Need Advice

[Andy]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

To All Cognoscenti,

I had a desktop computer built by a local outfit 22 months ago. It's
equipped with a Maxtor 6Y120PO hard drive in a slide-out cage. Shortly
after taking delivery of the unit I discovered that the tiny fan built into
the front of the slide-out cage was missing. An inquiry to the head honcho
of the outfit produced the answer that they had removed the fan as it was
unneeded because today's drives operated at high temperatures without any
harm. I felt uneasy about the matter but, not being knowledgeable about
hardware, who am I to argue with a technician. Right?

About a year ago my computer started seriously misbehaving. After much
pulling of hair a CHKDSK /R revealed four files with bad clusters in the
occupied areas of the partition containing Windows XP and our application
programs. Recently major problems reared their ugly head again. One problem
was a badly seated memory card. The other, according to CHKDSK /R, dozens of
files with bad clusters in the partition containing the data files. I don't
know how many because the list scrolled off the screen.

Further checking by me has revealed that the "Health Status" of my computer,
as reported by the CMOS Setup Utility, shows that the CPU Warning
Temperature and the CPU Fan Fail Warning were both disabled.

PowerMax, a Drive Fitness Test program supplied by Maxtor, failed my HDD.

Question 1: Is the removal of the fan from the slide-out cage a likely
contributing factor to the repeated and increasing failure of the disk?

Question 2: For what reason would a seller of computers want to disable the
CMOS Setup Utility warnings and remove the cooling fan from the slide-out
cage containing a HDD?

Question 3: In light of the above, what action do you advise me to take?

Guidance from cognoscenti would be much appreciated.

Andy

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Andy <kanadaiy@telus.net> wrote:
> To All Cognoscenti,
>
> I had a desktop computer built by a local outfit 22 months ago. It's
> equipped with a Maxtor 6Y120PO hard drive in a slide-out cage.
> Shortly after taking delivery of the unit I discovered that the tiny
> fan built into the front of the slide-out cage was missing. An
> inquiry to the head honcho of the outfit produced the answer that
> they had removed the fan as it was unneeded because today's drives
> operated at high temperatures without any harm. I felt uneasy about
> the matter but, not being knowledgeable about hardware, who am I to
> argue with a technician. Right?

> About a year ago my computer started seriously misbehaving. After much pulling
> of hair a CHKDSK /R revealed four files with bad clusters in the occupied
> areas of the partition containing Windows XP and our
> application programs. Recently major problems reared their ugly head again.

Likely both events coincided with warmer summer weather.

> One problem was a badly seated memory card. The other,
> according to CHKDSK /R, dozens of files with bad clusters in the partition
> containing the data files. I don't know how many because the list scrolled off
> the screen.

> Further checking by me has revealed that the "Health Status" of my
> computer, as reported by the CMOS Setup Utility, shows that the CPU
> Warning Temperature and the CPU Fan Fail Warning were both disabled.

> PowerMax, a Drive Fitness Test program supplied by Maxtor, failed my HDD.

> Question 1: Is the removal of the fan from the slide-out cage a likely
> contributing factor to the repeated and increasing failure of the disk?

Yes, the drive almost certainly got far too hot.

> Question 2: For what reason would a seller of computers want to disable the
> CMOS Setup Utility warnings

Those normally default to disabled with many motherboards.

> and remove the cooling fan from the slide-out cage containing a HDD?

Its more likely they got the cheap one which didnt have the fan in the first
place.

> Question 3: In light of the above, what action do you advise me to take?

If the drive is under warranty, have it replace. If
it isnt, demand a replacement from the supplier.

Demand that a drive carrier with a decent fan be used.

If they wont do that voluntarily, use the small
claims court, but threaten them with that first.

> Guidance from cognoscenti would be much appreciated.

 

[Andy]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Hi Rod,

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3m6rl8F15plu9U1@individual.net...
> Andy <kanadaiy@telus.net> wrote:
>> To All Cognoscenti,
>>
>> I had a desktop computer built by a local outfit 22 months ago. It's
>> equipped with a Maxtor 6Y120PO hard drive in a slide-out cage.
>> Shortly after taking delivery of the unit I discovered that the tiny
>> fan built into the front of the slide-out cage was missing. An
>> inquiry to the head honcho of the outfit produced the answer that
>> they had removed the fan as it was unneeded because today's drives
>> operated at high temperatures without any harm. I felt uneasy about
>> the matter but, not being knowledgeable about hardware, who am I to
>> argue with a technician. Right?
>
>> About a year ago my computer started seriously misbehaving. After much
>> pulling of hair a CHKDSK /R revealed four files with bad clusters in the
>> occupied areas of the partition containing Windows XP and our
>> application programs. Recently major problems reared their ugly head
>> again.
>
> Likely both events coincided with warmer summer weather.

I live on Vancouver Island, and so far the highest temperature has been, I
think, 28 C.

>
>> One problem was a badly seated memory card. The other,
>> according to CHKDSK /R, dozens of files with bad clusters in the
>> partition containing the data files. I don't know how many because the
>> list scrolled off the screen.
>
>> Further checking by me has revealed that the "Health Status" of my
>> computer, as reported by the CMOS Setup Utility, shows that the CPU
>> Warning Temperature and the CPU Fan Fail Warning were both disabled.
>
>> PowerMax, a Drive Fitness Test program supplied by Maxtor, failed my HDD.
>
>> Question 1: Is the removal of the fan from the slide-out cage a likely
>> contributing factor to the repeated and increasing failure of the disk?
>
> Yes, the drive almost certainly got far too hot.
>
>> Question 2: For what reason would a seller of computers want to disable
>> the CMOS Setup Utility warnings
>
> Those normally default to disabled with many motherboards.
>
>> and remove the cooling fan from the slide-out cage containing a HDD?
>
> Its more likely they got the cheap one which didnt have the fan in the
> first place.

The builder said he had removed the fan.

>
>> Question 3: In light of the above, what action do you advise me to take?
>
> If the drive is under warranty, have it replace. If
> it isnt, demand a replacement from the supplier.
>
> Demand that a drive carrier with a decent fan be used.

The new drive will go inside the case, not into a slide-out cage. And yes,
it's still under warranty.

>
> If they wont do that voluntarily, use the small
> claims court, but threaten them with that first.

That is one possibility.

Thanks fo the tips.

Andy

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Andy <kanadaiy@telus.net> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote
>> Andy <kanadaiy@telus.net> wrote:

>>> I had a desktop computer built by a local outfit 22 months ago. It's
>>> equipped with a Maxtor 6Y120PO hard drive in a slide-out cage.
>>> Shortly after taking delivery of the unit I discovered that the tiny
>>> fan built into the front of the slide-out cage was missing. An
>>> inquiry to the head honcho of the outfit produced the answer that
>>> they had removed the fan as it was unneeded because today's drives
>>> operated at high temperatures without any harm. I felt uneasy about
>>> the matter but, not being knowledgeable about hardware, who am I to
>>> argue with a technician. Right?

>>> About a year ago my computer started seriously misbehaving. After much
>>> pulling of hair a CHKDSK /R revealed four files with bad clusters in the
>>> occupied areas of the partition containing Windows XP and our application
>>> programs. Recently major problems reared their ugly head again.

>> Likely both events coincided with warmer summer weather.

> I live on Vancouver Island, and so far the highest temperature has been, I
> think, 28 C.

You likely did see the problems in the warmest weather tho.

>>> One problem was a badly seated memory card. The other,
>>> according to CHKDSK /R, dozens of files with bad clusters in the
>>> partition containing the data files. I don't know how many because
>>> the list scrolled off the screen.

>>> Further checking by me has revealed that the "Health Status" of my
>>> computer, as reported by the CMOS Setup Utility, shows that the CPU
>>> Warning Temperature and the CPU Fan Fail Warning were both disabled.

>>> PowerMax, a Drive Fitness Test program supplied by Maxtor, failed
>>> my HDD.

>>> Question 1: Is the removal of the fan from the slide-out cage a
>>> likely contributing factor to the repeated and increasing failure
>>> of the disk?

>> Yes, the drive almost certainly got far too hot.

And the evidence for that is that it was too hot to touch, thats much too hot.

>>> Question 2: For what reason would a seller of computers want to disable the
>>> CMOS Setup Utility warnings

>> Those normally default to disabled with many motherboards.

>>> and remove the cooling fan from the slide-out cage containing a HDD?

>> Its more likely they got the cheap one which didnt have the fan in the first
>> place.

> The builder said he had removed the fan.

Yeah, I meant that its likely he lied on that.

Its also possible he did what he said, because it was too noisy.

>>> Question 3: In light of the above, what action do you advise me to take?

>> If the drive is under warranty, have it replace. If
>> it isnt, demand a replacement from the supplier.

>> Demand that a drive carrier with a decent fan be used.

> The new drive will go inside the case, not into a slide-out cage.

Yeah, I've never liked them for that and other reasons.

> And yes, it's still under warranty.

>> If they wont do that voluntarily, use the small
>> claims court, but threaten them with that first.

> That is one possibility.

> Thanks fo the tips.

No problem.

 

[Andy]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Hi Rod,

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3m7baiF15q52lU1@individual.net...
> Andy <kanadaiy@telus.net> wrote
>> Rod Speed <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote
>>> Andy <kanadaiy@telus.net> wrote:
>
>>> Likely both events coincided with warmer summer weather.
>
>> I live on Vancouver Island, and so far the highest temperature has been,
>> I think, 28 C.
>
> You likely did see the problems in the warmest weather tho.
>
Absolutely right. The drive fell completely apart this month.

Andy