Phantom Menace - 7200.11's keep burning out on me... is it something else causing it?

Vegetarian · 19 Oct 2008 at 11:27

I have a HTPC built around an Antec fusion, Gigabyte GA-73PVM-S2H, an [email protected] and 2 Seagate 7200.11 500gb drives.

All has been fine for last 10 months then computer reboots and no IDE drives are found - found that the 1st seagate is dead ( not even seen in seatools).

I get the faulty HD replaced and reloaded the OS. All has been fine for last 2 weeks... got up this morning and found that the PC had turned it self on over night out of sleep, rebooted and was stuck on the detecting IDE drives bit.... the new seagate is dead the same way as the first!!! Thoughout this time the second seagate which is kept for files has been fine. Both drives have been used on the same power cable.

Now I can accept the first seagate being faulty but lightning does not strike twice...

Could there be something causing my HD to burn out? PSU? Motherboard? External power surge? Is there any tests I can carry out?

Two things I did notice was when I installed the new HD, I could hear static interferance thru the speakers that was not there before... and last night I was watching a tv programme and fast fowarding thru some adverts - HD seemed a little noiser than normal.

Vegetarian · 19 Oct 2008 at 14:06

Anyone?

wonko · 19 Oct 2008 at 14:39

Maybe both overheated? Or if bought together a common manufacturing fault?
Although as you say it's a bit odd that they should both fail within such a short period of time.
It could just be bad luck though, and the replacement suffered an 'early life' failure.

EsaT · 19 Oct 2008 at 16:13

Have you checked that drive rotates?
And id you check that from first drive?

Vegetarian said:
but lightning does not strike twice...

But easily more than twice in rapid succession with possible continuous current between strokes or dozens of times in year if you're the best conducting object in area and there are enough many thunderstorms.

celliott · 19 Oct 2008 at 16:23

I find 7200.11's are noisy drives in general compared to other drives, and they run ******* hot without a fan over them.

Have you considered giving a different brand a shot? WD/Samsung are excellent at the moment.

IAmATeaf · 19 Oct 2008 at 17:09

My 7200.11 drives run hot, I've got them in front of my front case fans as I know from experience that Seagate and heat don't mix too well.

Sweeney · 19 Oct 2008 at 17:29

Positive it isn't a motherboard fault?

My EVGA 680i decided to bog up my 2 500gb's, they would work fine for short periods then everything would corrupt, have used the same drives on my p5q without a single hitch.

Vegetarian · 19 Oct 2008 at 20:28

Sweeney said:
Positive it isn't a motherboard fault?

My EVGA 680i decided to bog up my 2 500gb's, they would work fine for short periods then everything would corrupt, have used the same drives on my p5q without a single hitch.

Im really not sure its not a motherboard fault... both failed drives have not been corrupted... they are completely dead. The spin up but not seen by the PC. As I said before Ive noticed that since the first HD failure, the onboard soundcard seems to make a bit of static sound thru the speakers thats not there before.

Could it be a power surge thats damaged something, or faulty PSU... or Im just unlucky with 2 failed HDs.

EsaT · 19 Oct 2008 at 20:57

Vegetarian said:
The spin up but not seen by the PC.

So it's in electronics.
Transport damage could cause mechanical failures but failing of electronics shouldn't be very probable unless there's some external reason or something in design.
(like IBM "Deathstars" frying controller ICs)

Vegetarian · 20 Oct 2008 at 00:18

EsaT said:
So it's in electronics.
Transport damage could cause mechanical failures but failing of electronics shouldn't be very probable unless there's some external reason or something in design.
(like IBM "Deathstars" frying controller ICs)

On the first dead 7200.11, I took the controller card from my alive 7200.11 and transplanted it - the Dead HD worked and was seen by the bios etc - however it would fail to load the OS or get any file from it.

In other words the controller is dead... the Harddisk is alive but damaged beyond help.

If its a power issue... then the other HD should be dead too as both connected to same power cable.... but both where connected to different SATA connections....

Vegetarian · 20 Oct 2008 at 18:33

Anymore Idea's