which HDD?

[scaryjeff]

I am getting a 60 gig HDD for storing files on (i.e. not for running programs from), and I am having trouble on making my decision. I think I have narrowed it down to either a Maxtor or an IBM, but I'm not sure which will be best. I have heard that IBM drives are not so reliable, but that could be a load of rubbish.
Also I am unsure which RPM to get, as the prices are fairly close:

Maxtor 60 gig 7200 RPM: £122
Maxtor 60 gig 5400 RPM: £100
IBM 60 gig 7200 RPM: £115

Would getting a 7200 RPM drive be worth it considering I probably won't be running programs off it? And if I did get 7200 RPM, is the Maxtor worth the extra over the IBM? Are there other models or manufacturers that would be better for what I want?

Thanks!

- scary_jeff

 

[bacillus]

if the hdd is just for storage then the 5400rpm hdd should be just fine as maxtor is a good make.
IBM has had a rough patch recently with the 75GXP model hdds but supposedly now been sorted with the 60GXP version. mind you any hdd can go bad in spite of the models previous track record!

 

[Beerinator]

goto newegg.com and buy the new maxtor D740X drive
40 gig around $90
60 gig around $125

MAXTOR d740X UDMA133 8.5ms access time.

 

[bacillus]

seeing that he quoted prices in pounds, I would assume he's based in the UK so checking newegg.com becomes a litte problematic if he wants to buy!

 

[PHATJACK]

First of all, I would not recomend an IBM. I have had teh following happen to me:

(1) 45GB 75GXP fail
(2) 45GB 75GXP on the verge of failing
(1) 40GB 60GXP fail

I would highly recomend a Maxtor. If you have the money, go for the 7200 RPM as it will just be a little more speedier in general. However, if you can't spare the extra dough, the 5400 RPM will serve just fine.

 

[dk912]

Doesn't 7200RPM drives heat up easily? Should I buy cooling fans if I buy a Seagate barracuda 7200RPM HDD??? Which 7200RPM HDD brand run the coolest (temperature-wise)?

 

[PHATJACK]

<< Doesn't 7200RPM drives heat up easily? Should I buy cooling fans if I buy a Seagate barracuda 7200RPM HDD??? Which 7200RPM HDD brand run the coolest (temperature-wise)? >>



http://www.xbitlabs.com/storage/7200-roundup/ - Do a search for "Temperature"

I woudl pick up one of these: http://www.coolermaster.com/products/hdd/hd.html - I have gotten three of them, and love them all.

 

[Ausm]

7200 RPM hard drives do heat up some but with proper airflow in a case there is no probs....With the SCSI systems I build I ALWAYS use a hard drive cooler


Ausm

 

[Mitzi]

<<
Maxtor 60 gig 7200 RPM: £122
Maxtor 60 gig 5400 RPM: £100
IBM 60 gig 7200 RPM: £115
>>



I would suggest the 60Gb, 5400 Maxtor for simple storage space. My 40Gb IBM drive died a few weeks back. I certainly am not considering another one and the Maxtor 7200 is overkill for archive storage.

BTW where are those prices from?

 

[scaryjeff]

Thanks alot for all the replies!

Those prices are from CCL Computers. They have a limited selection, but what is there is very cheap.

OK I'm not that worried about heat... My case is pretty big (it's a globalwin something, like the ones OCUK use for their coolercase range), and I have 3 case fans. Having said that it will be right next to my Maxtor 20 gig I have already (that's the one that will have the programs O/S on it), which goes at 7200 RPM. Also I only have UDMA 66, so are the extra RPMs going to make any difference for me? I haven't had any problems with this HDD, the worst that has happened is that some IE temp file put itself over another unimportant file...

So I am looking at Maxtor then, and it's just deciding between the two RPMs. Am I limited in 'only' having UDMA 66? I thought that you don't even get drives that can transfer at over 50 megs / second, so I wouldn't have thought that my UDMA 66 will perform any differently from a UDMA 133 setup?

Thanks again!

- scary_jeff