Hard Disk Controller / make HD-in-car safer

**SverrirOrn** · 09-16-2004, 09:31 AM

Hello. I've been thinking a lot about how to make my system safer...

Is there some way to make the HD header always be away from the disk, except when the computer needs to access the data on it? That is, turn the hard disk off (or go idle) as soon as it has been used? That way, there is less risk that the header will bump on the disk and scratch it while driving.

The power management in WindowsXP (or any Windows) only allows you to turn the HD off after 1 minute (and that is if it hasn't been used for 1 min). I was thinking about immediately (1 sec or so).

In my system, I use two discs. One is laptop/portable disk (only for the OS/Windows and an mp3 player) and then I have a big regular disk for storing my mp3 files. Of course I can't turn the OS disk off (which is ok, it's a laptop disk), but I would really want to make the other disk only spin (and the header access the disk) when the OS needs to access a new file, then immediately turn it off.

Is there any way to do this? I've tried searching the registry in XP, but I couldn't find anything helpful.

Best regards,
Sverrir Orn
(Iceland)

**jzgt** · 09-16-2004, 10:41 AM

I think you might have problems with lag time as the drive spins up.

- Jeff

**TruckinMP3** · 09-16-2004, 10:52 AM

No need for this..... many drives perform for years without trouble (even desktop drives)

**JC-S60** · 09-16-2004, 11:14 AM

But many don't, so I see his point...

I don't know how to put the heads aside without stopping the disks from turning though :s

**EBFoxbat** · 09-16-2004, 11:17 AM

If you have loads of RAM, you can create a RAMdrive for your MP3s, copy the mp3s to RAMdrive, then let the MP3 hard drive go idel after a minute. You'd have instantly-loading MP3s, but you must keep in mind you need 64 MB of RAM for OS/front end to run. Anything over that you can make a RAMdrive out of.

Alternatively you can spend $2,000 on a RAMdrive

that'll give you about a gig of ridiculously fast storage... OS booting in ~ 1 second

**jzgt** · 09-16-2004, 11:28 AM

That would be cool...I am toying with trying out an XP embedded setup. I just bought a CF card and a IDE to CF converter...the only problem is, 1 gig isn't enough for everything...if there was a way to chain several cfs together or make an array...

Remember the old park program? You'd use it to park the hard drive before moving the computer... Ahh, those were the days

- Jeff

**Confused** · 09-16-2004, 11:43 AM

Most people have problems from trying too hard to stop their hard drives "crashing" by suspending them from elastic bands, surrounding them in foam etc.

Many of these I have known to fail.

However, those who have bolted their hard drives solidly to the car, have had no problems. Hard drives can take quite a bit of shock.

For example, the Maxtor Diamond Max 8 i've got sitting on my desk (pulled from the drawer here at work) has the following specs:

Shock
Operating Mechanical Shock 2ms (G) 60
Non-operating Mechanical Shock 2ms (G) 300

60G is a lot of shock, and I doubt it will ever come under those sort of situations.

Hell, I had a PC in my car 3 years ago, using an old 4.3GB drive, and I crashed, the car went up on two wheels and spun round 180 degrees, and it bent the rear axles so that the wheels were almost like \^--/ and the computer was still running when it landed back down on it's wheels. That drive is still being used to this day, one of my relatives had that PC when I upgraded my CarPC.

Garry

**EBFoxbat** · 09-16-2004, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by jzgt

...if there was a way to chain several cfs together or make an array...

Sure... take a bunch and plug them into a RAID card

**TruckinMP3** · 09-16-2004, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by JC-S60

But many don't, so I see his point...

I don't know how to put the heads aside without stopping the disks from turning though :s

Not true, a very small number of HD issues related to the number of drives in use in autos.
Also several issues where related to fluid bearing use in cold temps. The fluid bearings would not allow the platter to spin up when cold. This results in the drive not found by OS.

The number of physical 'crashed' HD in cars might be less than desktop units. It is certain some drives shipped flawed, and would fail in a car or desk application. That is the nature of mass production and sample based testing.

I also have a drive that has been involved in several auto accidents while spinning... and in use for many years (more than 4)

So:
'No need for this..... many drives perform for years without trouble (even desktop drives)'

**SverrirOrn** · 09-16-2004, 01:15 PM

Thanks for the replies.

You (well, most of you) say I don't need to worry about my HD, just plug it in and drive...
...but I just don't like the idea of my brand new 250Gb HD crashing in a month, so I don't want to take any chances.

And in addition, I'd like to have better control of my HD =)

So, again (sorry for that):
Can I stop the drive from spinning, or move the header, while it isn't being used at that moment?