Notebook's HDD in a trembling train

Greetings to you all.

I'm pondering upon the purchase of a new notebook which I would be using on the train and I worry about the effects the vibrations and bumps will have on my computer.

Back when I was in school (the time of bulky desktops) I was taught never to even move a device with a spinning HD. This is why I often watch in horror as people casually use their regular laptops on the train or bus, because as far as I know they might be damaging their fragile hard drives.

Now, there are all sorts of shock protections and all available but if I've understood correctly they're more directed at countering the accidentally falling laptop rather than the mostly-steady vibration of a public transport vehicle.
Therefore I'd like to know how does the tremor of a train effect my notebook - if it effects it at all - and what kind of hard drives and other hardware I should consider to be able to use my computer on the train without worries?


(I know SSD or those extra-rugged laptops would be the easiest solution but unfortunately they're priced beyond my current resources.)

 

No need to worry at all. Current HDDs are resilient to small vibrations of vehicles.


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2.5" notebook hard drives will be able to handle those small bumps without issue. Hard drives in general have come a long way in terms of operational durability, although it is still a very good precaution to very carefully move anything that has a spinning hard drive (especially true with 3.5" external hard drives, which are not as durable).

In short, do not worry about using your laptop on a train or bus. If you are still worried, get a hard drive that has an active protection system - that is, in case it detects an imminent drop, it will park the drive head - these drives are not much more expensive than their counterparts that lack this feature. Thinkpads have that feature built in, so a special hard disk is not necessary.

 

A lot of new hard drives have motion sensors that automatically lock the needle off the platter if it detects motion that would otherwise damage the drive. And 2.5" notebook drives are pretty resilient to begin with.

If you're really concerned, you should try an SSD. A little more expensive for less space, but the good ones are wicked fast, and there are no moving parts, so these drives are extremely resilient to motion.

 

24 SSD driver`s on 1 desktop

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You don't have to worry.

But those harddrives with the Motion or Shocksensor don't reduce those little shocks. They just park the head if they detect a huge impact, like free fall a few inches, placing it very hard on a desk. This does nothing have to do with the shocks you've mentioned.

Little shocks, movements, ... as they occur in a train don't harm the HDD.
2.5" hard drives are build to withstand such small 'impacts'.
I use my notebook in the train almost daily and the HDD still works fine. I also often walk with my notebook while it's turned on and the HDD is spinning, no problems either.
Else, when the HDD is turned off you can do even more with them. I also run almost daily to my train with my notebook in sleep mode in my shoulder bag, no problem.

 

It will be fine, have used several laptops on the hig speed trains here (and including portable hard drives) - no issues after years of use. The Hi-speed train here even offers internet connections for the passengers...

 

Many thanks for your reassuring words. This issue became current as my wife is forced to move some 140 miles after her work and both of us will therefore become frequent passangers on the bumby "express" train.

But indeed you delivered mighty good news. Thanks!

 

I use mine on a train regularly, its within the shock and vibration specs.

I wouldnt suggest you use it on a car though.

SSD solves this problems since there are no moving mechanical parts.

 

Well HP laptop have HP smart protect which helps to absorb shocks etc so u can use a regular SATA hardrive in a train etc. BTW that was one awesome video!!!!