Does the room temperature matter for a hard drive?

Yes. A computer in general should not be stored at temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and max at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. These temperatures should be at room ambient temperatures. There is a whole range of reasons for this. The main one is the silicon tolerances on the circuit boards. Big mistakes owners make are placing there systems near heat vents or using a system in cold weather (without it warming up). This includes turning a machine on after it has been stored in the cold winter months or dog days of summer outside. Laptops are victims of this kind of abuse most the time. (Return to FAQ page)