Maxtor harddisk: does operating temp of max. 55°C refer to case/environment temp or actual harddisk temp?!!..

Dance123

Senior member
Jun 10, 2003
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Hi,

Anybody knows exactly what the maximum safe C° temperature is that a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 120GB is allowed to run at so that you don't risk any damage to the drive?!

Mike.
 

Dance123

Senior member
Jun 10, 2003
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Originally posted by: Andrew Ku
Originally posted by: Dance123
Hi,

Anybody knows exactly what the maximum safe C° temperature is that a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 120GB is allowed to run at so that you don't risk any damage to the drive?!

Mike.



Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 Datasheet

Operating Temp: 5C to 55C
Non-operating Temp: -40C to 71C
1/ Does the operating temp of max. 55C in those specifications refer to the environment temp in your case or the temp of the harddisk itself?! Anybody could please clarify this?!!

2/ second, what does the non-operating temp stand for?

Thanks very much for the info!!


 

arcenite

Lifer
Dec 9, 2001
10,660
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2/ second, what does the non-operating temp stand for?

Thanks very much for the info!![/quote]

Means don't put it in the oven when you're not using it ;-)

Bill
 

Dance123

Senior member
Jun 10, 2003
387
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Originally posted by: Andrew Ku

Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 Datasheet

Operating Temp: 5C to 55C
Non-operating Temp: -40C to 71C
How come that when non-operating the temp of the drive can be much higher (71C!) as when operating (55C)?!!

Also, it is absolutely correct that the operating temp of max. 55C specification does refer to the actual temp of the harddisk and not to the case/environmental temp, right?! Anybody who knows this for sure?!



 

SithSolo1

Diamond Member
Mar 19, 2001
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Why the bleep do you care so much?


55C = 131F

If anything in you case is that hot I'd say you are in trouble.
 

Soybomb

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2000
9,506
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Originally posted by: SithSolo1
Why the bleep do you care so much?


55C = 131F

If anything in you case is that hot I'd say you are in trouble.
My 7200 rpm maxtors in swappable enclosures run about 110F so its nice to know what the ceiling is for some applications.

 

Matthias99

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2003
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On the data sheet, those numbers are listed in the "envorinmental" section, so I'd think they refer to the surroundings. If so, it's rated to 55C operating, which is *really* hot. Your CPU might be that hot, but the inside of your computer shouldn't be. I wouldn't worry about it.

It's able to tolerate a higher range of temperatures when non-operational because it doesn't have to read data off the platters then. There are limits to how much the drive can compensate for thermal expansion. The absolute temp. limits are usually where something physical breaks down (for example, the motor's lubricant might freeze and expand at low temps, or plastic parts might start to deform at high ones).
 

InlineFive

Diamond Member
Sep 20, 2003
9,599
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1. Enable S.M.A.R.T. in your BIOS.
2. Download a utility that can read S.M.A.R.T. (I use SiSoftSandra).
3. Run the utility and it will tell you your hard drive temp.

My Maxtor DiamondMax 9 averages 20c with an undervolted 80mm fan blowing over it.