[mythtv-users] Spin down drives

[Mark Lord]

On 11-05-12 03:08 AM, Josu Lazkano wrote:
> 2011/5/12 Mark Lord <mythtv at rtr.ca>:
>>
>> hdparm is still the software on Linux for stuff like this.
>>
>> But.. if that 2TB drive is a WD "Green" drive,
>> then it might ignore the spindown commands.
>> Gotta love WD.  :)
>>
> 
> Hello, this is the disk info:
> 
> # hdparm -I /dev/sdb
..
> ATA device, with non-removable media
> 	Model Number:       WDC WD20EARS-00MVWB0
..

Yes, that is a WD "Green" drive.

The regular "hdparm -S" timed-spindown will not normally work
with that drive --> the drive accepts but ignores the command.

WD invented their own flavour of power management for their "Green" series.
In order for the ATA standard stuff to work, one must first disable the
WD version, by using the WDIDLE3.EXE program to completely turn "WDIDLE3" off.

Once that is done, the drive begins to pay more attention to the regular
and advanced power management commands from the (S)ATA standards.

Cheers