Should I replace my HDD?

Aerozord · 04-04-2009, 12:58 AM

I was told that, as a componet with moving parts, the HDD and CD/DVD drivers have finite life-spans and will eventually break down. If this is true, when is a good time to replace it? My HDD and CD driver are the oldest things in my computer (though I have DVD driver now). I got a 320 GB HDD and was gonna use it as a back up, but wondering if its time I just toss the old one

Azisien · 04-04-2009, 02:52 AM

Well that would depend how much money you have, and how old it is. Hard drives, huge ones, are pretty damn cheap these days. So are external hard drives, which are great backup and mobile solutions in one.

It couldn't hurt?

Nikose Tyris · 04-04-2009, 07:17 AM

Don't toss it.

keep all your files backed up, but just keep using what you have. Don't pre-emptively decide something is garbage, because someone told you "Oh this thing only lasts like 3 years then it SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTS." I've had Western Digitals' that are STILL running fine with no errors, and one of them is about 8 years old now.

Summary: Do not throw it out, that would be stupid.

EVILNess · 04-04-2009, 08:55 AM

Yeah, just keep a good backup and update it regularly, and you should have no need to throw out your HDD. And if it does go splat, then you have a backup and can just recover from there.

Azisien · 04-04-2009, 09:56 AM

Actually if it's 320GB it must be a similar age to mine, which is running okay after about 6 years. But, I don't particularly trust it, and keep all its data on two separate HDDs.

MasterOfMagic · 04-04-2009, 10:50 AM

There are usually signs its gonna go anyways. If you haven't been hearing any wierd sounds coming from it when it reads/writes, it'll probably be fine for a while longer.

But yeah, just keep a backup and you'll be a-okay.

Cid Highwind · 04-04-2009, 11:04 AM

Just make it a point to buy a high-quality HDD, and never worry about it again. My pair of 74Gb Western Digital Raptor drives have been running the length of their 5-year warranty without a format, on a RAID-0, and no data errors atrributed to them. The past six months, they have been running 24-7, downloading/uploading torrents and converting video, which are HDD-heavy operations.

Eltargrim · 04-04-2009, 12:13 PM

Unless there are signs of failure (Bad sectors, data loss, the "click of death") don't waste a working component. Hard drives either give you plenty of warning or none at all, and in the latter case it can happen at any time to any drive.

In short, don't worry about it.

bobfish · 04-04-2009, 01:29 PM

My Seagate 3 gigabyte hard drive still works fine after just over 10 years.

Aerozord · 04-04-2009, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterOfMagic

There are usually signs its gonna go anyways. If you haven't been hearing any wierd sounds coming from it when it reads/writes, it'll probably be fine for a while longer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eltargrim

"click of death".

well every so often I do get this odd, popping/snapping sound. No clue what it is though

04-04-2009, 12:58 AM	#1
Aerozord So we are clear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Former murder capital of the world Posts: 13,824	Should I replace my HDD? I was told that, as a componet with moving parts, the HDD and CD/DVD drivers have finite life-spans and will eventually break down. If this is true, when is a good time to replace it? My HDD and CD driver are the oldest things in my computer (though I have DVD driver now). I got a 320 GB HDD and was gonna use it as a back up, but wondering if its time I just toss the old one __________________ "don't hate me for being a heterosexual white guy disparaging slacktivism, hate me for all those murders I've done."

04-04-2009, 12:13 PM	#8
Eltargrim Fifty-Talents Haversham Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: FABULOUS Posts: 1,904	Unless there are signs of failure (Bad sectors, data loss, the "click of death") don't waste a working component. Hard drives either give you plenty of warning or none at all, and in the latter case it can happen at any time to any drive. In short, don't worry about it. __________________ <Insert witticism here; get credit; ???; profit!>

04-04-2009, 01:29 PM	#9
bobfish Jack of All Trades. Master of a Few Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Halfway between Here and There Posts: 228	My Seagate 3 gigabyte hard drive still works fine after just over 10 years. __________________ :rmage: Just promise to murder me with your pants on. :rmage: :bmage: I promise *NOTHING.* :bmage:

04-04-2009, 02:52 AM	#2
Azisien wat Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,177	Well that would depend how much money you have, and how old it is. Hard drives, huge ones, are pretty damn cheap these days. So are external hard drives, which are great backup and mobile solutions in one. It couldn't hurt?

04-04-2009, 09:56 AM	#5
Azisien wat Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,177	Actually if it's 320GB it must be a similar age to mine, which is running okay after about 6 years. But, I don't particularly trust it, and keep all its data on two separate HDDs.

04-04-2009, 10:50 AM	#6
MasterOfMagic ahahah Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,456	There are usually signs its gonna go anyways. If you haven't been hearing any wierd sounds coming from it when it reads/writes, it'll probably be fine for a while longer. But yeah, just keep a backup and you'll be a-okay.