Power button/hard drive question

[GarrettSR5]

If I press the reset button, it will put a scratch in my hard drive, not enough to effect it, but over time and if I get enough of them my hard drive won't work, this has happened to me before. I guess its because it doesn't give the needle time to lift up and get off the write surface, so it just gets dragged across, causing a scratch.

Now if I use the power button when it freezes, will it also put a scratch in/on the drive? I'm guessing it will because the needle doesn't have time to pull itslef up and move over and will just drag across the surface.

 

[talldude123]

move your hard drive away from the power/reset buttons.

rescrew it in to the bottom or near the bottom of the PC

usually those power/reset buttons are plastic..

 

[GarrettSR5]

The physical button isn't scratching the hard drive case, the writing needle is scratching the hard drive writing mirror surface.

 

[killians45]

Depends on how you mean 'pushing power button'. The 'needle' doesn't read/write a hardrive like a record player. It uses a magnetic flux to organize information on the HDD platers. The 'needle' never directly touches the HDD when reading and writing, instead it hovers via air pressure over the platters. The only time it comes to rest is when u shut down, then it goes into a 'park' or 'landing' (a section on the HDD specifically for that to prevent data corruption). Now, when you push the power button, it should send a shut down command and instead of just shuting off, it parks the head and arm into park. If you cold shut off a system, then yes the head may land/park onto a section of the HDD containing data. Although the HDD is able to handle alot of this, it eventually will result in bad/damaged sectors. Anyhow, to let you know the typical park of the needle is on a unused section of the HDD (ONLY if when pushing the power button it prompts it to normally shut down). Of course if you hold it in and power it off, youll get a little drag (once the internal air pressure isn't enough to hold up the actuater arm). So, the question is if you are talking a hard shut down (complete removal of power) or an emergency shutdown (using the power button for a reset).

Oh yeah, it also depends on the age of the drive and if its a stepper motor, voice coil, etc

 

[joshd]

didnt know that. some nice info there. thanks.

 

[GarrettSR5]

So, the question is if you are talking a hard shut down (complete removal of power) or an emergency shutdown (using the power button for a reset).

Oh yeah, it also depends on the age of the drive and if its a stepper motor, voice coil, etc

Its both depending on the issue.

 

[BRreed]

nice work killians,
that was like 20 lines, containing like a chapter of info!
short and sweet