hd-idle not spinning down my Seagate HDD (USB)

leejenson · 04-28-2024, 10:38 AM

Hi,

I have installed hd-idle.

The config file is set as so -

Code:

/etc/default/hd-idle

START_HD_IDLE=true
HD_IDLE_OPTS="-i 60 -a /plexmedia/media3 -l /Home/Downloads/hd-idle.log"

The 60 seconds is just a test. But it's not spinning down my Barracuda Seagate 3TB HDD.

The log does not write a file either.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Lee

lvm_ · 04-28-2024, 11:22 AM

Many USB disks don't support power management. What does hdparm -I says about it?

leejenson · 04-28-2024, 12:25 PM

Hi,

It's an internal HDD placed in an USB enclosure.

Code:

plex@Mini-PC:~$ sudo hdparm -i /dev/sdd
/dev/sdd:
 HDIO_GET_IDENTITY failed: Invalid argument
plex@Mini-PC:~$

Lee

lvm_ · 04-30-2024, 12:50 AM

Oh well, this one supports nothing at all. I am afraid if you want idle spin-down you have to find another enclosure, and that's not very easy because vendors tend not to advertise shortcomings of their products.

replica9000 · 04-30-2024, 05:38 AM

When you use an internal HDD in a USB enclosure, you might need to tell the program you're using to use a different method to get/modify a function.

For example, smartctl -a might work fine on your internal HDD connected to a SATA port, but with a USB enclosure, you'll have to add the -d <type> flag to specify it's a USB device.

I don't recall if hdparm has a similar option. hdparm does work on my WD Passport USB HDDs without needing to specify a device type though.

leejenson · 05-01-2024, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lvm_

Oh well, this one supports nothing at all. I am afraid if you want idle spin-down you have to find another enclosure, and that's not very easy because vendors tend not to advertise shortcomings of their products.

I've just realized my other Seagate drive in a different USB external enclosure spins down. It's a Dynamode enclosure rather than Icybox.

I'll do some more testing. Might just get another Dynamode.

Thanks, Lee

leejenson · 05-01-2024, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by replica9000

When you use an internal HDD in a USB enclosure, you might need to tell the program you're using to use a different method to get/modify a function.

For example, smartctl -a might work fine on your internal HDD connected to a SATA port, but with a USB enclosure, you'll have to add the -d <type> flag to specify it's a USB device.

I don't recall if hdparm has a similar option. hdparm does work on my WD Passport USB HDDs without needing to specify a device type though.

Hi, I will try smartct

Thanks, Lee