Longest time a CarPC has been installed

Sponge · 02-02-2008, 04:48 PM

I want to build and install a CarPC. The only thing that keeps me from doing so is that I think driving the car on rough streets will take its toll on the hard drive, making it fail in a few months or so. A perpendicular-mounted hard drive will help but side to side vibrations will have the same effect on the HD heads. So my question: How long have you had you CarPC installed and any issues to date.

Thanks

T_K · 02-02-2008, 05:21 PM

Get a 7200rpm 2.5in notebook hard drive, its meant to handle a little more abuse than 3.5in desktop counterparts. If price was no object you could get a Solid State Disk. If you don't plan on a CarPC form factor and case, meaning using desktop PC components and cases, you could suspend the hard drive via rubber bands or some sort of elastic so its floating.

TK

Icey · 02-02-2008, 07:44 PM

http://www.mp3car.com/

farobaba · 08-27-2008, 07:19 PM

i've had mine up and running for over a year now, no problems with the HDD or any other components. I just got the new Intel Atom with the Intel motherboard and a few other goodies. Go for it if you haven't so far.

Spike100 · 08-27-2008, 08:00 PM

As Icey points out, your best source and where to ask this question is www.mp3car.com. Whenever asking a question here though, be sure to search thoroughly. The guys on www.mp3car.com have no mercy.

I can tell you from personal experience that when building a CarPC, you must use components that are as at least as robust as what is inside a laptop computer. Anything less than this will fail quickly if your car is exposed to temperature extremes or normal “car-jostling.”

Something else… Even if it works fairly well, you can hardly resist the temptation to update your CarPC’s software and hardware. It’s a continual updating process. It becomes an addictive hobby.

--Spike

Mikey-Z · 08-27-2008, 08:08 PM

Mine is at least 2 years... probably close to 2 1/2-3. Same install, hard drive is installed vertically.

Spike100 · 08-27-2008, 08:51 PM

^^ Most likely my failure with a CarPC was due to the weather in Minnesota (minus 25 degrees F is not unusual in the winter, and the car’s interior can go to 125 degrees F in the summer). Wide temperature swings happen in the spring and fall here, and that results in significant condensation (which is very bad for electronic components).

It’s the temperature extremes that kill the device; a vertical mount won’t make any difference in this hostile environment.

I experienced constant failures due to extreme temperatures and condensation inside the car's interior. The solution was simply using a laptop.

--Spike

MDK · 08-28-2008, 03:11 PM

I've had mine in for well over a year. Horizontally mounted 250GB 3.5" hard drive. The car was in storage over winter however.

The only thing I've noticed is on cold days in the fall the drive doesn't like to start right up sometimes, but it usually just takes a restart to get it working.

I just used a standard 3.5" drive because I have 3 or so sitting around. If one does eventually fail it'll cost me nothing to replace.

02-02-2008, 04:48 PM	#1
Sponge Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: OC, CA Posts: 369 iTrader: (4)	Longest time a CarPC has been installed I want to build and install a CarPC. The only thing that keeps me from doing so is that I think driving the car on rough streets will take its toll on the hard drive, making it fail in a few months or so. A perpendicular-mounted hard drive will help but side to side vibrations will have the same effect on the HD heads. So my question: How long have you had you CarPC installed and any issues to date. Thanks __________________ All N/A...and some sways

08-27-2008, 07:19 PM	#4
farobaba Pimpin' Aint EZ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Marydel, MD Posts: 374 iTrader: (8)	i've had mine up and running for over a year now, no problems with the HDD or any other components. I just got the new Intel Atom with the Intel motherboard and a few other goodies. Go for it if you haven't so far. __________________ '06 LeMans Sunset , Nismo V2 CAI , XO2 Exhaust, Carputer, S2K Antenna, Looking for a good deal on BBK and TT

02-02-2008, 05:21 PM	#2
T_K Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 387 iTrader: (1)	Get a 7200rpm 2.5in notebook hard drive, its meant to handle a little more abuse than 3.5in desktop counterparts. If price was no object you could get a Solid State Disk. If you don't plan on a CarPC form factor and case, meaning using desktop PC components and cases, you could suspend the hard drive via rubber bands or some sort of elastic so its floating. TK

02-02-2008, 07:44 PM	#3
Icey Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 18 iTrader: (0)	http://www.mp3car.com/

08-27-2008, 08:00 PM	#5
Spike100 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Frostbite Falls Posts: 2,695 iTrader: (0)	As Icey points out, your best source and where to ask this question is www.mp3car.com. Whenever asking a question here though, be sure to search thoroughly. The guys on www.mp3car.com have no mercy. I can tell you from personal experience that when building a CarPC, you must use components that are as at least as robust as what is inside a laptop computer. Anything less than this will fail quickly if your car is exposed to temperature extremes or normal “car-jostling.” Something else… Even if it works fairly well, you can hardly resist the temptation to update your CarPC’s software and hardware. It’s a continual updating process. It becomes an addictive hobby. --Spike

08-27-2008, 08:08 PM	#6
Mikey-Z Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 265 iTrader: (2)	Mine is at least 2 years... probably close to 2 1/2-3. Same install, hard drive is installed vertically.

08-27-2008, 08:51 PM	#7
Spike100 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Frostbite Falls Posts: 2,695 iTrader: (0)	^^ Most likely my failure with a CarPC was due to the weather in Minnesota (minus 25 degrees F is not unusual in the winter, and the car’s interior can go to 125 degrees F in the summer). Wide temperature swings happen in the spring and fall here, and that results in significant condensation (which is very bad for electronic components). It’s the temperature extremes that kill the device; a vertical mount won’t make any difference in this hostile environment. I experienced constant failures due to extreme temperatures and condensation inside the car's interior. The solution was simply using a laptop. --Spike

08-28-2008, 03:11 PM	#8
MDK Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 93 iTrader: (2)	I've had mine in for well over a year. Horizontally mounted 250GB 3.5" hard drive. The car was in storage over winter however. The only thing I've noticed is on cold days in the fall the drive doesn't like to start right up sometimes, but it usually just takes a restart to get it working. I just used a standard 3.5" drive because I have 3 or so sitting around. If one does eventually fail it'll cost me nothing to replace.