pzam
31-08-2011 04:03:37
If you are getting started this is some things I learned to help.
hard drives and disk burners are sensitive to power problems. lots of simple power supplys do not regulate noise well causing the drives to work harder and dying a young life.
I have found using power supply's that are 85% efficient or higher with good regulation helps a lot. these power supply's usually run 100 or more and are very heavy about 2x the weight of a Oem supply. they can be near 50 on sale at times. Single rail or dual rail i believe are only important if you make a gaming machine. You only need single rail older Sata only needed 5 and 12 volt but some newer also need a 3volt most new power supplies have this. So power splitters may not work on all drives.
location location location.
Where you place the drives is also important it best to have them on a separate unit from where you work or type or print etc. keep them as far from walking areas and doors and washers or other devices that vibrate the floors. put a bit of padding under the unit to help dampen more vibrations.
None like it hot.
Arrange your files to keep heat even. If you have 1 drive that you use to process files place it were it gets best air flow and consider an additional cooling fan for it. Some drives run a lot cooler than others. if you run a lot of drives like 8 in a case it is important to get those that produce lower heat. High heat drives require high cfm fans that are noisy to cool them.
Dust and cables.
Air flow is important. keep cables neat and bundles up so they do not block air flow to drives or components. Dust is a killer you have to have a plan to keep it under control. Vacuuming and filters help I find running a Hepa air cleaner with water ionizer really helps keep dust out of the air and from entering your electronics.
Sata cables come in a couple types. Clip and slide plan ahead when getting cables. Some drives work better with clip in Sata cables. The slide in type work in most places but poorly made cables can cause problems.
Smoke and bugs and can also damage electronics. Using a little sealant on any small cracks in room walls can help keep pest out and dust.
Smart drives keep track of some problems and there are becoming more tools to help monitor drive health. Just a little effort can keep drives running a long time without much data loss.
hard drives and disk burners are sensitive to power problems. lots of simple power supplys do not regulate noise well causing the drives to work harder and dying a young life.
I have found using power supply's that are 85% efficient or higher with good regulation helps a lot. these power supply's usually run 100 or more and are very heavy about 2x the weight of a Oem supply. they can be near 50 on sale at times. Single rail or dual rail i believe are only important if you make a gaming machine. You only need single rail older Sata only needed 5 and 12 volt but some newer also need a 3volt most new power supplies have this. So power splitters may not work on all drives.
location location location.
Where you place the drives is also important it best to have them on a separate unit from where you work or type or print etc. keep them as far from walking areas and doors and washers or other devices that vibrate the floors. put a bit of padding under the unit to help dampen more vibrations.
None like it hot.
Arrange your files to keep heat even. If you have 1 drive that you use to process files place it were it gets best air flow and consider an additional cooling fan for it. Some drives run a lot cooler than others. if you run a lot of drives like 8 in a case it is important to get those that produce lower heat. High heat drives require high cfm fans that are noisy to cool them.
Dust and cables.
Air flow is important. keep cables neat and bundles up so they do not block air flow to drives or components. Dust is a killer you have to have a plan to keep it under control. Vacuuming and filters help I find running a Hepa air cleaner with water ionizer really helps keep dust out of the air and from entering your electronics.
Sata cables come in a couple types. Clip and slide plan ahead when getting cables. Some drives work better with clip in Sata cables. The slide in type work in most places but poorly made cables can cause problems.
Smoke and bugs and can also damage electronics. Using a little sealant on any small cracks in room walls can help keep pest out and dust.
Smart drives keep track of some problems and there are becoming more tools to help monitor drive health. Just a little effort can keep drives running a long time without much data loss.