Looking to suspend my HDD

Elcs · Post by **Elcs** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:28 am

I recently upgraded from an AcoustiPack Deluxe covered Antec SLK3000B to a Coolermaster Centurion 590 and started replacing my Scythe Slipstream 1600's.

Despite not being fully changed over due to an incomplete video card mod (running a 120mm Scythe Kama off my video card), I had managed to cut down my noise levels another good chunk... the 1200 RPM Scythe fans are really quite nice.

Some people may recognise me from another large forum and on there, I queried a noise that someone best described as an "OOHHHNN... OHHHNN" noise where each OHHNN lasted maybe 1.5 seconds and just kept on going. Eliminating all case/cpu/graphics fans from the equation, I was left with HDD and my replacement for my failing Seasonic S12 600W, a brand spanking new S12+ 650W.

I decided that well... Seasonic has a great reputation and I bought my S12 600W off the recommendation that SPCR gave it so my S12+ 650W wont be it.... lets isolate the HDD.

My dad... a tinkerer at heart decided to gut an old 32 speed CDROM drive and use the tray as some kind of base. I aquired some elastic bands from my trusty Royal Mail mailmen that visit my workplace and proceeded to string up my HDD.

After several snapped elastic bands and swearing sessions, I came up with something that sat an HDD in there, rather well as long as you didnt bounce it. After 3 days of testing, Ive had a couple of snapped elastic bands and fortunately it hasnt clunked off the tray its in.

This rather rushed and untamed suspension is rather fragile. It does the job but I cannot place a fan in front of it to assist in cooling and I am concerned about the elastic bands snapping and my HDD splatting against the CDROM tray.

I read through a couple of the stickies at the top of the page. Some fantastic suspensions there but I am rather left thinking "What is the best solution for me in my case?"

I would be appreciative of any advice or recommendations you are willing to share with me and I hope my first post is ok. I have been a fan of SPCR for quite some time now and this is the first time I have needed to call in for some more specific advice.

Thank you for any of you that managed to make it down this far

Edit: The hard drive in question is a Samsung Spinpoint SATA 400Gb. This is noted on SPCR's recommended HDD's as being a very quiet drive but having a poor vibration rating.

blackworx · Post by **blackworx** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 4:01 am

Hi Elcs - Welcome to SPCR!!

Not familiar with your case, but looking at a few pics round the net I reckon something like this might be your best bet. (Image taken from here.)

One thing's for sure - I definitely wouldn't depend on the royal mail elastic bands for too long. Those new red ones (I'm assuming it's these you're talking about) are specially designed to be super-biodegradable and only last a few weeks out in the open. Even standard elastic bands will perish quickly inside the dry heat of your case. Stretch magic (like in the pic) or knicker elastic ftw!

If you post a pic of your setup, more experienced folk than me might be able to come up with a better solution for you.

Good luck!

Elcs · Post by **Elcs** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 4:38 am

blackworx wrote:Hi Elcs - Welcome to SPCR!!

Not familiar with your case, but looking at a few pics round the net I reckon something like this might be your best bet. (Image taken from here.)

One thing's for sure - I definitely wouldn't depend on the royal mail elastic bands for too long. Those new red ones (I'm assuming it's these you're talking about) are specially designed to be super-biodegradable and only last a few weeks out in the open. Even standard elastic bands will perish quickly inside the dry heat of your case. Stretch magic (like in the pic) or knicker elastic ftw!

If you post a pic of your setup, more experienced folk than me might be able to come up with a better solution for you.

Good luck!

I didnt want to rely on the Royal Mail 'laccy' bands but they were the handiest thing I could pick up to at least make a start on some HDD suspension

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii76 ... 8_1309.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii76 ... 8_1308.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii76 ... 8_1311.jpg

These pictures show the HDD Cage supplied by CM for the case. The HDD in there is an unused Samsung Spinpoint 160Gb.

Whilst it looks perfect for suspension, there is but a few mm between the HDD and the cage. To me, it would be too close and almost force contact between the HDD and the cage itself.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii76 ... 8_1312.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii76 ... 8_1307.jpg

This is a brief insight into my PC.

Any help would be appreciated. I hope these pictures are useful.[/url]

kieran45 · Post by **kieran45** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:07 am

I have a 590 that I use for my file server, and I have all my hard drives suspended in there. what I have done is remove all the toolless 5 1/4" drive bay locks and thread some 1" elastic in the holes. Make a loop through the drive bay, then cross it around the drive to make a loop around the drive. This will hold up to 9 drives in this case I think. Easy and really effective. If you use clothing elastic and don't stretch it too much it should last indefinately.

Cistron · Post by **Cistron** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:37 am

If you don't move your computer around a lot, try resting the drive on some open cell foam in the gutted CD-Rom tray.

Elcs · Post by **Elcs** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:27 am

I am going to remove the blue washers from the HDD rack and see if I can thread elastic through the HDD Cage itself to suspend the drive.

As long as its secure and suspended, I shouldnt have much to worry about.

Elcs · Post by **Elcs** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:51 am

Sorry to resurrect my thread but I have a couple of those large foam HDD blocks from my old Acoustipack Deluxe.

Would sitting an HDD on top of one of these provide sufficient vibration noise reduction and be safe? Suspension is possible but awkward. I could strap my HDD in between a foam block and tie it in with elastic.

Im thinking of just dumping my drive and getting a Green Power from WD. Looks like the best price/performance/quiet HDD out there with quiet being top of my list.

blackworx · Post by **blackworx** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:05 am

It will definitely help from a noise perspective. Do I understand you correctly - i.e. you intend to have foam covering both the underside and top side of the drive? If so your drive could easily overheat because of lack of airflow over the surfaces. Perhaps try mounting a single block of foam in a drive bay and place the drive on top (tied down if needs be) to allow heat dissipation from the upper surface?

Elcs · Post by **Elcs** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:51 am

blackworx wrote:It will definitely help from a noise perspective. Do I understand you correctly - i.e. you intend to have foam covering both the underside and top side of the drive? If so your drive could easily overheat because of lack of airflow over the surfaces. Perhaps try mounting a single block of foam in a drive bay and place the drive on top (tied down if needs be) to allow heat dissipation from the upper surface?

Sorry for the confusion.

My intention was to sit the HDD on a block of foam, either strapping the HDD to the foam or tieing elastic to the case to hold the HDD on the foam.

In either scenario, there would be foam on the bottom of the HDD and the metal top would be exposed to the air for airflow purposes.