[mythtv-users] warning for anyone with western digital green drives

[Michael T. Dean]

On 01/05/2012 03:37 PM, Kris B. wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 5, 2012, at 02:57 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>> Note, also, the best fix for the issue is to fix your system to not
>> abuse the file system--i.e. configure your system to use it
>> appropriately.  After all, if you actually let the drive idle, rather
>> than waking it every 10-30s, it will spend a majority of its time at
>> idle 3 power usage (0.7W) versus 3.3W at idle and 5.3W for read/write.
>> (Numbers based of WD20EARS -
>> http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=120 ).
>> So, it's quite possible that changing the idle 3 timeout will invalidate
>> your warranty.
>>
>> That said, it /is/ important that anyone with a WD Green configure their
>> system to use the file system properly.  Again, see
>> http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5357 for some
>> suggestions, but there are a lot more out there when you search on "low
>> power linux" or "laptop mode linux" or similar.  Oh, and note, also,
>> that having only MythTV recordings on the drive may "solve" the issue
>> for you, too (assuming MythTV recording file writes are<8s apart, and,
>> IME, they seem to be).
> Thanks for posting this, Mike.  My green drive is a mythtv or storage
> drive, only - and I was concerned... looks like I don't have to worry :)

Well, you shouldn't have to worry about MythTV--but who knows what your 
distro may be doing.  :)

I'd say it's worth checking your current value, as Ron mentioned (the 
count reported by the tools is correct, it's only the max that's 
incorrect/incorrectly-interpreted) and comparing it to how long you've 
been using the drive to see if you should do more.

Mike