How can I make a HDD shut down automatically if it is not being used?

Linux@lemmy.ml – 10 points – 1 years ago

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.

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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:

Values from 1 to 240 specify timeouts from 5 seconds to 20 minutes in 5 second increments. Values from 241 to 251 specify timeouts from 30 minutes to 330 minutes in 30 minute increments. Value 252 specifies 21 minutes. Value 253 specifies a vendor specific time between 8 and 12 hours. Value 255 specifies 21 minutes and 15 seconds.

Value 252 specifies 21 minutes.

That's interestingly specific. Any idea why?

252 * 5 sec = 1260 sec or 21 min. I wonder what 254 does...

@Revan343 @Unimeron
The ATA specification takes the values that way. https://people.freebsd.org/\~imp/asiabsdcon2015/works/d2161r5-ATAATAPI\_Command\_Set\_-\_3.pdf

I tried it and it does not seem to work unfortunately, at this point I think my HDD does not support the function to enter standby, although in Windows it does.

Did reformat the drive recently to ext4? there's a background process running that's doing deferred stuff which keeps the drive busy. try to unmount the drive to ensure it's idle.