"I will just keep using this drive as long as it lasts" At home this is my rule usually.

Thank you for solution and update.

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I have some 15Krpm SCSI drives in an old Sun drive cabinet and a couple of older systems that still boot from a pair of 10Krpm drives in a RAID1 setup. They do work harder if by "work" you mean heating up the air around them (never touch a 15Krpm drive until it's cooled off)... and work harder at running up the power bill (though less than the Ultra60 they used to be connected to did). Those spindles are well over 10 years old and I have no doubt they'll last even if I drag my feet completing the project they're being used for. They drives in that Sun cabinet make a fast RAID5 device but I won't miss their "singing".

On the other extreme of the bathtub curve, I've had SATA drives that didn't last until the end of the weekend when they were installed.

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Folks this thread does not need to be a detailed drive motor RPM discussion.

The OP has already stated their conclusion.

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^ Let the children play, rtmistler. You also like to indulge sometimes.

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