Info on hard disk colling systems (velociraptor + external unit)

[SantaClaus]

Hi all,

I'm about to buy a new custom-built pc and would like some advice on
hard disk colling system.
I'd like to get:

a western digital velociraptor 10,000 rpm 320 GB as my internal disk
and an external 2TB unit, to connect via USB, firewire or esata

Does the velociraptor require a dedicated fan or is the integrated
passive cooling system enough?

How about external units? It seems very hard to find external hard
drives with cooling fans. Are they really not necessary or are
producers just cutting corners?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Paul]

Hi all,

I'm about to buy a new custom-built pc and would like some advice on
hard disk colling system.
I'd like to get:

a western digital velociraptor 10,000 rpm 320 GB as my internal disk
and an external 2TB unit, to connect via USB, firewire or esata

Does the velociraptor require a dedicated fan or is the integrated
passive cooling system enough?

How about external units? It seems very hard to find external hard
drives with cooling fans. Are they really not necessary or are
producers just cutting corners?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

The HLFS Velociraptor, has a frame around it for cooling.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136322

There is thermal performance data here. The frame helps.

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=590&pgno=7

I personally like a fan on my external enclosure, and that
usually means buying a separate enclosure, and assembling
the unit myself. I don't leave the external on all the
time, so there isn't always noise there while I'm working.
But I might leave it connected and running during a backup,
like overnight.

Check the reviews for what you plan to purchase, and see
what kind of failure rates they have. To do a 2TB drive,
the rotational rate might not be 7200RPM. And the documentation
might not be very honest about the rotation rate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16822136365

Paul