I quieted my noisy HDD and added years to its life with a $2 strip of Velcro

HDDs are undoubtedly not lifeless but, particularly since so many PCs and laptops nonetheless have them. Because they’re so reasonably priced, they nonetheless maintain worth, and folks really buy them. HDDs are additionally helpful for NAS setups and archiving or backing up information. Some last more than others based mostly on design and use, but many can fail for any motive at any time. Velcro is one potential manner to assist lengthen their life, serving to you get years of use out of them… and your cash’s price.

To clear issues up, Velcro is definitely a model title for hook-and-loop fasteners, however it’s typically the phrase folks use — like calling lip balm ChapStick. You need not purchase precise Velcro for this straightforward repair, however you may if you would like. I like to recommend you guarantee you do not purchase hook-and-loop fasteners which are too skinny, as that impacts the padding capability. While you will have heard that Velcro works nice for mounting units akin to SSDs and SD hubs to the highest of laptop computer lids or the outer sides of desktop PCs, it might serve different functions, too.

HDDs are extra fragile than SSDs, in order that they require additional care, akin to avoiding drops, arduous hits towards different objects, and insecure mounting inside desktop PCs and NAS units. What you won’t have heard is that hook-and-loop fasteners have one other appropriate use, and it absolutely is not to lock an additional SSD to your PC’s outer case.

How you mount an HDD performs a task in its longevity

Mounting a tough disk drive to a NAS system or a desktop PC requires particular care

As beforehand talked about, HDDs can simply get broken from jolts or drops, however they’ll additionally endure from vibration — I’ve had my justifiable share of accidents and noisy PC environments. When mounting them in a PC’s inside bays, make sure you safe them appropriately with 4 screws or clips, relying on the case’s model and design. On a custom-built PC I made 15 years in the past, the case featured a twist-and-lock model mount system for HDDs, SSDs, and even 3.5-inch diskette drives. It was fairly safe, however the locking might simply put on out over time. If your desktop makes use of screws to carry drives in place, you wish to tighten them as a lot as doable with out bending any steel — been there; completed that. Also, make certain the screws aren’t so lengthy that they may puncture inside elements or stick out with out a tight maintain.

For NAS setups, make sure the clips are safe, identical to you’ll for a PC drive bay. If you need not take away the drive from its mount often and might use screws to safe it, it could guarantee higher vibration management to assist lengthen its life. Just like HDDs in PCs, you do not wish to overtighten the screws to the purpose that they snap the plastic tray or bend the HDD’s casing.

Hook and loop tape helps scale back vibration and rattling

When used appropriately, Velcro can dampen the vibrations and silence the rattling

If screws aren’t tight and safe, vibration can loosen the drive and trigger noises in your PC Case or NAS system, and it might result in extra loosening and elevated put on and tear on the drive’s learn/write heads. When my PC cooling followers obtained soiled, in addition they brought on vibration all through the case, which ended up vibrating the whole lot. Velcro acts as a low-grade padding for HDDs when used appropriately. All it’s a must to do is reduce a few strips and mount the loop half (the fuzzy facet) to the interior sides of the drive bays earlier than screwing or snapping within the HDD.

You can double the Velcro if wanted, however be sure you can nonetheless tighten the screws. That could imply punching a few holes via the Velcro the place the screws go so it would not bind. To improve vibration safety, contemplate slipping some padded foam or rubber strips in there, too, in case you can — all of it relies on how a lot area you’ve got between the 2 sides of the drive bay.

NAS units are barely totally different than PC drive bays, so you may apply the adhesive facet of the padded half of Velcro to the NAS bay in varied places to assist dampen the noise and defend the drive. Just guarantee you’ve got sufficient air flow, as some drives lie sideways somewhat than flat as they do in a PC bay. You additionally produce other vibration- and noise-reducing options for NAS devices — they could assist, too.

What to keep away from when utilizing Velcro to mount your HDD

The fallacious methodology could make issues worse

Some folks use Velcro on SSDs to connect them to the case as a result of they’re light-weight, however you may’t and should not try this with HDDs due to their vital weight distinction and the warmth they generate. HDDs are clearly totally different as a result of they do not have a backside you possibly can connect Velcro to with out touching the elements. But SSDs get scorching as nicely, which might soften the adhesive. Attaching Velcro to the drive bay’s sides is the most secure manner to make use of it when installing 3.5- and 2.5-inch HDDs.

Using hook-and-loop fasteners would not “assure” longevity in your HDD, but it surely does assist to some extent — it is definitely higher than not utilizing it in any respect, and your mileage could range. However, making use of the hook facet (the tough facet) of Velcro tape to the drive can depart residue and tiny particles on the drive’s sides, so keep away from sticking any adhesive padding there. It’s greatest to let the drive bay maintain the residue and particles on the within the place it sticks, somewhat than on the drive’s facet. Tiny particles and residue can regularly seep into the HDD and trigger harm over time. Also, be sure you do not block the drive’s air flow, which helps maintain it cooler.

Double-stacking your drives may also kill HDDs sooner, as vibrations from every one range based mostly on spin cycles and browse/write periods. Avoid utilizing hook-and-loop fasteners to stack your drives, even when the highest drive is an SSD.

Velcro is definitely useful to HDDs, however use it properly

Padding an HDD would not assure longer life, however it might assist by absorbing some vibration. It undoubtedly quiets the drive and prevents rattling noises in a PC or NAS. Gradual will increase in noise typically characterize put on and tear on the mount over time. Just keep in mind that adhesive is susceptible to warmth, so apply the comfortable facet of the hook-and-loop fasteners to the PC bay’s inside sides to assist cushion your HDD and scale back particles and glue from build up contained in the drive.

Some NAS units mount HDDs vertically, so maintain air flow in thoughts there, too. Stacking is rarely a good suggestion, so do not use Velcro to stack drives, it doesn’t matter what kind of drives you’ve got. It can be vital to puncture the Velcro via all holes on the drive to assist extra warmth escape, even those you aren’t utilizing. By following these suggestions, your HDD has an additional layer of safety, and it will not annoy you as a lot with noisy operation, because the Velcro helps dampen the noise.