# HDD Acoustic Mode



## vookster82 (Dec 17, 2003)

Just looking for some opinions on HDD acoustic modes. I got a Dimension 8400 and in the bios it gives an option for changing the IDE drives acoustic mode / sound level. The option that i have on now for "performance" seems alot better for speed, but it makes the HD sound like its 5 years old....while the default (drive manufacturer) setting was obviously slower but i couldnt hear the HD grinding away. Any thoughts or knowledge / experience about this subject? Should i stay away from the performance option? Is it burning up my HD's? Most data that i got im not worried about, and the stuff that i am worried about i make frequent backups of....

Thanks for reading


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## kronus (Apr 15, 2004)

I'd keep it on the performance mode, for the speed, and just keep an eye on the drive. There's nothing worse than blowing a drive and losing all that data. Keep up the backups, but I'm sure you'll find the drive living a good long life.


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## SirKenin (Nov 17, 2005)

Performance mode simply means it's running at spec. There's nothing to worry about and nothing to watch out for. Some HDDs are noisier than others, that's all. Some are like those rock polishers you used to have as a kid, others are near silent at spec.

The default setting actually spins the drive down a bit which is why you are losing performance. I wouldn't use this option myself. Mind you I have enough computers and fans in this office that I wouldn't hear a jumbo jet if it flew overhead.


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## vookster82 (Dec 17, 2003)

Thanks for the reassurance  I figured the bios was set that way from dell on purpose to avoid having the illiterates calling dell and saying "my harddrive is grinding, i think its breaking". Kinda like how dell is not enabling the hyperthreading in the bios settings now on a lot of newer computers....ofcourse i dont think it really helps anyways....i never noticed a difference but i still keep it on  guess it really depends on the type of apps used.

My 250 GB is running usually around 48'C and my 80 GB usually around 42'C. From what i read this is fairly normal. But when im doing stuff on my 250GB slave drive it its usually max's out around 51-52'C. Which i think is so so, i think anything near 60'C is a big red flag....so i think i should be alright. Granted im using this HDD themometer to monitor the temp and this is the starting point of a accurate temp...nice little freebie. http://www.snapfiles.com/get/hddthermometer.html

Anyone ever use that progy?
catch yall later, thanks again


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## vookster82 (Dec 17, 2003)

guess noone used the progy. how do i bump my post again...forgot how, its been a while


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