External Hard Drive Failures

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Hi,

I am concerned about what is causing problems using external hard drives on
my system.

Some of the basics: Windows XP SP2, Compaq X09, Maxtor ATA Hard Drives in
AcomData External Drive Enclosures, Connected to PC with FireWire or USB 2.0.

I have had four hard drives fail in the last 6 months. I use an external
hard drive to perform backups using Retrospect 6.5 on most nights. So,
normally, the drive is always connected to the computer and powered on.

It seems like the drives become hotter than I would expect, although
probably within specs. Over time, the drives become noisier and eventually
(sometimes in as little as a couple of weeks) cannot read/write and are
diagnosed by the Maxtor software as failing.

I installed a new Maxtor drive in a new external enclosure tonight. During
the few hours that I have been sitting here, I notice drive activity... the
LED on the front flashing and the drive making noise. This happens ever 10 or
15 minutes. Other than the back-up software (Retrospect), no other software
reads from or writes to that drive.

Does Windows poll that drive on a periodic basis?

Could any other device (such as a DSL modem or another hard drive) generate
enough noise to cause the drive to become active... and possibly overwork
itself? (I know that sounds a little peculiar and left-fieldish; but, I am
considering everything.)

Maxtor doesn't have any answers. I sent an email to AcomData (the
enclosures' manufaturer); but, I haven't heard back from them.

Maxtor keeps replacing the drives under warranty which is a good thing. But,
I have almost no confidence that the backup will be good if needed... and
that's a very bad thing.

If anyone has any thoughts, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks

Jeff