Ubuntu (and OS X?) killing hard drives (or maybe not)

[Whiskey in the Jar-o]

There's a story going around that Ubuntu does not tell the HDD to take it easy with power saving. This results in the HDD constantly moving the heads to the parking zone. There is a limit on how often this can happen. Supposedly this only applies to the latest version, but I have 6.06 and I too have this problem.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/01/ubuntu_laptop_disk_issues/

(Although the last post suggests that it's not as bad as it seems). The fix is here:

http://blog.lynxworks.eu/?p=34

Anyway, I think OS X has the same problem. I've had my Mini for 2.5 years, and had that annoying click-clunk noise from the HDD every 30 seconds when it's idle. The fix is not as trivial as Ubuntu, more in the last post here:

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=5747020#5747020

It's probably much ado about nothing, but at least I no longer have those goddam clikcing noises from my Mini.

[iMav]

It, primarily, has to do with the hdd's firmware settings.  As mentioned in comments off some of the links you posted, Ubuntu (linux) simply offers the ability to see and modify the hdd's settings (and Ubuntu, by default, does not change the hdd's default behavior).

If you read customer feedback on sites such as Newegg, it's easy to pick out which hdd's are "overly aggressive" in their power management...just look for all the comments complaining about clicking!  I simply avoid these laptop drives.  

[Whiskey in the Jar-o]

It, primarily has to do with the hdd's firmware settings.  As mentioned in comments off some of the links you posted, Ubuntu (linux) simply offers the ability to see and modify the hdd's settings (and Ubuntu, by default, does not change the hdd's default behavior).

If you read customer feedback on sites such as Newegg, it's easy to pick out which hdd's are "overly aggressive" in their power management...just look for all the comments complaining about clicking!  I simply avoid these laptop drives.  

But laptops (and computers in general) are like boxes of chocolates... You get the brand of HDD, memory, even LCD panel that they had in stock at the time.

[iMav]

But laptops (and computers in general) are like boxes of chocolates... You get the brand of HDD, memory, even LCD panel that they had in stock at the time.

I always order my laptops with the minimum ram and hdd and upgrade them immediately with third party parts.

[Whiskey in the Jar-o]

But laptops (and computers in general) are like boxes of chocolates... You get the brand of HDD, memory, even LCD panel that they had in stock at the time.

I always order my laptops with the minimum ram and hdd and upgrade them immediately with third party parts.

Good idea! What do you do with the original parts? Does it not work out a fair bit more expensive that way?

[iMav]

Good idea! What do you do with the original parts? Does it not work out a fair bit more expensive that way?

It has always been cheaper for me (ESPECIALLY with Apple's BTO options)...plus you have the original parts to boot.  

I either give them away, put them in other computers I own, or sell them on Ebay.  But if the item I replaced is not "user serviceable", I will keep it around to swap back if I need to bring the system in for warranty repair.

[xsphat]

Mine was cheaper, and I did what iMav did. I bought my MacBook off the shelf and added 2x1 GB RAM sticks and a 160 GB HDD right away. I ended up saving a couple hundred.

The Apple store charges $150 for 2x1 GB RAM sticks for the MacBook, my friend bought his pair of 1 GB sticks at Best Buy last weekend for $70. He payed $80 less for five minutes work and a car ride.