hdd temperature and pressure

  • Thread starter Christian Neuner
  • Start date
C

Christian Neuner

Hi,

I know it is possible to read out the temperature of a hdd with mbm,
speedfan, ...
Is there a toolkit or sdk available where i could read easy out the
temperatures within my c++ code?

Another question, is it possible to read out the current pressure within
the hdd?

Thanks
Christian
 
A

Al Dykes

Hi,

I know it is possible to read out the temperature of a hdd with mbm,
speedfan, ...
Is there a toolkit or sdk available where i could read easy out the
temperatures within my c++ code?

Another question, is it possible to read out the current pressure within
the hdd?

Thanks
Christian


Modern disks have a bleed hole that keeps the air pressure inside the
case in equilibrium with the atmosphere. The hole is overed with a
filter.
 
C

Christian Neuner

Thanks for your answer.
In other words, is it possible to read out the air pressure within the
case (which is the same than the pressure of the atmosphere)?

Thanks
Christian
 
R

Rolf Blom

I've never seen a disk that has an air-pressure sensor inside.
There are operational limits based on how the read/write-head flies
above the disk platter, but these are specifications for recommended
use, not measured live on the disks. (as far as I know)

If you can build it on your own, here's a link to one project:
http://www.linuxfocus.org/English/March2003/article284.shtml

Are you looking to put a disk into some high-alt/flying eqm?
Maybe someone in comp.arch.embedded has some better ideas?

/Rolf
 
A

Arno Wagner

Previously Christian Neuner said:
I know it is possible to read out the temperature of a hdd with mbm,
speedfan, ...
Is there a toolkit or sdk available where i could read easy out the
temperatures within my c++ code?

Difficult. You could try to get the relevant parts from the
smartmontools, they are open source. Probably easier to call
smartctl from c++ and filter out the line that states the
temperature. I do thisn with Perl under Linux for automated
logging and remote monitoring for a bunch of PCs.
Another question, is it possible to read out the current pressure within
the hdd?

No. Not unless you do dome very hardware and firmware dependend voodoo.

Arno
 
M

Mike Redrobe

Christian Neuner said:
I know it is possible to read out the temperature of a hdd with mbm,
speedfan, ...
Is there a toolkit or sdk available where i could read easy out the
temperatures within my c++ code?

MBM has an API:
There's sample code in VB,Delphi and C++
http://mbm.livewiredev.com/mbmcode5.html

A better way is to read it directly from the drive using SMART commands,
as there's plenty of extra useful info there.
Another question, is it possible to read out the current pressure within
the hdd?

No, why?
 
C

Christian Neuner

Thank you all for the answers.

We use some harddisks in airplanes and want to check if the pressure is
okay for the disks.

Christian
 
A

Arno Wagner

Previously Christian Neuner said:
Thank you all for the answers.
We use some harddisks in airplanes and want to check if the pressure is
okay for the disks.
Christian

You can look into the datasheets. You can also expect the disks to
fail catastrophically (head-crash) if the are operated in far too low
pressure. However the same is true for notebook HDDs, so the risk is
likely low. I have never heard of HDDs being damaged during flight.

If you want to get actual measurements, get an air-pressure meter
with recording functionality. Some of them have serial interfaces.

Arno
 
J

J. Clarke

Christian said:
Thank you all for the answers.

We use some harddisks in airplanes and want to check if the pressure is
okay for the disks.

If you're expecting a pressure altitude in excess of around 3000 meters
during operation then you should be considering a sealed MIL-SPEC or
NASA-spec disk system which won't be small, light, or cheap.

As for measuring the pressure, the pressure in the disk is ambient, measure
the pressure outside the disk and you've got it inside unless something has
blocked the equalization vent.
 
F

Folkert Rienstra

Christian Neuner said:
Thank you all for the answers.

We use some harddisks in airplanes

Privately, I hope.
and want to check if the pressure is okay for the disks.

If you see people exploding all around you, probably not. If you
meant to say that you people are installing harddrives in airplanes
please tell us which airlines so we can avoid those like the plague.
 
E

Eric Gisin

J. Clarke said:
If you're expecting a pressure altitude in excess of around 3000 meters
during operation then you should be considering a sealed MIL-SPEC or
NASA-spec disk system which won't be small, light, or cheap.
Is 3km really the limit? For mobile drives?

There are plenty of small planes flying above 10,000', and people use laptops.
 
R

Rolf Blom

Is 3km really the limit? For mobile drives?

There are plenty of small planes flying above 10,000', and people use laptops.

It's not an absolute operational limeit, but it's what the drives
normally are certified & tested for. With less air-density, the head
flies closer to the platter, and the drive cannot tolerate as much G as
on ground. Presumably, in space, it will just grind on the surface...

/Rolf
 
F

Folkert Rienstra

Arno Wagner said:
10.000' = 3000m (very roughly) :)

Wow, who would have thought that. Isn't Arnie a real wizard.
He may yet get somewhere and have a brilliant future.
 

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