I recently installed Windows in dual boot with Linux (on two different SSDs) and I noticed that Windows automatically "shuts down" or stops the HDD if it is not being used.
I have a HDD (WD) connected by SATA cable where I usually keep my games. The HDD is not always in use but it is always constantly running and honestly the noise it makes is quite noticeable. I'm sure I don't have any program in the background using it constantly.
I have already tried to solve this problem using hdparm and hd-idle and although in theory they work I still hear the noise from the HDD.
15 Comments
bobthecowboy@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 3y
You may want to research this some more. Spinning the drive up and down adds wear on the mechanical parts, and will lead to the drive failing a lot sooner.
Maybe you're okay with that tradeoff, just thought you should at least be aware of it.
Unimeron@feddit.de · 5 pts · 3y
Checkout smartctl. You can either force shutdown immediately or after some idle time. Command is something like this:
smartctl -n -s standby,VALUE /dev/sda with value either "now" or something between 0 and 255. From the manpage:
Revan343@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 3y
That's interestingly specific. Any idea why?
jared@uninspired.dev · 3 pts · 3y
@Revan343 @Unimeron
The ATA specification takes the values that way. https://people.freebsd.org/~imp/asiabsdcon2015/works/d2161r5-ATAATAPI_Command_Set_-_3.pdf
pressanykeynow@iusearchlinux.fyi · 3 pts · 3y
252 * 5 sec = 1260 sec or 21 min. I wonder what 254 does...
shmanio@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 3y
Also, why is 255 21 minutes and 15 seconds? And why is there no 254?
d3Xt3r@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 3y
If your only concern is noise (and not saving power), then the easiest solution is to just sound-proof your case - install some foam pads or something to dampen the noise. Check out https://www.quietpc.com/acousticmaterials to get an idea of what's out there and what you can use, but even simple random foam that you'd get in parcels would work to start off with.
ripreddit@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 3y
Hdparm has 2 -(Yy) flags that should work for you
Xirup@lemmy.one · 0 pts · 3y
In fact I tried it and it did work, and I could create a script that does it automatically, the only problem is that how can I make the script detect that there are no processes that depend on the HDD?
ripreddit@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 3y
If that's your goal I would set the apm on the disk so it spins down quickly when not active.
hdparm -B 50 -S 30 /dev/disk
Riktastic@laguna.chat · 2 pts · 3y
A HDD shouldn't make so much noise. I have a NAS with 4 drives, it produces almost no noise. I think that you have to check the SMART values of your drive. Just to make sure that your drive is not dying.
lka1988@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 3y
I think the fan in my Sabrent 4-bay drive enclosure is louder than the hard drives themselves.
gmg@beehaw.org · 2 pts · 3y
The
hdparm -Band-Soptions should allow you to have your drive automatically spin-down when inactive, but they don't work on all dives (eg. my NAS has two shucked WD white that seem to just ignore those settings). If those fail, you could schedule ahdparm -yto spin down the drive periodically.Make sure to read
man hdparmas there are some dangerous options.PS: there's also https://github.com/adelolmo/hd-idle - I've not tried it out yet, but it seems promising
elmicha@feddit.de · 1 pts · 3y
Maybe you can unmount the HDD, then no process can access it and hd-idle could work.
Xirup@lemmy.one · 1 pts · 3y
I tried it and it didn't work... Thanks for the idea actually, I hadn't thought about it.