 

[dullard]

I had a hard drive dangling from the IDE cable and power cable for about 2 months. The case wasn't on and it was just dangling on the side, where anyone could bump it at any time. Nothing happened. Of course if the data was important, or if the HD was someone elses, I wouldn't suggest doing that.

 

[Slogun]

Lian-Li cases mount the hard drives so they are sitting on their side.

It's never been a problem for me.

 

[zodder]

Originally posted by: Slogun
Lian-Li cases mount the hard drives so they are sitting on their side.

It's never been a problem for me.

No problems for me either.

 

[Markfw]

Originally posted by: thorin
Yup as long as it can't move while in operation then it should be fine.

Thorin

From what I have read, any horizaontal or vertical is OK, per the bearings design, but NOT on anything other than 0 or 90 degrees in any orientation. In other words NO slants.

 

[Camofrog]

mine are mounted vertically in front of the front fans (works well). just like every body else says as long as they dont move around while being used the are good to go in about any orientation.

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: Markfw900

Originally posted by: thorin
Yup as long as it can't move while in operation then it should be fine.

Thorin

From what I have read, any horizaontal or vertical is OK, per the bearings design, but NOT on anything other than 0 or 90 degrees in any orientation. In other words NO slants.

Ok perhaps I should clarify. I have no doubt whatsoever that if you mount it on a angle and then it fails that you'd be regected for RMA if you were silly enough to tell them how it was mounted. I also have no doubt that that's what most HD manuf's say in their manuals. However in practice over the years I'm saying from experience that it won't cause a problem.

Thorin

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
From what I have read, any horizaontal or vertical is OK, per the bearings design, but NOT on anything other than 0 or 90 degrees in any orientation. In other words NO slants.

You gotta think about the real world. If that were true, then HDs would fail in any computer that has an old ricketty desk (ie not level). Or in old houses where the floor is starting to sag a bit. Basically, HDs are frequently in a small slant.

 

[Baronz]

Mount it best you can, just make sure it isn't going to fall. Worse thing for drives is sudden movement or hitting hard things while operational. I think they're tougher than people give them credit for...I've always moved my case around while the drive was reading and I've never had a drive fail on me yet, of course i don't do that with my newer drivers

 

[Slogun]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Markfw900
From what I have read, any horizaontal or vertical is OK, per the bearings design, but NOT on anything other than 0 or 90 degrees in any orientation. In other words NO slants.

You gotta think about the real world. If that were true, then HDs would fail in any computer that has an old ricketty desk (ie not level). Or in old houses where the floor is starting to sag a bit. Basically, HDs are frequently in a small slant.

Probably true. I would not worry myself about a HD sitting on a slant myself.
I've had one dangling from an IDE cable in my server.

 

[Markfw]

Originally posted by: Slogun

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Markfw900
From what I have read, any horizaontal or vertical is OK, per the bearings design, but NOT on anything other than 0 or 90 degrees in any orientation. In other words NO slants.

You gotta think about the real world. If that were true, then HDs would fail in any computer that has an old ricketty desk (ie not level). Or in old houses where the floor is starting to sag a bit. Basically, HDs are frequently in a small slant.

Probably true. I would not worry myself about a HD sitting on a slant myself.
I've had one dangling from an IDE cable in my server.

Excuse me ! I think if I wanted to spend the time to lookup the white papers, it is within 5-10 degrees, but essentially level.

 

[Markfw]

doublepost

 

[Markfw]

triplepost, sorry, slow server

 

[JBT]

I had an old 40 gig 7200 rpm maxtor tillted a bit because I had a HDD cooler mounted on it but it didn't fit correctly in my old case, for about a year. I still use this HDD as my primary drive today works great its not tillted any more though.

What about lap top drives ? I barely ever have my lap top on a flat surface it is often tilted one way or another as well as when I leave my laptop on when carrying it between classes.

I think it is probably alright for them a bit but I doubt manufactures like it much.

 

[sharkeeper]

Always consult with the manufacturer with a special case scenario.

Generally, fixed disks are mounted horizonally with the spindle motor bottom facing toward the source of gravity. If they are mounted perpendicular to the source of gravity then standard practice is to make the spindle motor shaft exactly 90 degrees perpendicular to the "flux lines" of the source.

Cheers!

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I always fix mine at some right-angle. No slanting.

- M4H

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: Markfw900

Originally posted by: Slogun

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Markfw900
From what I have read, any horizaontal or vertical is OK, per the bearings design, but NOT on anything other than 0 or 90 degrees in any orientation. In other words NO slants.

You gotta think about the real world. If that were true, then HDs would fail in any computer that has an old ricketty desk (ie not level). Or in old houses where the floor is starting to sag a bit. Basically, HDs are frequently in a small slant.

Probably true. I would not worry myself about a HD sitting on a slant myself.
I've had one dangling from an IDE cable in my server.

Excuse me ! I think if I wanted to spend the time to lookup the white papers, it is within 5-10 degrees, but essentially level.

Of course that's what they say. They have to cover their butts.

Thorin

 

[hans007]

Originally posted by: Macro2
Someone brought me a computer to repair an I noticed the back of the HD hits the motherboard/IDE connector on the IDE cable and they just have the back two screws missing and it just kind of resting on a slant. I'm thinking maybe it's better to hand the thing vertically?
Is there a problem with HDs on a slant or vertically mounted?

Thanks, Mac

if you have 2 screws on one side, thats kinda bad. sometimes a screw can break and a piece will stay stuck in the drive. its ebtter to have one screw on each side, diagonal from each other.


a slant is not supposed to be good, but i doubt it really matters. but to be safe, go vertical or horizontal

 

[chorner]

Guys, its usually NOT OK to have your HDD's on a slant (that is, an angle other than level, or even 90deg to level).

Think about gravity, the motor, and the bearings. Tilting 90deg, or not having your drive rotating level will reduce the lifespan of 1) the bearings and 2) the motor itself. This is because the wear will naturally be at its greatest at its nearest point to the center of Earth, causing unequal wear on the bearings and motors.

Think of something that rides on a bushings. Tilt it off center, and notice the wear. Now tilt it level again, and notice the wobble to whatever side and degree you tilted it on.

Think about =====[]===== a small wheel on a straight cylinder running level. It will have even wear, and hence not wobble as much left and right over time; which would be a cause of the "clank" sound in old HDD's where the read head actually whacks the spinning platter.

Same goes for items that run on bearings; although to a lesser extent.

 

[Slogun]

methinks it time to unsubscribe from this thread...