Harddrive temp in a laptop - higher than desktop?

[Secrom]

Ok so I got this refurbished lappy from a friend who wasn't using it anymore.
The HDD is a 20GB Hitachi DK23DA (full specs here (PDF))
The above document states the maximum working temp as being 55C, and if I got it right, that should correspond to a sensor output of 62C.
Well I get iddle readings of about 52-53C, climbing up close to 62C under heavy load (such as OS upgrades). After inspection, it seems there is absolutely no cooling device remotely close to the drive.
Since it's my first laptop, I'm kind of confused: is this common practice? Should I worry?

[jimbo1763]

Cooling on a laptop is not great. Everything is so compressed in the case, there is just not much way for air to circulate. Cooling the processor is about as good as it gets.

In my experience, though, the drives don't get too hot. That is a 4200 rpm HDD you have there, and heat is not generally a big issue for those. And frankly, there is not that much you can do about it anyway.

Keep everything backed up in case the drive fails and you need to get a new one, and enjoy it!

[DanceMan]

And when it fails, like all drives do eventually, check SPCR's laptop drive tests and recommendations looking for the drives with the lowest heat and electrical draw. SPCR tests those and leaves the speed tests to Storage Review. I never check the speed tests. How fast is a dead drive anyway?

[Secrom]

I'm going to start looking into cooling "docks" (if you have recommendations, feel free...). Maybe one of those Zalman, or some kind of passive fabric a local retail store is advertising.