🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <DE1ErI.7zz@zadall.com>, Ken Chiu <kschiu@zadall.com> wrote:
>In article <NEWTNews.809420128.1201.nzdisk@nznet.nznet.gen.nz>,
>Adam Cumberlege  <cumberlg@ihug.co.nz> wrote:

>>Yes, I've seen some noisey drives too.  Reently, I installed a Barracuda and 
>>it shook the whole cabinet - somehow, I can't see those bearings lasting 5 
>>years (the drives warranty).
>>
>>On the otherhand, IBM's DHFS drives (Ultrstar) are just "normal" - they spin 
>>quietly to themselves and give good performance.  
>>
>>Down in the low capacity, I was so impressed by the quietness of Quantum 540MB 
>>IDE drives, that I installed them in my home PC's. Together with a low-noise 
>>power-supply fan, no-one can tell when the computer is switched on - honest!  
>>It certainly makes working with computers less tiring when you get rid of that 
>>background noise.
>>
>>Adam Cumberlege		New Zealand Disk and Tape Ltd


>Em... I guess it's a matter of luck, i.e. depends on which batch you get
>the drives from.
>
>I have about 10 Quantum 540MB in the office and about 7 of them are generating
>a VERY high pitch noise which drives the users crazy.

Yep, and how old they are too.

I was initially extremely impressed with some of the Quantum's too -- ie
the 270MB IDE, which uses essentially the same HDA as the basic 540.  
First couple I saw were so quiet you could hardly hear them at all.

Until I went back to the client that I had installed one into a print 
server that ran 24x7.  After about 6 months the thing had gotten MUCH
louder.  My conclusion was the bearings weren't exactly made to last
for a long time.

FWIW, Quantum now has a variety of 540MB drives -- if the ones you have
are Empire series (pretty rare to see in the 540MB version), they're
5400 rpm and will have a higher-pitched spin noise than the more usual
3600 or 4500 rpm variants.  I think the new Fireball series is 5400 rpm
as well.

>I also have about 8 Seagates and some of them are quiet and some are as
>noisy a used car.

Seagate's made such a huge variety of drives over the years you really
have to know which one you're referring to.  Some of the old 5.25" 
drives would drive you out of the room immediately!

>I have 2 Quantum Atlas and they are very quiet.

I would concur based on my sole experience with a 4G wide model.  Pretty
quiet.  

Experience has shown the recent IBM's to be pretty quiet too, although
I don't have direct experience with an Ultrastar XP yet.


Phil



-- 

Phil Koenig                 Computers & Communications           pjk@netcom.com