Hard Drive Temps... too high?

sugoi · 19 Jan 2006 at 15:02

I recently bought a WD2500KS hard Drive ( Western Digital 250GB SATA-II 16MB Cache), and put Windows XP on it, i noticed the temps went up to 51-53C at one point, but much of the time in the high 40's... first impressions is that, a bit high isn't it, but im sure it's ok...? :confused:

so i reassured my self and visited the Western Digital website and it states:

Temperature (Metric):
Operating: 5° C to 55° C
Non-operating: -40° C to 65° C

based on those figures, it seems a little high, considering it is in opertaing phase... however my other hard drive (exactly the same model) but without Windows XP installed, only used as a storage drive has temps of 40C... so it's because the OS is installed on that Drive which makes the temps higher?

LewisStuart · 19 Jan 2006 at 15:09

I would have said around the 35c - 40c mark was normal

derbyjake · 19 Jan 2006 at 15:33

if your worried you could fit a hdd cooler there pretty cheap and drop temps considerably, im planning on doing same to mine

noxidjkram@hotm · 19 Jan 2006 at 18:47

HDD temps are fairly dependent on airflow in your case (obviously particularly around your HDD).

Check your airflow.

M

mosfet · 19 Jan 2006 at 19:44

Funny you should post this, I got a WD2500KS for christmas and it runs at least 10deg hotter than my WD800JD. They're in a Lian Li rack with space in between them and a 120mm right in front of them pushing a lot of air. The KS is on rubber anti-vibration mounts, which might be why it's getting hotter, but I'm sure they're not supposed to run at 45deg idle.

noxidjkram@hotm · 19 Jan 2006 at 19:47

It does seem rather hot!

Even my Samsung Spinpoint (inside a SilentMaxx) only idles at 43 with absolutely no airflow at all in my watercooled case.

M

HighlandeR · 19 Jan 2006 at 21:48

hmm thought mine was hot im running around 50-55c idle, but then mines a 300gigger SATA seagate drive and sitting in an Scythe enclosure which cuts out 60-70% noise, which means cant hear it

60-65c is when u worry, ive heard other drives are ok around 45-55c seems the norm with quite a few 250giggers+

noxidjkram@hotm · 19 Jan 2006 at 21:53

Mine was 39 outside the enclosure.

Its upped it by around 5 degrees.

M

darude · 4 Sep 2006 at 02:14

Bad drive?

sugoi said:
I recently bought a WD2500KS hard Drive ( Western Digital 250GB SATA-II 16MB Cache), and put Windows XP on it, i noticed the temps went up to 51-53C at one point, but much of the time in the high 40's... first impressions is that, a bit high isn't it, but im sure it's ok...?

so i reassured my self and visited the Western Digital website and it states:

Temperature (Metric):
Operating: 5° C to 55° C
Non-operating: -40° C to 65° C

based on those figures, it seems a little high, considering it is in opertaing phase... however my other hard drive (exactly the same model) but without Windows XP installed, only used as a storage drive has temps of 40C... so it's because the OS is installed on that Drive which makes the temps higher?

I have two WD 250GB SE16s, one (the main O/S) runs happily at 42° C.
The other one idles (does absoultely nothing) at 50° C. (readings from SpeedFan)

And the weird thing is the bottom of the WD drive looks as though the plastic's been melting. You guys reckon I should return it to ocuk?

gurusan · 4 Sep 2006 at 02:50

Melting plastic? That's obviously not a great sign! lol I'd say try to exchange it!

I have 2 seagate 7200rpms in RAID 0 and they stay around 36-38c. Though I have a thermaltake soprano case and the 120mm intake fan blows right across the 3.5'' drive bays.

darude · 4 Sep 2006 at 10:46

gurusan said:
Melting plastic? That's obviously not a great sign! lol I'd say try to exchange it!

It certainly looks like that.. I'll post a piccy soon

Limehouse · 4 Sep 2006 at 15:31

Oh dear (not trying to hijack the thread) one of my hard drives appears to have 0% fitness, oh no!

darude · 4 Sep 2006 at 17:49

darude said:
I have two WD 250GB SE16s, one (the main O/S) runs happily at 42° C.
The other one idles (does absoultely nothing) at 50° C. (readings from SpeedFan)

And the weird thing is the bottom of the WD drive looks as though the plastic's been melting. You guys reckon I should return it to ocuk?

Hard drive number 1 (main OS and constanly running) Brighter image

Hard drive number 2 (the idle overheating one!) Brighter image

Edit: Resized images

Craig321 · 4 Sep 2006 at 17:55

sugoi said:
I recently bought a WD2500KS hard Drive ( Western Digital 250GB SATA-II 16MB Cache), and put Windows XP on it, i noticed the temps went up to 51-53C at one point, but much of the time in the high 40's... first impressions is that, a bit high isn't it, but im sure it's ok...?

so i reassured my self and visited the Western Digital website and it states:

Temperature (Metric):
Operating: 5° C to 55° C
Non-operating: -40° C to 65° C

based on those figures, it seems a little high, considering it is in opertaing phase... however my other hard drive (exactly the same model) but without Windows XP installed, only used as a storage drive has temps of 40C... so it's because the OS is installed on that Drive which makes the temps higher?

Your temps are fine if WD say you can have it safely at 65° C

If it breaks because of heat and the heat is below 65° C when it breaks then you can probably fight it out with WD and get it replaced.

ByteJuggler · 4 Sep 2006 at 21:14

Craig321 said:
Your temps are fine if WD say you can have it safely at 65° C

yeah... but notice, that is the maximum non-operational temp... it ain't ever going to reach that non-operationally unless you put it into the oven...

The max operational temp is 55C, ideally you don't want to be running your drive on or near the redline for extended periods of time...

stormy · 4 Sep 2006 at 22:06

I think mines buggered!

Just got it from OC's a Western Digital 3200KS (320Gb) and am formatting it in my P180 case as we speak and its 60c.

Is that faulty? Its everest reporting the temp, but the drive IS very hot to the touch.

*Update*

Now I have stopped formatting it seems to have settled down, was 45c now its gone down to 43c idle. It almost burnt itself to bits formatting, whats all that about? Its gone a bit like darude's on the underbelly, not quite as bad but the beginings of meltdown. Not sure I dare install an OS on it. :confused:

*Update 2*

Its gone down to 42c now with me copying a steady stream of 20Gbs worth of files, whats going on?? Its cool to the touch now, where as it was on fire before. This is my first SATA drive and the plugs dont seem to fit well at all, not compared to the good old PATA. Would a bad connection make it melt?. Its down to 41c now, still copying.

Mike

HighlandeR · 4 Sep 2006 at 23:47

Ive had seagates @ 65c before lol, I dont recommend it ive now placed my 2 seagates in front of a 120mm cooling fan and there @ 40c

Id say again 50cs ok but maybe nicer if u can improve the air flow/cooling of the hdd- aim for 40-50 max

darude · 5 Sep 2006 at 03:56

You guys reckon (from the pics above) that my HDD is a hardware fault and it's worth asking ocuk for an exchange?

Limehouse · 5 Sep 2006 at 11:10

I hope not, mines running at 47C solidly.

stormy · 5 Sep 2006 at 19:07

I have no clue why mine was running at 60c when formatting and melting its plastic cassing last night as today, its MAXED at 41c and has usually is around 39-40c. Been on about 12 hours.

Hmmm