halcyon

Intel X25-M G2 160GB - In use about a year (not quite yet, maybe 10mo) - Browser profiles/caches do not write to SSD (redirected to Ramdisk) - Host Writes: 5.14 TB - Power-on Hours: 7298 - Re-allocated Sector count: 0 - Media Wearout Indicator: 0 Working good so far (*knock on wood*).

I have no idea how the "reliability" figure of the reliability survey is calculated, but there is also a reliability' attached to this reliability figure. As long as we don't know this reliability', it is difficult to know how reliable the "relative disk reliability" figure is.

Anybody know how to remove a password lock from a toshiba HDD? I've got a crashed hdd that I need to recover. I have the hdd (not bios!) password that the hdd is locked with. The HDD has been locked using an original Toshiba utility, I presume. The problem is that I can't plug-in the hdd to a toshiba laptop. So, I have a Toshiba brand HDD which is password locked and crashed (i.e. won't boot the XP on it). I'd like to recover the data from it, but ALL software (hi-or lo-level, W32 or Linux) can't do anything to the drive as long as it is locked. I can't boot from the drive, because the operating system on it is crashed (beyond even safe-mode boot). I can't unlock the drive, because I don't have the proper Toshiba tools to do it (toshiba doesn't provide them as downloads). I know the HDD password and the XP admin password for the xp installed on that disk. However, neither seems to be of any help (as I don't have a place to enter these to). Is there any way to access the data on the hdd and see what is still recoverable?

Thanks. Unfortunately neither my sound cards or my existing parallel ata cards (PCI) are available as PCI-E counterparts BTW, SIL CMD680 based cards work perfectly with optical drives (I've tried them pretty much all, even the obscure Artop chipset series). I guess it's down to motherboard change then. <sigh>

I'm seriously out of parallel ATA channels for my optical drives. I can't get enough SATA models of the optical drives. I'm out of PCI-slots. I don't have space for external USB/firewire enclosures. I have have not so good experience with all USB/firewire ->ATA converters with special programs. Therefor, my best option would be a: PCI-E slot based parallel ata controller (minimum dual channel)? Do they exist? Do I have any chance of ever seeing one? If not, motherboard change is in the very near horizon for me

Even monitors that advertise (and sometime actually measurably perform) on sub 20ms PER PIXEL LEVEL response time, do not ALLOW as input or actually REFRESH the pixels (through the in-built pixel driver/amplifier) at more than 60/75Hz. Is that clear? So, even if your TFT is advertised as 4ms, it doesn't mean that you'll benefit anything from setting your refresh rate to 250Hz. No, the TFT input just won't handle that. Most TFT's really only re-sync the incoming signal to 60Hz anyway, even if they allow a refresh rate up to 75 to be sent from the vga card (or sometimes very rarely more). CRTs are a completely different beast altogether and should be excluded from this conversation for the sake of clarity.

They started selling the extra version (Plextools XL) early this year. Only for Windows though (and it's crap, clearly designed by morons).

Thanks, I'll be on the look out for SiI 3132 based PCI-E cards. In the meanwhile, if anybody has tips on INTERNAL USB to PATA -converters, I'd very much like to hear about them. I have plenty of 5,25" internal slots left in my machine and can free up internal USB 2.0 connectors. However, what I don't have anymore is more desk space for external USB 2.0 burners. Also, I'd rather not pay for the external cases as I don't really need them.

Yes, I'd like to free up a PCI slot too, but my mobo just has 2 and they are both in everyday use, can't free them. That's why I'm looking into PCI-E SATA controllers. However, it looks like I'm out of luck. It's not just the price either, they are all RAID controllers with very poor (or non-existent) support for ATAPI devices (optical burners). Maybe I should just look into USB-PATA converters. At least those have been shown to work and I could free up a couple of USB ports...

Arghg.. sorry, I made a mistake... I meant 7200.8 when I wrote 7200.7 7200.7 should be in the ball park of Hitachi/Maxtor (with AAM ON with the latter). I have 2 x wd3200jd. They are not loud at all with AAM on. In fact, when suspended they are not significantly worse than my 2 x Samsung p80 / 160GB / SATA (Nidec motors). With a super silent computer (i.e. mostly passive) you will notice some difference though.

I'm out of parallel ATA and SATA connection as well as PCI slots on my machine. I already have too many external fw/usb drives. Now, for the remaining optical burners, I need a new controller. Being that I only have PCI-E slots left, I'm probably forced to buy a SATA controller, right? Does anybody know of a PCI-E based SATA controller that fully supports all of the ATAPI specs and optical drives as well? And yes, there are already (nominal) SATA optical dvd drives, which work directly on a SATA interface. I'd also be using some PATA interfaced burners with a SATA to PATA adapter.

Reliability is difficult to say, but for quietness: 1. Samsung P80 2. WD 3200 JD 3. Samsung P120 4. Hitachi/Maxtor 5. Seagate

Your problem is probably the missing data and I don't know of a single encoder / transcoder myself that is able to ignore that. A better bet is to try and rip the drive in various different dvd drives. Some are better at reading damaged discs and may be able to get all the data out without uncorrectable errors. As for software recommendations for encoding/transcoding, you are much better off asking (and reading) about that at either of the following forums: http://forums.afterdawn.com/ or http://forum.doom9.org/ Best of luck!

From last year WD has the lowest warranty return ratios in the industry (as a percentage of units sold). I'd consider their current WD Caviar line to be very reliable based on this. Maxtor's ratio is at least twice as high. I've personally had very good results with Samsung (P80 1614C, 160GB SATA). Low noise, low temp and good reliability. I'm now going to test WD3200JD drives myself, after having abandoned DM10 / Maxline III / Deskstar 7k250 based on anecdotal/review evidence (noise, reliability, thermal calibration issues, etc.) However, as with any disk purchase there are no guarantees. You pick what you think is going to work and it's down to backups and fate after that

Older WD (from last year) is much noisier than the Samsung. The later batches (this year, perhaps late last year) seem to be reasonably quiet in AAM mode. Some Samsung with JVC motors have also been a tad noisier than the ones with Nidec motors. So, if you get the best units from both, they are amongst the least noisy drives in their class (160GB modern drives, SATA or PATA). However, the last time I checked, Samsung ran cooler and drew less power. Performancewise I think Samsung takes the cake (read reviews to confirm, I'm working off my memory. The difference isn't that big either). Personally I've now used 2 x Samsung 160GB myself for running up to two years (since they became available) and I'm very happy. No problems with noise or realiability with my two units. However, I don't spit in the direct of WD either. I just ordered 2 x 320GB Caviar SE (WD3200 / 2500 year editions), just because Samsung doesn't have anything of comparable size.