Running a laptop while on the road?

[Zambini]

Is it possible to run a laptop (I'm specifically worried about running the hard drive) while you are driving on the road?

Not actually using the laptop, but say I wanted to attach a USB camera to my passenger's seat head and drive around with it to get some footage of traffic, a car, etc, all the while using my laptop to record the data.

How would I go about doing that without practically blowing up my laptop from vibration damage? Is it possible or do you need to set it up to some suspension rig that uses anti-matter gravity stabilization devices that only NASA and the KGB know about?

[Yellowhello]

If you bring a pillow and set the laptop on it, that might work!

[Pete]

I run the laptop and drive when I tune my car. No ill effects so far.

[garetjax]

I think your hard drive will be perfectly fine to be honest. If the notebook is of the newer type, today's hard drives have features built into them that reduce vibration and other side effects when they are in motion. Features such as small containers filled with BB's help immensely to reduce vibration.

Also worth considering, is that the hard drive is integral to the notebook itself. The hard drive component is not moving on its own since it is attached to a larger component, the actual laptop. Most of the vibration, I would assume, is being absorbed by the actual case/enclosure of the notebook, while the rest is displaced equally among all other internal parts of the notebook.

No, I think you will be fine. But like Yello mentioned, using something to further asborb road vibration like a pillow wouldn't be a bad idea either.

[Lead Head]

I wouldn't see any problem with that. I've used my older Compaq Armada laptop many times before in a car. Seagate claims a max of 68Gs operating shock for their HDs, and I think you'll have some other problems if you experience 68Gs of force within your car

[Zambini]

Maybe I can ghetto-rig a cardboard slab or box with a pillow and some fans to allow airflow and just toss (not literally) my laptop into the area between the front passenger and back seat.

I have a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo btw.


I think I'll do this tomorrow (Happy 4th!) and post the picture somewheres.

Its about time I found a good use for all my webspace (besides hosting Joffeepublish and some clans )

[Carl Martin]

Just be careful that the pillows don't impede airflow. Keeping it out of the sun - on the floor? - might not be a bad idea.

[[Dr. V]]

A pillow is definitely not a good idea. Why does a laptop have rubber feet (other than to make it a bit more stable)? Airflow. Air has to be able to travel freely under the machine where most of the air holes are, along with a few on the side/back. If there are any fans, then they'd most likely be on the bottom or back. Either way, it's extremely important that the bottom be left open enough for at least some air to get through, in and around it. Don't use a pillow.

And to answer the question, I would be 100% confident. As aforementioned by LH, hard drives can handly an unworldly amount of g-forces, a figure no regular car will even come close to enduring.

[Dread]

I used to wardrive all the time with my laptop (not steal bandwidth, just record trends in wireless spots around town), no problems whatsoever.

[Zambini]

That's what the cardboard slab is for, to go directly under the lappy386, and then the pillow under that.

But if i don't even need the pillow i see no purpose in doing so.

Just otta curiosity, how many AA batteries does it take to power 2 80mm fans? Or would it be better to get a fatty 6v brick of a battery.
I doubt I'll make one. Just wondering.

I'll record my trip to my friend's house (about 4-7 miles away, not that long of a drive) and back, today. Although on the way back it might be dark.