Reliability[edit]

All things fail. HDDs are among the most reliable components of computers with specified Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) for almost every drive currently in the range of 300,000 to 1.2 million hours (with the range improving every few years).^[1] HDD MTBF specifications typically exceed those of other components of computer systems such as LCD displays (<100,000 hours ),^[2] and power supplies (100,000 hours).

HDDs also have published shock and vibration specifications,^[3] which are noticeably absent for other components such as LCD displays and fans. It is often joked in the HDD industry that the only real shock and vibration specification is that it be better than that of the LCD display.

Metrics[edit]

Failure Modes[edit]

Examples[edit]

Recovery from Failures[edit]

^ Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), PC Guide
^ Displays for Industrial Applications Toshiba Corp., 2011
^ see e.g., Optimizing Storage for Extreme Environments— EE25.2 Series™ Hard Drives, Flash Solid-State Drives and Standard 2.5-Inch Hard Drives, Seagate Corp., 2007

[1] Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), PC Guide

[2] Displays for Industrial Applications Toshiba Corp., 2011

[3] see e.g., Optimizing Storage for Extreme Environments— EE25.2 Series™ Hard Drives, Flash Solid-State Drives and Standard 2.5-Inch Hard Drives, Seagate Corp., 2007

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[2]

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