# Two computer questions (hard drives and keyboard)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions-hard-drives-and-keyboard/183588
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 22, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions-hard-drives-and-keyboard/183588 "2003-06-22T16:36:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions-hard-drives-and-keyboard/183588/1 "2003-06-22T16:36:38Z")
I have two questions:
1. Are some hard drives louder than others? I just got mine replaced, the old one was a Maxtor 80 GB, my new one is a Western Digital 120 GB. This new one is louder than my old one, it seems to grind more. Is that normal?
2. My keyboard is working fine, but a frequent shortcut I use - CTRL + PAUSE/BREAK to get to the system properties doesn’t work anymore. This is a Sony keyboard, but even FN+CTRL+PAUSE/BREAK won’t work.
Any advice?
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### Author:  [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions-hard-drives-and-keyboard/183588/2 "2003-06-22T17:16:28Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Boscibo \*
> **1. Are some hard drives louder than others?**
Yes. Most hardware review sites include noise ratings for HDs.
> [@](#):
>
> **2. My keyboard is working fine, but a frequent shortcut I use - CTRL + PAUSE/BREAK to get to the system properties doesn’t work anymore. This is a Sony keyboard, but even FN+CTRL+PAUSE/BREAK won’t work.**
The shortcut is normally Windows-Pause/Break. Was the Ctrl one something you set up?
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### Author:  [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions-hard-drives-and-keyboard/183588/3 "2003-06-23T02:33:12Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Number \*
> **Yes. Most hardware review sites include noise ratings for HDs.**
Thanks, the noise throws me off sometimes, my old hard drive was making a lot of noise (it normally didn’t make much) before it went bad.
> [@](#):
>
> \*\*The shortcut is normally Windows-Pause/Break. Was the Ctrl one something you set up? \*\*
Why did I think it was CTRL? :smack: You are right of course, and it works fine using the Windows key. You’ve helped me out quite a bit lately **Number** , thank you, I really appreciate it.
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### Author:  [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions-hard-drives-and-keyboard/183588/4 "2003-06-23T03:01:11Z")
That’s odd. I have a 120GB WD Caviar. Most of the reviews I read before I bought it mentioned how quiet it was. Personally it’s hard for me to tell, since I have five hard drives in my computer and the damn thing is so loud that it’s hard to tell what noises are coming from where.