Advisable to warm up HDD before formatting?

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If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC and let
the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms up before I
format it?

I have heard there is something called "thermal recalibration" in a HDD but
I wonder if it is far better to let the drive warm up to a stable
temperature.

If warming up the HDD is not being too fussy then how do I ensure the blank
drive keeps spinning because I believe that the drive will probably stop
spinning after a period of time. Is this spindown period set in the drive,
the BIOS or the operating system (I am using XP)?

BTW is there a program (like those for heating up cpus by putting a load on
them) which can keep the HDD spinning and also heats up a new HDD by moving
its actuator arm?
 
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what's with all this cross posting lately?

There is no need to do anything to a HD before starting to prepare it
for formatting other than fdisk or maxblast or WD/IBM HD tools. after
the partitions are done format it.

"Sandee" <sorry@no.email.please> wrote in message
news:9568A034CDC6074C1H4@130.133.1.4...
> If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC
and let
> the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms up before
I
> format it?
>
> I have heard there is something called "thermal recalibration" in a
HDD but
> I wonder if it is far better to let the drive warm up to a stable
> temperature.
>
> If warming up the HDD is not being too fussy then how do I ensure
the blank
> drive keeps spinning because I believe that the drive will probably
stop
> spinning after a period of time. Is this spindown period set in the
drive,
> the BIOS or the operating system (I am using XP)?
>
> BTW is there a program (like those for heating up cpus by putting a
load on
> them) which can keep the HDD spinning and also heats up a new HDD by
moving
> its actuator arm?
 
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As JAD said, it is not necessary to "warm up" the drive. The critical
information, the actual track positions, have already been placed on the
drive at the factory when they do a low level format of the drive.

The partition and high level format of the drive that you do in preparing it
for use has no effect on the low level format done at the factory. If it
did happen, the low level format would be the one affected by thermal
problems.


"Sandee" <sorry@no.email.please> wrote in message
news:9568A034CDC6074C1H4@130.133.1.4...
> If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC and let
> the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms up before I
> format it?
>
> I have heard there is something called "thermal recalibration" in a HDD
but
> I wonder if it is far better to let the drive warm up to a stable
> temperature.
>
> If warming up the HDD is not being too fussy then how do I ensure the
blank
> drive keeps spinning because I believe that the drive will probably stop
> spinning after a period of time. Is this spindown period set in the
drive,
> the BIOS or the operating system (I am using XP)?
>
> BTW is there a program (like those for heating up cpus by putting a load
on
> them) which can keep the HDD spinning and also heats up a new HDD by
moving
> its actuator arm?
 
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In article <9568A034CDC6074C1H4@130.133.1.4>, sorry@no.email.please
says...
> If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC and let
> the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms up before I
> format it?
>
> I have heard there is something called "thermal recalibration" in a HDD but
> I wonder if it is far better to let the drive warm up to a stable
> temperature.
>
> If warming up the HDD is not being too fussy then how do I ensure the blank
> drive keeps spinning because I believe that the drive will probably stop
> spinning after a period of time. Is this spindown period set in the drive,
> the BIOS or the operating system (I am using XP)?
>
> BTW is there a program (like those for heating up cpus by putting a load on
> them) which can keep the HDD spinning and also heats up a new HDD by moving
> its actuator arm?

Unless you are formatting an ancient physically positioned drive, like
old sub-40M drives, heat shouldn't be an issue. Modern drives have
positioning information embedded with the data. It shouldn't be affected
by heat or position, except possibly under extreme conditions.

--
If there is a no_junk in my address, please REMOVE it before replying!
All junk mail senders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the
law!!
http://home.att.net/~andyross
 
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Sandee wrote:
> If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC
> and
> let the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms up
> before I format it?
>

No, there's absolutely no need for "pre-heating" a hard drive.
And how would you make it spin, anyway? It'll have no contents, and
noting to do.

>
> BTW is there a program (like those for heating up cpus by putting a
> load on them) which can keep the HDD spinning and also heats up a
> new
> HDD by moving its actuator arm?

Never heard of one, and can't imagine there ever having been a
need for anyone to develop such a utility.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH
 
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Never heard of one, and can't imagine there ever having been a
> need for anyone to develop such a utility.

remember the old 'park' the head before you moved the machine dos
utility?




"Bruce Chambers" <bruce_a_chambers@h0tmail.com> wrote in message
news:OQzJSWZnEHA.2096@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Sandee wrote:
> > If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC
> > and
> > let the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms up
> > before I format it?
> >
>
> No, there's absolutely no need for "pre-heating" a hard drive.
> And how would you make it spin, anyway? It'll have no contents, and
> noting to do.
>
> >
> > BTW is there a program (like those for heating up cpus by putting
a
> > load on them) which can keep the HDD spinning and also heats up a
> > new
> > HDD by moving its actuator arm?
>
> >
> --
>
> Bruce Chambers
>
> Help us help you:
> http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
> You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
> having
> both at once. - RAH
>
>
>
 
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JAD wrote:
>
> remember the old 'park' the head before you moved the machine dos
> utility?
>
>
>
>


That I remember, but I still don't recall there ever being a need
to warm up a hard drive before using it.
--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH
 
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> "Sandee" <sorry@no.email.please> wrote in message
> news:9568A034CDC6074C1H4@130.133.1.4...

> If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC
> and let the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms
> up before I format it?

Only if you're using a 1980s-vintage hard drive that positions its
heads with a stepper motor instead of a servo and voice coil, but even
with them this is necessary only if the drive:

a) has a track 0 calibration mechanism that isn't on the platters (old
Miniscribes where the stepper motor shaft had a flag that passed by an
optical sensor). The servo/voice coil system automatically
compensates for expension and contraction caused by changes in
temperature because the magnetic servo marks shift with the data
marks. Any thermal calibration is only for fine-tuning the system for
faster seeks.

b) is being run with 50% more data capacity than it's designed for
(MFM rated drive being used with RLL 2,7, especially Seagates). But I
believe such drives went out of production in the early 1990s, and
none were over 60M-80M in capacity (smaller than many flash drives).

c) is colder than the recommended lower temperature limit, in which
case it should first be allowed to warm up inside a sealed anti-static
container to prevent condensation.
 
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"JAD" <Kapasitor@coldmail.com> wrote in news:10komj3kf8ghe80
@corp.supernews.com:

> Never heard of one, and can't imagine there ever having been a
>> need for anyone to develop such a utility.
>
> remember the old 'park' the head before you moved the machine dos
> utility?

Parking was not limited to DOS, also other OSes supported a park.

--
John MexIT: http://johnbokma.com/mexit/
personal page: http://johnbokma.com/
Experienced programmer available: http://castleamber.com/
Happy Customers: http://castleamber.com/testimonials.html
 
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On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 16:36:48 UTC, "Bruce Chambers"
<bruce_a_chambers@h0tmail.com> wrote:

> JAD wrote:

> That I remember, but I still don't recall there ever being a need
> to warm up a hard drive before using it.

Not warm up, but acclimatise.

I managed various large installations in the past, and if a new
Winchester-style drive (similar technology to now, but a lot bigger!)
came on site, engineers wouldn't fit it until it had been in the machine
room for 24 hours. Basically, to do with possible condensation.

Modern drives are unlikely to need this but the lore remains.

--
Bob Eager
begin a new life...dump Windows!
 
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Bruce Chambers wrote:
> JAD wrote:
>>
>> remember the old 'park' the head before you moved the machine
>> dos utility?
>
> That I remember, but I still don't recall there ever being a
> need to warm up a hard drive before using it.

When you could still do a low level format, it was advisable.

--
"This is a wonderful answer. It's off-topic, it's incorrect,
and it doesn't answer the question." -- Richard Heathfield

"I support the Red Sox and any team that beats the Yankees"
 
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"Sandee" <sorry@no.email.please> wrote in message
news:9568A034CDC6074C1H4@130.133.1.4...
> If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC and let
> the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms up before I
> format it?

Yes and if it was brought into the room from a significantly different
temperature environment then let it sit in the PC a half hour before
powering it up and then wait the other half hour.

> I have heard there is something called "thermal recalibration" in a HDD
but
> I wonder if it is far better to let the drive warm up to a stable
> temperature.

Yes.

> If warming up the HDD is not being too fussy then how do I ensure the
blank
> drive keeps spinning because I believe that the drive will probably stop
> spinning after a period of time.

Hit the space bar occassionally or don't worry about it as being powered is
the important issue.

> Is this spindown period set in the drive,
> the BIOS or the operating system (I am using XP)?

Could be either BIOS or OS but not drive.

> BTW is there a program (like those for heating up cpus by putting a load
on
> them) which can keep the HDD spinning and also heats up a new HDD by
moving
> its actuator arm?

Yes and you could get the drive quite hot. Don't do that.

Most modern HDs will allow one to get away with not doing the above most of
the time but on a fresh format over caution doesn't hurt.
 
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"JAD" <Kapasitor@coldmail.com> wrote in message
news:10kojal61sbur2e@corp.supernews.com...
> what's with all this cross posting lately?
>
> There is no need to do anything to a HD before starting to prepare it
> for formatting other than fdisk or maxblast or WD/IBM HD tools. after
> the partitions are done format it.

Nope, waiting is not a bad idea.

> "Sandee" <sorry@no.email.please> wrote in message
> news:9568A034CDC6074C1H4@130.133.1.4...
> > If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC
> and let
> > the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms up before
> I
> > format it?
> >
> > I have heard there is something called "thermal recalibration" in a
> HDD but
> > I wonder if it is far better to let the drive warm up to a stable
> > temperature.
> >
> > If warming up the HDD is not being too fussy then how do I ensure
> the blank
> > drive keeps spinning because I believe that the drive will probably
> stop
> > spinning after a period of time. Is this spindown period set in the
> drive,
> > the BIOS or the operating system (I am using XP)?
> >
> > BTW is there a program (like those for heating up cpus by putting a
> load on
> > them) which can keep the HDD spinning and also heats up a new HDD by
> moving
> > its actuator arm?
>
>
 
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you throw salt over your shoulder?

"Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> wrote in message
news:Mg03d.605953$Gx4.363174@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>
> "JAD" <Kapasitor@coldmail.com> wrote in message
> news:10kojal61sbur2e@corp.supernews.com...
> > what's with all this cross posting lately?
> >
> > There is no need to do anything to a HD before starting to prepare
it
> > for formatting other than fdisk or maxblast or WD/IBM HD tools.
after
> > the partitions are done format it.
>
> Nope, waiting is not a bad idea.
>
> > "Sandee" <sorry@no.email.please> wrote in message
> > news:9568A034CDC6074C1H4@130.133.1.4...
> > > If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the
PC
> > and let
> > > the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms up
before
> > I
> > > format it?
> > >
> > > I have heard there is something called "thermal recalibration"
in a
> > HDD but
> > > I wonder if it is far better to let the drive warm up to a
stable
> > > temperature.
> > >
> > > If warming up the HDD is not being too fussy then how do I
ensure
> > the blank
> > > drive keeps spinning because I believe that the drive will
probably
> > stop
> > > spinning after a period of time. Is this spindown period set in
the
> > drive,
> > > the BIOS or the operating system (I am using XP)?
> > >
> > > BTW is there a program (like those for heating up cpus by
putting a
> > load on
> > > them) which can keep the HDD spinning and also heats up a new
HDD by
> > moving
> > > its actuator arm?
> >
> >
>
>
 
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CBFalconer wrote:
> Bruce Chambers wrote:
>
>>JAD wrote:
>>
>>>remember the old 'park' the head before you moved the machine
>>>dos utility?

You needed to park the head(s) every time the platters were spun down,
so they would not land on the "landing area" rather than on the data
tracks. Modern drives use a voice coil actuator which does this
automatically when power is removed.
>>
>>That I remember, but I still don't recall there ever being a
>>need to warm up a hard drive before using it.
>
>
> When you could still do a low level format, it was advisable.
>
The tracks were selected by a stepper motor. If you low-level formatted
the drive, the sector information was re-written to the stepper motor's
track positions. The drive then ran best at the temperature at which it
was low-level formatted. Modern drives use "inbeded servo" tracks which
follow the data tracks with temperature changes.

Virg Wall
--
A foolish consistency is the
hobgoblin of little minds,........
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(Microsoft programmer's manual.)
 
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"do_not_spam_me" <do_not_spam_me@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:101710fa.0409181525.4da17624@posting.google.com...
> > "Sandee" <sorry@no.email.please> wrote in message
> > news:9568A034CDC6074C1H4@130.133.1.4...
>
> > If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC
> > and let the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms
> > up before I format it?
>
> Only if you're using a 1980s-vintage hard drive that positions its

Not entirely true. You are forgetting the concept of temperature gradient
and warping and margins. Allowing the drive to relax temperature wise
before formatting is a smart move and that goes for today's drives with the
very high data densities.

> heads with a stepper motor instead of a servo and voice coil, but even
> with them this is necessary only if the drive:
>
> a) has a track 0 calibration mechanism that isn't on the platters (old
> Miniscribes where the stepper motor shaft had a flag that passed by an
> optical sensor). The servo/voice coil system automatically
> compensates for expension and contraction caused by changes in
> temperature because the magnetic servo marks shift with the data
> marks. Any thermal calibration is only for fine-tuning the system for
> faster seeks.
>
> b) is being run with 50% more data capacity than it's designed for
> (MFM rated drive being used with RLL 2,7, especially Seagates). But I
> believe such drives went out of production in the early 1990s, and
> none were over 60M-80M in capacity (smaller than many flash drives).
>
> c) is colder than the recommended lower temperature limit, in which
> case it should first be allowed to warm up inside a sealed anti-static
> container to prevent condensation.
 
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On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 11:11:39 -0400, "LVTravel" <none@nothere.com> wrote:

>As JAD said, it is not necessary to "warm up" the drive. The critical
>information, the actual track positions, have already been placed on the
>drive at the factory when they do a low level format of the drive.
>
>The partition and high level format of the drive that you do in preparing it
>for use has no effect on the low level format done at the factory. If it
>did happen, the low level format would be the one affected by thermal
>problems.

If the VC/servo mechanism tracks the ACTUAL track alignment as placed during the
LLF, then all reading/writing is correctly aligned always. Then why is there
any need for drives do this thermal recal?
 
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budgie wrote:

> On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 11:11:39 -0400, "LVTravel" <none@nothere.com> wrote:
>
>>As JAD said, it is not necessary to "warm up" the drive. The critical
>>information, the actual track positions, have already been placed on the
>>drive at the factory when they do a low level format of the drive.
>>
>>The partition and high level format of the drive that you do in preparing
>>it
>>for use has no effect on the low level format done at the factory. If it
>>did happen, the low level format would be the one affected by thermal
>>problems.
>
> If the VC/servo mechanism tracks the ACTUAL track alignment as placed
> during the
> LLF, then all reading/writing is correctly aligned always. Then why is
> there any need for drives do this thermal recal?

At one time there was a separate platter with the servo tracks, so it was
possible for temperature changes to alter the head positions slightly
relative to the data tracks. That is no longer the case, each platter has
its own servo information stored.

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
 
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> "do_not_spam_me" <do_not_spam_me@my-deja.com> wrote in message
> news:101710fa.0409181525.4da17624@posting.google.com...
>> > "Sandee" <sorry@no.email.please> wrote in message
>> > news:9568A034CDC6074C1H4@130.133.1.4...
>>
>> > If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot
>> > the PC and let the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order
>> > that it warms up before I format it?
>>
>> Only if you're using a 1980s-vintage hard drive that positions
>> its

"Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> wrote:
>
> Not entirely true. You are forgetting the concept of
> temperature gradient and warping and margins. Allowing the
> drive to relax temperature wise before formatting is a smart
> move and that goes for today's drives with the very high data
> densities.
>

I am the OP and what you say was part of my thinking behind my question.

One poster said that the drives come preformatted (at a low level). However
although I am not really clear exactly what my formatting in NTFS or FAT32
does it seems to involve creating index areas (MFT or file allocation
tables), partition boot areas and perhaps creating sectors/clusters too.

So I was thinking that if the HDD's head to track alighnment was not optimal
(because the drive was still in a warm up phase and the thermal
recalibrations were not happening very frequently) then I might be writing
the the formatting data in a way which is slightly off-center of the track.

As I will probably only do this formatting once or twice in the life of a
partition then I figured that some extra care like warming up the drive
could be justified when I do it.

Seems from what a lot of people here say, except for you Ron, that I need
not bother. However I do not want to ignore what works in practice for many
people. OTOH maybe those people who get a very unlucky series of HDD
failures are doing something like formatting when at room temperature (not
quite 70 F or 20 C) rather than the disk working temp which can be well over
110 F or 40 F).
 
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budgie <me@privacy.net> wrote:

>>As JAD said, it is not necessary to "warm up" the drive. The
>>critical information, the actual track positions, have already
>>been placed on the drive at the factory when they do a low
>>level format of the drive.
>>
>>The partition and high level format of the drive that you do in
>>preparing it for use has no effect on the low level format done
>>at the factory. If it did happen, the low level format would
>>be the one affected by thermal problems.
>
> If the VC/servo mechanism tracks the ACTUAL track alignment as
> placed during the LLF, then all reading/writing is correctly
> aligned always. Then why is there any need for drives do this
> thermal recal?


Do all drives do a thermal reclaibration?

I am told the IBM drives used to be very noisy when doing it but on my
Seagates I have never heard any noise from them engaging in some periodic
activity like thermal recalibration.
 
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On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 15:44:56 +0100, Sandee <sorry@no.email.please>
wrote:

> If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot
> the PC and let the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order
> that it warms up before I format it?

Yes.
 
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On Sun, 19 Sep 2004 11:20:15 UTC, Ken <___ken3@telia.com> wrote:

> On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 15:44:56 +0100, Sandee <sorry@no.email.please>
> wrote:
>
> > If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot
> > the PC and let the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order
> > that it warms up before I format it?
>
> Yes.

Please explain why.

--
Bob Eager
begin a new life...dump Windows!
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.misc,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware,alt.comp.hardware,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

On 19 Sep 2004 11:39:01 GMT, "Bob Eager" <rde42@spamcop.net> wrote:

>>> If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot
>>> the PC and let the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order
>>> that it warms up before I format it?
>>
>> Yes.
>
> Please explain why.

Because of normal psychical behavior of different materials.
Temperature change make it expand or crimp.
The drive would be in normal temperature span when
formatting for minimizing the chance of fault.
 
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On Sun, 19 Sep 2004 11:50:23 UTC, Ken <___ken3@telia.com> wrote:

> Because of normal psychical behavior of different materials.

I didn't know disks were psychic! (actually, S.M.A.R.T. comes near...)!

> Temperature change make it expand or crimp.
> The drive would be in normal temperature span when
> formatting for minimizing the chance of fault.

See my other reply.

--
Bob Eager
begin a new life...dump Windows!
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.misc,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware,alt.comp.hardware,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Howdy!

"Sandee" <sorry@no.email.please> wrote in message
news:9568A034CDC6074C1H4@130.133.1.4...
> If I get a new hard drive then is it good practise to boot the PC and let
> the drive spin for 30 minutes or so in order that it warms up before I
> format it?

Man, talk about a "blast from the past" B)

We used to have to do this back in the 80's. But right around 1986,
when closed loop head positioners (first with a separate servo surface, then
with servo bursts mixed with the data), that pretty much went out the door.

To answer your question - as long as it comes from short-sleeve
comfortable, then no.

(Ask me when it's been in -40 weather, and I'll tell you a different
tale B) )

RwP
 
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