2 Part Question<<<>>>

Endurance Man

Hello folks . Now this is probably gonna seem long winded but i aint a good writer :rolleyes: .
My dad installs and runs MANY pc's for security systems. He uses the following cases as the systems have to be secure

http://lchres.com/eipc530.htm

He runs 1x DVD writer, and 3 hard drives. 2 of the hdd's are 250gb ide maxator drives and the 3rd is a 40gb maxator which the operating system is installed to.
Now for a while he has been having a serious problem with a lot of his machines out in the field. For no apparent reason they start to come up with an error while restarting:

No OS found - Im thinking this means the operating system is messed.

Now with a few of the pc's we have managed to just reformat and reinstall windows and then all is well again, but equally we have found that the hdd is finished and we need to replace it? We cannot figure out what is going on. Its fairly random and does not happen to all of the pc's, and yet they are all running the exact same hardware/programs.

This has led me to think there must be sumthing failing on the hardware side - i think the hdd's may be overheating. I have spoken to a few people and they say its kinda hard to overheat a hdd but then these are really crammed at the bottom of the case with a lot of stuff on top them. There really is nothing extracting the heat due to the type of case. These are also running 24hrs a day.
So basically does any1 else reckon that heat is causing this or may i have sum other problem that im missing ?

Brings me to my next question:
What are the best ide hard drives out there?? We at the moment use only maxator but are thinking maybe change is needed? Money no object what are the best.
Are maxator usually reliable ??

Thanks for reading and if u reply thats a bonus
Endo Man

mp3guy

maybe something like this?

http://www.directron.com/hdkit.html

Endurance Man

maybe something like this?

http://www.directron.com/hdkit.html

Well water cooling is not really an option here, these things are already cramped, and dont think my dad is gonna want to learn how to mount all that stuff . Would also add a huge cost.

Crisis, its so tricky, i have no way of testing it really. I would have to take a machine, run it with the hdd out the case for like a month :rolleyes: , donno what the hell to do.

mp3guy

just get a machine, switch on S.M.A.R.T and let the temperature build up and restart every 5c or something, use a hair dryer to bring up the heat or something.

Malafus

Ewww. Maxtor...
I've had lots of problems with Maxtor drives in the past. Having said that, lots of people I know have used them without problems for years.

If you are going for reliability, then I suggest Seagate or Samsung.
The hotter a HDD runs, the more likely it is to fail. This could be the problem... check out other HDD coolers - Non water-cooling of course. http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_Zalman.html - there's a HDD cooler on that page, and probably more by different manufacturers.
My Maxtor drives keep 'sticking' - the head on the drive sticks, it won't start and it plays a musical tone. Slapping the HDD around fixes it, temporarily. Piece of crap. :rolleyes:

Endurance Man

Hmm, thats an idea. Im sure it is the heat though, it has to be. This 40gb that causes all the trouble is mounted right at the bottom of the case. There is no gap between it and the floor of the case, and above it are mounted the other 2 hdd. The other 2 are in removable racks which take up and entire cd bay, and there is the dvd. That air has no where else to go. Im gonna try convince my dad to try out a new case, cant watch as 10's of hdd's just burn up and into heaven :eek: .
Any1 recommend anything beside maxator for stability and reliability. We cant go the sata route for many reasons.

Endurance Man

If you are going for reliability, then I suggest Seagate or Samsung.
The hotter a HDD runs, the more likely it is to fail. This could be the problem... check out other HDD coolers - Non water-cooling of course. http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acata..._of_Zalman.html - there's a HDD cooler on that page, and probably more by different manufacturers.
My Maxtor drives keep 'sticking' - the head on the drive sticks, it won't start and it plays a musical tone. Slapping the HDD around fixes it, temporarily. Piece of crap.

Yes i have though about 1 of those coolers but there is a problem. When i say its crammed in there i mean crammed :eek: , no space up or down, a bit on the side, i could never fit 1 of those on.

So u reckon seagate of samsung. I have had good experience with seagate in the past. Any others that people think are better ?? Hitachi maybe ??

Nukem

Hey man

Bitch of a prob. Am i to understand that all these security systems never go off? Where i live in college terms they have a similar case and all that (dont ask how i know that)
But looking at it they just throw stuff up on top of the case and its back against the wall and it may be overheating due to lack of ventilation. Is there a program you could start putting in them to run diagnostics every so often then use VNC or remote desktop to see whats happening with each every few months?
If its the HDD's just get coolers yes/no. Could also raise the alarms on each using mobo monitor 5 or something or adjust the bios to switch off when the slighest overheating occurs?

My 2cents
Nukem

Cungi

Malafus wrote:

Ewww. Maxtor...
I've had lots of problems with Maxtor drives in the past. Having said that, lots of people I know have used them without problems for years.

The company i work for has bought a lot of Maxtor drives especially the 40gb ones and a lot of them have failed and had to be returned. We've started using Seagate and have had no problems since. My advice stay away from them. Best of luck getting your problem sorted

Endurance Man

Thanks for all the replys .

Nukem that sounds like a good idea actually, i could put speedfan on the pc's and use it to monitor the hdd temps.
Cooling for the 40gb is not really and option in this case, there is no room what so ever down there, very cramped, i could not fit any size fan down there. The 2 250 hdd's are in drive caddys which have small extraction fans at the back so dont think they are any problem.
I think speedfan will be a new addition to the programs list. Motherboard monitor doesnt pick these mobo's up .

Mutant_Fruit

All i can say is in future when designing a computer thats going to be on 24x7, you have to allow for cooling. If its a hot day outside (25C+) then you are definately going to have overheating HD's if its as cramped as you say it is inside the case.

I have a miditower, and i have cooling on my HD's, otheriwise they get up to about 50C, which is quite a bit hotter than i'd like em. And they're spaced out a bit.