Question regarding wear on disks if you keep them running

[Leeky]

Hello peeps.

I have a quick one for you all.

For a little while now I've been getting irritated by my 1TB hard disk constantly powering down when not used for a while, and then having to wait for it to spin back up when its accessed.

Its not making my PC freeze or anything, but given that my "home" folder is located on this hard disk, whenever I request access it takes 4-5 seconds before my request is forfilled, as it has powered down the disk while not being used. As you can imagine, even clicking a link on the desktop causes the delay as well, because it is actually on the 1TB disk.

So, would I risk loads of wear and tear on the disk if I turned off the shutdown disk option, and forced it to run the whole time the PC is running?

Its not the end of the world if I can't do it, but its just bloody annoying going from super fast operations because of my SSD, to literally having to wait for the 1TB hard disk to spin up just to access a personal file. Firefox is the worst for it though, as when I go to download something, the default folder is on the hard disk, and it literally locks it up for 4-5 seconds, and causes mayhem should it be a small file, as I then have to wait for it to come online, then the download ends almost immediately and is scanned... It seems it totally confuses Firefox and it throws a fit in the process!

So would it be alright to just make it run nonstop like the SSD?

I'm guessing it should be fine, but thought I best check first, just in case!

Cheers all.

 

[Punkid]

Definitely disable the auto turn off disk setting...that is only useful is u are super eco concious, otherwise, repeated spinning up of the drive is actually detrimental to the health of the drive and will reduce the drive's life and likelihood of failure will increase...

In short, u will be better off with that option disabled

 

[Leeky]

Thanks for the advice.

I've disabled it now, and hopefully I won't have an issue now. Was rather annoying having to wait for it to spin up tbh.

 

[Mizzou]

Usually set mine to spin down after 3 hours, that way I normally only have to nudge it in the morning. Since I'm still waking up doesn't bother me to give the computer a little time to do the same

 

[Punkid]

Usually set mine to spin down after 3 hours, that way I normally only have to nudge it in the morning. Since I'm still waking up doesn't bother me to give the computer a little time to do the same

haha cool , btw i think that option doesnt work for me on windows 7, mayb because i am always accessing files on the drive and the fact i have pagefile on my that drive too..

 

[Leeky]

I tend to find that because the OS and everything software related is on my SSD, and then my 1TB disk takes care of all my media that, that idea doesn't actually work.

It just carries on with whatever I'm doing, and then spins the disk up when I access something on it. Maybe its different if it comes out of standby, but I tend to keep it running from when I wake up, to when I go to bed.

 

[SNGX1275]

haha cool , btw i think that option doesnt work for me on windows 7, mayb because i am always accessing files on the drive and the fact i have pagefile on my that drive too..

What do you mean it doesn't work? It should work if you go to the Power Options control panel, then Advanced Power Settings, then the hard disk section and change it to however many minutes you want.

 

[Leeky]

What do you mean it doesn't work? It should work if you go to the Power Options control panel, then Advanced Power Settings, then the hard disk section and change it to however many minutes you want.

I did that, then realised you need to click above those headings to give permission to change settings.

Maybe Punkid, like me did it the first time around and didn't realise it, like me.

 

[Benny26]

This is a very interesting topic. I've noticed my "document home" disc powering down and then taking 3 to 4 seconds for access (and that's a long time to sit and count)...I didn't know i could stop it from doing that...but now i do

 

[Leeky]

Its ever so slightly crude, but for the sake of completeness, here is the issue I meant:

Without first clicking the red underlined hyperlink, any settings you change will revert back to original settings once you click apply.

Second time lucky in my case! :haha: