Don't rely on fire safe to protect hard drives

By BILL HUSTED

Cox News Service

January 27, 2008

Q:  I am a writer and public relations flak who works from home. I back up my computer using MozyPro, but also to an external hard disk drive. You've written about the latter option, so I know not to leave it plugged in to my computer or the wall when not in use.

My question: For that external hard drive (with my back-ups on it) and the many CDs of info I have for clients, is it safe to put them in a fire-proof home safe? Or will this wreak havoc on the CDs and external hard disk drive? I just worry about being able to retrieve info in case of an emergency. I have had bad luck in the past with online retrieval systems.

—  Drew Plant

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A:  If there is no magnetic material in the safe it would not harm the external hard disk. And the CDs would be safe even if there were.

I sure wouldn't depend on the safe — fire-resistant or not — to protect the hard drive or the CDs from a fire. In a major blaze, temperatures would get so high and it would take so long to retrieve the safe that it's almost certain that your backups would be destroyed.

One thing to consider, when it comes to online backup services. I agree that they can be a bit slow. But if you used your hard disk for a complete backup and then just added current and important projects to an online service, that should move fairly quickly.

Q:  I have a Dell PC that is about a year and a half old. It constantly make a humming, vibrating noise. If I bang the table it sits on in frustration, it stops for a short time, then starts again. What could be causing it? What can I do to silence it?

—  Larry Timonium

A:  It's difficult to be sure, since I can't hear the noise. But the most likely cause is the cooling fan for your computer, or a cooling fan installed on the processor chip. Some video cards also use a cooling fan, so that's another place to check.

The sound and vibration could be an indication that a fan blade is hitting a protective grating or even a wire inside the computer. It could also be a warning that the fan is about to stop working.

It's unlikely to be caused by a hard disk. The usual symptom for a hard disk going bad is a metallic clanking noise. DVD drives with discs in them can also create a vibration and hum. Power supplies going bad can hum, but I haven't run into one yet that created a vibration.

Open the chassis of your computer and pin down the noise source. If you're lucky it'll be the cooling fan, which is easy to replace. If the blade is simply hitting the grating, you may be able to bend the grating out of the way.

Please send your questions to Bill Husted at bhusted@ajc.com. While he reads every e-mail, not all are answered. E-mails are selected for publication based on the likelihood that the answers will be of general interest.