Accuracy of HDD temp monitoring software (and stutter issues)

Reiver · 12 Feb 2007 at 14:47

I just had a really weird hiccup with my computer. I booted this morning and it started stuttering about once a second. It was so bad I couldn't move the pointer across the screeen without it sticking. Cue a mad backup session and hurried downloading of every diagnostic prog I could find.
The weird thing was Speedfan read my HDD as being at 55C :eek:

but since it also read my northbridge as being 128C I figured it was a bad reading. To check I downloaded HDDtemp 1.4 and it has also got my disk at around the mid 50s. How accurate are these programs?
It's in the bottom part of a P180 and although i've no case fan down there the PSU fan creates decent airflow and I can feel cool air moving over it.

The weird bit is I rebooted and the stutter is gone! It's now as smooth as ever but the HDDtemp is still 56C.

str · 12 Feb 2007 at 22:45

It's likely very accurate and at that temperature you're risking the HDD as 55c is about the maximum for HDDs. You should try to reduce it to around 35c to 40c.

Reiver · 12 Feb 2007 at 23:09

I'm not really sure how I could. It's got decent airflow and the bottom chamber to itself (except for the PSU which exhausts its heat). Thanks for the answer, looks like i'll just have to keep my fingers crossed.

kmistry · 12 Feb 2007 at 23:12

Perhaps there is some way you could get a fan or something to cool the bottom of the HDD? Otherwise there is really no way of cooling it as you said you have good airflow etc

Good luck anyways dude hope ya get it sorted.

str · 12 Feb 2007 at 23:15

You really should consider doing more than cross your fingers.

To test you could leave the side of the case off and have the HDD standing up on the bottom of the case and check the temperature again with those programs. If it's much lower (probably will be around 30c?) then you'll need to figure out a way to have the HDD temperature reduced when running inside the case especially if you value the data on it.