Temp sensor maybe doubling temp on WD 2500KS?

[MU_Engineer]

I have 2 HDDs in my case, a WD 74GB Raptor (WD740GD) and a WD 250GB Caviar SE16 (WD2500KS.) I have an 80mm fan blowing over the HDDs and the case temp is about 32 C, room temp about 18 C (I am in a basement where it is nice and cool!)

Here are my HDD temps at the moment, as read from the S.M.A.R.T. data by hddtemp v. 0.3b13:

/dev/sda: WDC WD740GD-00FLC0: 30 C
/dev/sdb: WDC WD2500KS-00MJB0: 54 C

Now that seems a bit odd, especially when the Raptor is not only supposed to run hotter but feels warmer to the touch. The Caviar does not feel 54 C by any means- it is just slightly above room temp. I ran hddtemp after a cold startup and the Raptor was 20 C and the Caviar said 42 C and both were cold to the touch. I am thinking that maybe the Caviar's temp sensor has a calibration factor that is causing it to read roughly twice what the Raptor reads. Has anybody else seen this or have any comments?

 

[maury73]

The temps are not whose you can measure of "feel" at the external HDD case, they are measured with sensors at disk surface in various manners: with a diode integrated in the spindle, on the internal surface of the white chamber, or over the external suface of the chamber.
Maybe the airflow doesn't cool properly the 2500 or it's temp sensor could be fried.

 

[MU_Engineer]

Hmm. I guess I will keep a tight watch on the SMART output of the drive and keep it well backed up. It has a 3-year warranty, so I'll get a new one from WD if it does die.

 

[Kholonar]

I have the exact same problem with my western digital caviar SE 250GB. In motherboard monitor my hard disk's temp is 55'C (with the "on fire" symbol beside it) but my hitachi deskstar is only 30'C. I just have a feeling the sensors were calibrated wrong for a batch of the drives - other owners of this drive report the same problem.

 

[MU_Engineer]

I wonder if they also reported any premature failures- if they did, then maybe the drive really is that hot.

 

[Scarchunk]

This is a known problem with a batch of WD hard disks. I wrote Western Digital about the 56C temp my hard drive was reporting and they replied that it was an error in the way the drive reports its SMART info and that the drive is otherwise fine.

 

[1Tanker]

The temps are not whose you can measure of "feel" at the external HDD case, they are measured with sensors at disk surface in various manners: with a diode integrated in the spindle, on the internal surface of the white chamber, or over the external suface of the chamber.
Maybe the airflow doesn't cool properly the 2500 or it's temp sensor could be fried.

Shouldn't matter where the temp sensor exactly measures from. We all know from experience that if a HD is warm to touch, then it is running warm. Sounds like then sensor is defective . I would e-mail WD and ask. It's weird, as you say, the Raptor would be expected to run hotter... and i'm assuming the the Raptor is the OS drive which should also make it warmer as it's in use more of the time. GL

 

[fainis]

anyway those temps are low enough...you should not worry about anything...

the problem with the ks and js drives has been discussed before ..with the wd engineers ..they say the problem has not been yet solved ...
but ..... anyway those temps ..are very low...you should not worry

temperatures above 70, 80 degrees are a problem for hdds...
otherwise you are super fine....i think even the case in a power sistem is hotter than these hdd`s of yours

now about the raptor drive....man ..that`s low ...this drive spins like hell ...it`s temperature should exceed 50 or 60 degrees easilly..

now i recommend to you to get an electronic termometer..that way you will be sure .. about the temperatures....

 

[MU_Engineer]

Absolutely- the Raptor is home to the /boot, and / partitions, and I have swap striped between both drives for extra speed. So the Raptor does get the most use by far. I do have the computer located in a pretty cool room and the Raptor and Caviar sit right in front of an 80mm intake, so I guess I can believe the Raptor is at 30 C. Without the front intake fan, it is more like 40. But I'll try to get a thermometer to be sure though.