Which is better-horizontal or vertical? 1

[shlomos]

I am building my own pc. One question that has been bothering me is which way I should install a HD. Horizontally or vertically? After all, gravity must affect the mechanism of a hard drive in the long run, and I tend to think that a vertically installed HD will get less impact of gravity, thus lasting longer. Any thoughts?

 

[jsauce]

Okay this is one of those questions where opinions are going to be given. Using logic the platters inside spin on a screwed interfaced. So long as the drive is not physically upside down then you should not have many problems. For the longest time Compaq was installing its hard drives upside down in some of its desktops and the drives were failing after a year or so. I say so long as you don't hang them upside down it shouldn't matter how you install them.

John D. Saucier
jsauce@magicguild.com
Certified Technician
Network Administrator

 

[edfair]

This is one of those questions that can best be answered on the manufacturer's website. They give mounting recommendations.
From personal experience I haven't seen any significant difference.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[micker377]

Just be sure to format in the same plane that the drive is going to be used. (Or did that disappear with the MFM drives?)

 

[edfair]

It disappeared with the change from stepper motor to voice coil. But it still is a good idea on multi-platter drives where there is lost motion and bearing play.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Dohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

I read on the WD site that you can mount the drive upside down, or basicly which ever way you wish so I suggest going to the HDD makers site to find out what they say about there drives. cheers

 

[shlomos]

Thank you all for your thoughts.