QOTW:Do you still use mechanical storage?

[HEXUS]

And if you do, is it a case of size versus cost?

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[Gentle Viking]

I do indeed, a 4TB solid state hard drive are far too expensive, and the stuff i put on the spinning disks is not something i need to access fast or often.

I have a SSD for working surface so to say, when i am done working with things they go to the spinning drive.

OS and Programs often used are on NVMe drive.

[lon3wolf2002]

I have a few TB's of platter/mechanical drives as storage (external), I use a mix of NVme (OS as only 256 GB), SSD (500GB games), platter drive (1TB for media) and a 2 TB hybrid drive (games) in my PC.

[lon3wolf2002]

Just to add to my comment above, cost is one factor (but prices are really starting to come down) and what i have serves me well at the moment.

[ik9000]

yes I have two filing cabinets and some pallet racking in the garage

[azrael-]

QOTW: Do you still use mechanical storage?

You mean "mechanical storage" like closets and drawers? Sure do...

Joking aside, of course I still use mechanical hard disk drives. Not only is the price per gigabyte still vastly better than for SSDs, but I don't really trust the data retention time of SSDs in the long run. Especially unpowered (archival storage) and considering that manufacturers seem adamant to press on with technologies likes QLC and PLC.

[Friesiansam]

No, I don't have huge storage needs so am SSD only and have been for 2 years now.

[MrJim]

Yes - my primary storage is SSD, but I also have a 3TB Toshiba HDD for storing stuff where access times & speed aren't important.

[EvilCycle]

Yes I have a couple of old HDDs still in my rig for file storage (and some apps that load fast enough either way). My OS, games and more demanding apps all go on the SDDs though.

[Gentle Viking]

I forgot to say, if anyone would make a bloody game worth playing, i would put that on my SSD too.

But it dont seem i need to get exited on that parameter, they just make flashy garbage now.

Also in regard to life span, i have had several more spinners die on me than SSD where i just had 1 die on me.
I have even had spinning drives not connect but just lying in secure storage die on me while they lay there collecting dust.

[ik9000]

I have even had spinning drives not connect but just lying in secure storage die on me while they lay there collecting dust.

some bearings actually need regular use to self lubricate. You'd think the drive would have a way of logging when it last run and adjusting spin-up to compensate though.

[nar53]

I use a pair of 4TB in raid for my music & photo's + 1.5gb of SSD's for all else.

[kalniel]

is it a case of size versus cost?

These questions shouldn't be asked on a family forum..

some bearings actually need regular use to self lubricate.

Stop it!

[ik9000]

These questions shouldn't be asked on a family forum..


Stop it!

they do. Whether that's the kind in use on HDD however... I doubt it, but things can sieze given enough time. It would mean the build quality has some questions for a sealed unit though.

I once had a floppy sieze. Took the thing apart (it was dead anyway right) and there was some grit in the middle. CAuse or effect? not sure, but my money is on cause.

[excalibur1814]

I do, as I prefer to own and KEEP my media, instead of throwing away cash each month and owning nothing. 3x10tb, 1x 8tb and 1x6tb. 2x 8tb backup.

That's on my file server. The price of large ssds is still absolutely stupid for what you get and the evil companies have increased the cost of storage... because they can.

[alpha channel]

Yep, like others I'm not entirely trustful of SSD tech for files That I can't afford to lose (namely stuff that I've created for myself and clients and thus can't replicate) even though I've had more spinners go belly up (one) than SSD's (even my first SSD, a GSkill Falcon 2, is still plugging along). I do have two NVMe's, the faster of the two for OS and key creative apps and another for games/lesser used software (Office) and a 240GB SSD as a cache drive (it was going spare) for the likes of Creative Cloud.

At least, at the most desperate point, I know I can run a spinner through a data recovery scan and get something out of it, (there's two 2TB drives that are mirrored... and I got them free so an even better £ to GB cost).