HOWTO: Decrease disk activity

[sdennie]

It also works after reboot if the settings are placed in /etc/hdparm.conf , but the settings do not survive a resume.

Does anyone know how to get hdparm settings to survive a suspend/resume?


PB.

Yes. Something like this should work:

#!/bin/bash

. /usr/lib/pm-utils/functions

case "$1" in
    thaw|resume)
    # Your hdparm settings here
    ;;
esac

exit

Name the file like 99hdparm and install it with:

sudo install 99hdparm /etc/pm/sleep.d

That will run via pm-utils every time you resume.

Edit:
This is for Hardy only

[PeterBBB]

... Something like this should work:

It does. Thanks.

PB

[socref]

Interesting. Will this cure the problem so many people complain about (myself included as recently as Feisty)--viz. constant disk accessing/flickering hard drive light even when idle?

I just spoke with Dell Ubuntu support regarding this problem of the constantly flickering H/D light (Ubuntu 7.10 on desktop). I was told that it is normal, and that I should worry only if the H/D light does NOT constantly flicker!

When I asked if the constantly flickering H/D light meant extra wear-and-tear on the H/D disk and/or other H/D components I was told that the flickering light does not necessarily mean that the disk is spinning or being accessed.

Opinions?
socref

[sdennie]

I just spoke with Dell Ubuntu support regarding this problem of the constantly flickering H/D light (Ubuntu 7.10 on desktop). I was told that it is normal, and that I should worry only if the H/D light does NOT constantly flicker!

When I asked if the constantly flickering H/D light meant extra wear-and-tear on the H/D disk and/or other H/D components I was told that the flickering light does not necessarily mean that the disk is spinning or being accessed.

Opinions?
socref

I don't have a Dell desktop but, on my Dell laptop, after using something like this guide, the hard drive rarely blinks. I can't imagine that Dell would release a product that would have a constantly flashing disk light for no apparent reason.

[waapwoop1]

How strange. You're right in that this doesn't work in Hardy (but works in Gutsy). I think something in Hardy is resetting these values but, I'll test it manually setting them with /etc/rc.local and update the HOWTO. Thanks.

Hi, mine doesn't survive a reboot either. Can you help me. I'm not sure what to do with /etc/rc.local

I get centisecs as 500 on reboot, etc. Thanks in advance

[sdennie]

Hi, mine doesn't survive a reboot either. Can you help me. I'm not sure what to do with /etc/rc.local

I get centisecs as 500 on reboot, etc. Thanks in advance

If you are using Hardy, make sure you run this line or pm-utils will override your settings:

sudo chmod -x /usr/lib/pm-utils/power.d/laptop-tools

[waapwoop1]

i ran that line, i've tried it a few times.

still the same thing after reboot.

[waapwoop1]

can i somehow make sudo sysctl -p run at login? if so, how do i do that. Everytime i reboot and i type that i get the centisecs at what i said, not 500 as default

[sdennie]

can i somehow make sudo sysctl -p run at login? if so, how do i do that. Everytime i reboot and i type that i get the centisecs at what i said, not 500 as default

I'm not sure what would be causing the settings to reset. pm-utils can cause them to reset but, if you are sure you've disabled the part of pm-utils that does this, I'm not sure what else would cause this problem unless you've installed some other piece of software that is doing it (or enabled laptop-mode?)

[chavanak]

Hi there I have applied the ugly fix for my hp laptop so that it does not spiup and down frequently. Now my problem is that the hdd temperature is clocking around 45 deg (max of 49 deg). Do you have any idea how i can reduce this heat? I don't want to remove the ugly fix as my hdd will behave in an insane manner. Btw am running hardy heron.