Hard Drive how long will it last

Big-Gaz · 11-05-2009, 13:01

Hi,

How long would I hard drive last:

It's a Samsung (SP1604N) 160gb hard drive, it has been running about 12 hours a day for just over 6 years.

How much life would you say it has in it ?

southwell · 11-05-2009, 13:03

Depends how much work it does really.

Woolly One · 11-05-2009, 13:23

As with anything electrical, it will have a mind of it's own. The only thing you can be sure of, is that it will 'up stumps', 30 seconds before you want to do a backup.

bw41101 · 11-05-2009, 13:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by GarryP

Hi,

How long would I hard drive last:

It's a Samsung (SP1604N) 160gb hard drive, it has been running about 12 hours a day for just over 6 years.

How much life would you say it has in it ?

Click on this link:

http://www.kaiduonline.com/product.php?productid=479

According to the spec, the MTBF (Mean Tme Before Failure) is 500,000 (POH) power on hours. By my reckoning you're about half way through your time.

However, it would make sense to back up your data anyway - just in case!

Si thee

Halcyon · 11-05-2009, 16:39

I normally replace the drives I use every 4 years.

I've read that a drive lasts about 5 years.

Big-Gaz · 11-05-2009, 16:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halcyon

I've read that a drive lasts about 5 years.

So I am living on brorrowed time then

Lord Nikon · 11-05-2009, 16:53

Depends, I have replaced the drive in my father's laptop after 14 months, yet I have machines here with drives approaching 10 years showing no signs of problems. It's hard to predict drive reliability, thing is, Use the SMART system on the drive, make sure you have backups of anything you REALLY need to keep, and try not to worry.

11-05-2009, 17:17

Hard drives last until they no longer work any other answer is simply conjecture.

Ive had drives fail within 2 years ive had drives last a couple of days ive got a quantum fireball thats over 7 years old

@Wooly One they are not only electrical but mechanical also

Halcyon · 11-05-2009, 17:28

I'm waiting for cheap solid state drives of a huge capacity to come out.
That will be good.

11-05-2009, 17:29

Racetrack memory is the way forward but its also away away yet

Druchii · 11-05-2009, 17:51

My worst record is a Seagate drive that was dead within 14 hours.
Best? Well, i have a 4Gb drive still whirring away in England... Good 10 years old now i should imagine.

**Graham M** · 11-05-2009, 17:54

First PC we had was in 1997 and that had a 4GB Quantum Bigfoot (so called because it was a 5.25 (DVD-RW drive sized drive) that was the only way they could get the space out of it at the time

So yours is probably nearer the 12 year mark Druchii

CycoSymz · 11-05-2009, 18:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham M

First PC we had was in 1997 and that had a 4GB Quantum Bigfoot (so called because it was a 5.25 (DVD-RW drive sized drive) that was the only way they could get the space out of it at the time

So yours is probably nearer the 12 year mark Druchii

The Quantam Bigfoot were excellent drives, mine only failed after it developed a drink problem (I spilt a can of Fosters on it)

Lord Nikon · 11-05-2009, 18:24

Fastest I have ever had a drive fail is about 2ms, speed control IC exploded on initial powerup, scan took 6 months to replace it under warranty including me taking legal advice before they would replace it.

Druchii · 11-05-2009, 19:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham M

First PC we had was in 1997 and that had a 4GB Quantum Bigfoot (so called because it was a 5.25 (DVD-RW drive sized drive) that was the only way they could get the space out of it at the time

So yours is probably nearer the 12 year mark Druchii

Heh, that's rather impressive, mind you, the drive is only powered on once in a blue moon when some old data is required (or so they keep telling me).
I'd not be surprised if they chucked the whole thing, i think they only keep it around for Nostalgias sake!