Carputer: The problems

**miztahsparklez** · 03-15-2005, 11:28 PM

Ok so i finally have everything mostly done. but im having some issues...

First off, my media drive is a standard 7200rpm HD segate. IM usting a NexStar hard drive enclosure and attaching it to the carputer via firewire... sometimes when i start the car the drive doesnt show up at all.. this is usually when its very hot, or when driving a long time. i recently modified the casing and stuck a hard drive cooler on it. no problems yet, but the heatwave hasnt come back either.

secondly.. how do i prevent my computer locking up when the bass hits... after i set my gains today using an oscilliscope, i noticed when turning up the volume while playing a heavy bass song.. IE: lil jon.. on the very first bass note the computer would lock up and hang... repeating the same 1 second clip until you cut the power to the powersupply...

im using a hitachi laptop drive 4200rpm 20 gb which has my OS + APPS. this is the first time it happened to me. i havent turned it up that loud to see if it happens again yet. but im pretty certain it will.

**koolaidkitten** · 03-15-2005, 11:32 PM

just my personal opinon...the culprit is the hitachi drive with your OS.
I don't trust Hitachi and their DEATHstar drives.

Try a Western Digital Caviar.

*do remember this is an opinon and i have a negative bias towards hitachi*

**csnowman00** · 03-15-2005, 11:35 PM

can i ask how your powering your carpc....is it through an inverter or dc-dc power supply? and is the powerline to your computer differant from that going to your amp? (considering you do have an amp for the bass)?

**miztahsparklez** · 03-15-2005, 11:36 PM

its a laptop drive =P i dont think the same logic applys no? i know the deskstars sucked *** though. but i thought he laptop drives were ok...

western digital hasnt been my cup of tea either.. ive had desktop drives that would crash losing gigs of data... maxtor is garbage as well. segate seems pretty reliable though.

**miztahsparklez** · 03-15-2005, 11:38 PM

its through a M1-ATX. constant power goes straight to my 3 1.2 farad capacitors.. then accessory goes to an accessory wire. ground goes to well.. ground. i have 0/1 gauge wire going from the battery to the back.

voltage never drops below 13v.. usualy it stays up at close to 14 if not above 14v.. this is going by the voltage meter on my radar detector. (passport 8500 x50)

**csnowman00** · 03-15-2005, 11:40 PM

oh ok, that rules out any power problems which i thought was the cause.....

**miztahsparklez** · 03-15-2005, 11:41 PM

im pretty sure its the vibration if anything thats causing the lockup.. cause when that first note hit.. HOLY CRAP it was loud... =P but then the music stopped shortly afterwards...

**mespork** · 03-16-2005, 12:36 AM

I know.....stop playing rap

**miztahsparklez** · 03-16-2005, 01:04 AM

lol well i figure rap is good to show what many "kiddies" listen to and what most not very knowledgeable installers go wow! its loud.. why? cause of the bass. im pretty sure they wouldnt want me blasting some women vocals now would they? haha though i could .. and it would probably still blow away some of these kids stereo systems today..

would it be more effective to go to a 3.5" hard drive and toss the laptop drive?

**skeeter007** · 03-16-2005, 01:33 AM

I used to have the same problem with an old 40GB 3.5" Maxtor HDD I had in the car (sometimes on startup the drive just wouldn't show up). I swapped it with a new 160GB and I don't have any more problems. The weird thing is the 40GB still works fine in the house.