DC++ is quite slow...not the biggest problem for me. Bittorrent is! Should I get a new HDD or not??? But my major reason is quietness...
Give the seagate/samsung HDD a try, or a dvd burner for backing up data on the existing HDD. There's only a marginal noise difference between the samsung and seagate i have. Seagate is quieter when idle although its seeking is marginally noisier than samsung (and that's if i place my ear by the case). Personally I still prefer the seagate for noise performance, but the samsung HDD is about AUS15 cheaper here, so price can be a factor too.
According to here and here, http://www.silentpcreview.com/article152-page3.html http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/samsung-spinpoint-p80_2.html The Samsung is about as quiet as Seagate when idle, and seek is significantly quieter.
My HDD is on top of the case (opened), I use quiet fans or I run them at 7V. I wouldn't say it's a loud HDD, just moderately loud.
Both seagate and samsung are very quiet, much quiter than a western digital. Usually their noise are drowned by other components (fans, psu etc). My noise comparison was made then when i was choosing one for my xbox. I needed a quiter HDD for it and after some comparisons, I reached the conclusion as stated in my previous post. It was easier to test the HDDs on my xbox than my PC since the only noise emmitting from the xbox would be the HDD and its 80mm fan (which i disabled then). Note that this is only a subjective test since i didnt measure the sound precisely. Factor in some noise from other components in a typical PC, I would say that both would be quiet enough to worry bout noise emmitted by them.
What models did you compare with? Because noise differs from models. Barracuda IV/V are the quietest 7200 rpm drives. 7200.7 has pretty good idling noise, slightly noisier at seek. Samsung P80 series seems to be very quiet at both idle and seek noise. Older Samsung drives are noisier.
Interesting. I'm planning to get the SpinPoint SP1614N or SP1614C, different interface. Can't decide yet, whether to go for PATA or SATA. I've also read that Samsung using JVC motors are noisier than the Nidec motors.
Yeah, most ppl think that nidecs do not whine as loud as the JVCs. Read somewhere that the ones manufactured in March 2004 are the worst.
I will probably get SP1614N for its performance and noise, noise is still my priority, especially idle noise! I hate whining noise!
-+-------------------------------------------------------+- Working with Seagate for a long time and even the 2GB WideSCSI Barracuda from 1995 (paired up with a Barracuda 18GB in my server) is still less noisier than any state-of-the-art HDD from fe. Maxtor, WD or IBM. And, fast at the same time. -+-------------------------------------------------------+- "Underground will live forever baby ..."
