Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!uwvax!tank!eecae!cps3xx!usenet
From: usenet@cps3xx.UUCP (Usenet file owner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Virtual Memory and hard disk life
Summary: One hard drive motor is always on
Keywords: Virtual Memory
Message-ID: <3251@cps3xx.UUCP>
Date: 2 Jun 89 16:51:15 GMT
References: <13548@ut-emx.UUCP> <2872@cadre.dsl.PITTSBURGH.EDU> <10954@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU>
Reply-To: rang@cpsin3.cps.msu.edu (Anton Rang)
Organization: Michigan State University, Computer Science Dept.
Lines: 17

In article <10954@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU> flatmas@ladder.CS.ORST.EDU
(Scott Timothy Flatman) writes:
  [ Gray Watson notes that virtual memory drivers don't increase bearing
    and drive-motor wear ]

>What?! How can this be true? Virtual memory has to constantly switch pages in
>and out of memory.In order to accoplish this the motor has to be on!  This means
>more wear and tear on the motor and bearings.

  The motor on a hard drive is always running (unlike a floppy drive).
The only increased wear, as far as I can see, would be to the stepper
motor and related parts (which move the head back and forth).

+---------------------------+------------------------+
| Anton Rang (grad student) | "VMS Forever!"         |
| Michigan State University | rang@cpswh.cps.msu.edu |
+---------------------------+------------------------+