Re: Shutdown my Laptop? Why should I?
Russell L. Harris wrote:
[in regards to laptop hard discs]
The situation is not simple.
Indeed, it is not.
[snip some very good information]
The head of the drive normally flies (in the aerodynamic sense) above
the spinning media; there is no contact with the media while the drive
spinning. But as the drive stops turning, the supporting air film is
Yes. Drives fly at 3-7 microinches, which is 0.08 to 0.2 microns.
[snip more good stuff]
The head flies at a height above the media which is about equal to the
diameter of a particle of cigarette smoke. In a photomicrograph, a
To clarify, cigarette smoke has particles in it up to a little more than
1 micron in size, which is 5 to 12 times the flying height. I wouldn't
call this "about equal". Perhaps you meant "within an order of magnitude
or so".
particle of cigarette smoke looks like a jagged boulder; if it wedges
between the head and the disk, it can gouge media from the surface of
the disk.
It can do all kinds of damage. OTOH, drives have filters on them which
are supposed to catch cigarette smoke and other air borne contaminants.
Drives "breathe. It's good for this reason not to start a drive which is
cooled below the dew point or below freezing.
So, within the enclosure of a drive, there are several sources of
contamination. The contamination can cause media damage and bearing
failure. Contamination is less likely to be generated in a drive which
is kept running continuously.
While continuous operation is better for the drive, it can shorten the
life of electronic components in the laptop, including the electronics
of the drive; this is because the interior of a laptop typically is
significantly hotter than the interior of a desktop machine. The
[etc.]
In short, the jury is still out.
So it generally is best to use a laptop in the service for which a
laptop was designed. But if you keep the machine in a cool room, it may
run for years in continuous service.
That's about it. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Or just
do what comes naturally, and live with however long it lasts. But
always do backups, because there is ONE CERTAIN FACT about hard
discs. THEY ALL EVENTUALLY FAIL.
Mike
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