Computer Stuff
Drop Your Hard Drive Temp!
10/13/2009
A short tip for those in love with their computers, keep it cool. Computer cooling is required for the CPU and these days, the GPU, but your Hard Drive needs love too.
The Hard Drive is where all that stuff is stored. It's not just the Operating System and the programs, it's your music collection, pictures of the kids, all your browser bookmarks, website passwords, your tax returns. This is the important stuff.
While extra cooling doesn't eliminate the need for a backup plan, it can help put the need for that backup further away. The slowest Hard Drives operate at 5400 RPM. Think about it, your car engine operates at near 2000 RPM when at highway speeds at it has a cooling system.
So how to cool it? There are any number of products available, some pretty, some pricey. Here's two cheaper fixes:
Install a case fan that blows directly onto the Hard Drive. In almost every case I've seen there are ways to mount a 80MM fan (and preferably a 120MM fan) that will blow directly onto the Hard Drive.
Apply thermal paste to the hard drive rails. You read that right, help the Hard Drive transfer the heat into the rails and chassis. Testing this I've seen a 3 degree drop by using thermal paste alone.