magic number?

[FragFighter]

I have one very dead fan in my computer, which is why I have an external one that keeps the machine cool. I also have SpeedFan, which measures the temperatures of both the harddrive and the CPU. I'm wondering if there's a magic number that the harddrive shouldn't go over (I'm worried about overheating, and I should be - I've cooked two harddrives with the fan not working properly)
We're talking about a laptop here, so I don't know if it's different from a desktop. I've read that 45 degrees C is the most you want to try, but also that standard harddrives are rated for up to 55 degrees C.
Any other advice? I am looking at replacing the actual fan in the laptop itself, but I don't know what I'll do yet...

[lurk]

Just checked my HDD and its 49oC
been like this for days I guess, nothing has happened.

[jermaghs07]

Is your laptop stationary most of the time? if so you might look into a cooling pad. it is just a plastic thing with some fans in it that your laptop sits on and i cools very efficiently.

I think the laptop hdd has a lower temperature than the big desktop hdd's

[FragFighter]

Is your laptop stationary most of the time? if so you might look into a cooling pad. it is just a plastic thing with some fans in it that your laptop sits on and i cools very efficiently.

I think the laptop hdd has a lower temperature than the big desktop hdd's

I have this gimpy home-made cooling pad with one fan that sits directly below where the fan (if it worked) would take in air. I'm just wondering if this is enough, or if I need to bring out the "big guns" and get a couple more fans for it...
28oC at boot up, 34oC in idle, and I've gone up to 42oC (I shut the computer down when it reached that temperature)

[jermaghs07]

42 C should be fine i think 49C is the max operating temp for laptop hdds.

you can pick up a pretty decent cooling pad at walmart for about $20 and they work great.

[lurk]

@jermaghs07

Yeah Ive seen them in shops. My local shop had a pretty slim one for just about $25

@FragFighter

Thanks for the info, very useful! Im now really thinking about buying this kind of cooling system because its not that expensive but does good job.

[FragFighter]

Thanks guys, I will probably get a cooling pad, and continue to monitor the temperature, although I'm not so worried about it now :)

[jermaghs07]

Im glad we can help.... good luck in your endeavor.
Just make sure you back everything up before you melt another hdd...