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After a cold boot, the hard drive in my notebook jumps to 56℃ within an hour or so of idling. Is 56℃ a cause for alarm?
Notes:
- The notebook is on a flat desk and none of the vents are obstructed.
- The video card is currently at 55℃ and the CPU at 50℃.
- It's a Western Digital 250GB hard drive.
SMART reports the drive healthy but does warn that:
Edit: this problem had a very surprise ending. I inverted the notebook and unscrewed some of the panels on the back (there was one covering the hard drive, and one that provided access to the memory). I couldn't see any dust, so I simply screwed everything back together and powered it on... and it worked!
The temperature is now staying at 46℃, and it feels notable cooler to the touch. So I can only assume that some internal fan was malfunctioning or something. Whatever the case, it's working now so I won't complain.
Edit: I have an SSD now, so temperature isn't as big an issue as it was when I had a mechanical drive.
How do you know this thermal sensor is 100% accurate? Most were estimates. Also are you getting a failure? Error booting? etc.. or just being paranoid about heat? – Jakub – 2011-04-04T18:07:56.467
@Jakub: Well, it was as high as 61℃ yesterday - I'm assuming it's pretty accurate - the portion of the case that covers the hard drive was extremely hot and putting my hand on it led to physical discomfort. – Nathan Osman – 2011-04-04T18:09:18.730
I wouldn't worry... Most drives can easily handle 60c and then some. Your laptop was designed to work a certain way, if anything contact the manufacturer if you have concerns of data loss. – Jakub – 2011-04-04T18:12:09.320
Your latest edit is basically pointless and adds nothing to the question. – Earlz – 2012-09-03T03:33:33.230
1@Earlz: Well technically not... but I was still getting new answers on the question and since I have no way of "trying out" any new suggestions, I thought it would be a good idea to let people know. Of course, that doesn't mean the answers aren't welcome either since lots of other people have similar problems. – Nathan Osman – 2012-09-03T07:18:06.463
Ah, that makes sense – Earlz – 2012-09-03T14:18:16.847