Hard drive wakes up immediately after being put into standby

foutrelis · 2009-03-11 19:53:08

I have an IDE disk which, till now, I used to keep in standby mode (it makes an audible humming noise when it's working which annoys me a lot :<). Today I noticed that after running `hdparm -y' on it, it would spin down but then it would immediately spin up again. I'm certain that the disk isn't being used and doesn't have any partitions mounted anywhere on the filesystem. Still, I'm unable to pinpoint the reason it's waking up.

Any ideas on why this is happening?

Edit: It appears that the disk gets into standby by itself after 10 minutes. I wish I knew where this value is coming from. O.o
Edit2: Those 10 minutes must be coming from `hdparm -S1 /dev/sdb'; maybe the hard drive has a lower limit in regard to this setting. :3

(I'm not sure what kind of information would be useful in order to troubleshoot this issue, but below are some bits I believe are relevant)

Failed attempt to put the drive into standby:

[root@foutboxd ~]# hdparm -y /dev/sdb; hdparm -C /dev/sdb; sleep 1; hdparm -C /dev/sdb

/dev/sdb:
 issuing standby command

/dev/sdb:
 drive state is:  standby

/dev/sdb:
 drive state is:  active/idle

hdparm -I:

[root@foutboxd ~]# hdparm -I /dev/sdb

/dev/sdb:

ATA device, with non-removable media
    Model Number:       WDC WD2500SB-01KBC0                     
    Serial Number:      WD-WCAL77403899
    Firmware Revision:  08.02D08
Standards:
    Supported: 6 5 4 
    Likely used: 8
Configuration:
    Logical        max    current
    cylinders    16383    16383
    heads        16    16
    sectors/track    63    63
    --
    CHS current addressable sectors:   16514064
    LBA    user addressable sectors:  268435455
    LBA48  user addressable sectors:  488397168
    Logical/Physical Sector size:           512 bytes
    device size with M = 1024*1024:      238475 MBytes
    device size with M = 1000*1000:      250059 MBytes (250 GB)
    cache/buffer size  = 8192 KBytes (type=DualPortCache)
Capabilities:
    LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)
    Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, with device specific minimum
    R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16    Current = 16
    Recommended acoustic management value: 128, current value: 254
    DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5 
         Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
    PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
         Cycle time: no flow control=120ns  IORDY flow control=120ns
Commands/features:
    Enabled    Supported:
       *    SMART feature set
            Security Mode feature set
       *    Power Management feature set
       *    Write cache
       *    Look-ahead
       *    Host Protected Area feature set
       *    WRITE_BUFFER command
       *    READ_BUFFER command
       *    DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE
            Power-Up In Standby feature set
       *    SET_FEATURES required to spinup after power up
            SET_MAX security extension
       *    Automatic Acoustic Management feature set
       *    48-bit Address feature set
       *    Device Configuration Overlay feature set
       *    Mandatory FLUSH_CACHE
       *    FLUSH_CACHE_EXT
       *    SMART error logging
       *    SMART self-test
       *    SMART Command Transport (SCT) feature set
       *    SCT Long Sector Access (AC1)
       *    SCT LBA Segment Access (AC2)
       *    SCT Error Recovery Control (AC3)
       *    SCT Features Control (AC4)
       *    SCT Data Tables (AC5)
Security: 
    Master password revision code = 65534
        supported
    not    enabled
    not    locked
    not    frozen
    not    expired: security count
    not    supported: enhanced erase
HW reset results:
    CBLID- above Vih
    Device num = 0 determined by the jumper
Checksum: correct

smartctl --all:

[root@foutboxd ~]# smartctl --all /dev/sdb
smartctl version 5.38 [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu] Copyright (C) 2002-8 Bruce Allen
Home page is http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Western Digital Caviar RE EIDE family
Device Model:     WDC WD2500SB-01KBC0
Serial Number:    WD-WCAL77403899
Firmware Version: 08.02D08
User Capacity:    250,059,350,016 bytes
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   6
ATA Standard is:  Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated
Local Time is:    Wed Mar 11 21:47:50 2009 EET
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x84)    Offline data collection activity
                    was suspended by an interrupting command from host.
                    Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0)    The previous self-test routine completed
                    without error or no self-test has ever 
                    been run.
Total time to complete Offline 
data collection:          (6951) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:              (0x7b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
                    Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
                    Suspend Offline collection upon new
                    command.
                    Offline surface scan supported.
                    Self-test supported.
                    Conveyance Self-test supported.
                    Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003)    Saves SMART data before entering
                    power-saving mode.
                    Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01)    Error logging supported.
                    No General Purpose Logging support.
Short self-test routine 
recommended polling time:      (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:      (  88) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time:      (   5) minutes.
SCT capabilities:            (0x003f)    SCT Status supported.
                    SCT Feature Control supported.
                    SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000b   200   200   051    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0007   236   124   021    Pre-fail  Always       -       708
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032   098   098   040    Old_age   Always       -       2680
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   200   200   140    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000b   200   200   051    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   081   081   000    Old_age   Always       -       14289
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   051    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0013   100   100   051    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   098   098   000    Old_age   Always       -       2365
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0022   123   092   000    Old_age   Always       -       27
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0012   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0012   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x000a   200   253   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate   0x0009   200   200   051    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
No self-tests have been logged.  [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t]


SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay

Last edited by foutrelis (2009-03-12 10:18:25)

lio · 2010-02-21 16:07:15

I have a very similar issue. two of my hard drives (that are not mounted/or sometime mounted but not used by anything that i intentionally did (they are not the / either )) wont go in standby by them self (ignore the hdparm -S param)

But if I force them to standby (hdparm -y) they will go in standby, but only one will stay in standby. The other will wake up after a period of time that seems random, but always shorter than approx 6-7 hours (this HD is a Windows install that i mount because i sometime need to access some files that are on it).

My question is : are there any default process on a Arch install that are going to wake up a unmounted or mounted but never used HD from standby?

I have read logs for long times without finding anything that could point me in a direction. Maybe someone have a good way to monitor what is waking up a HD from standby ?

Edit: I also have another question that i cant seem to find an answer for. Its regarding the "hdparm -S xxx" settings, is that suppose to be persistent on reboot ? or is it required to be issued every time the computer is booted. Just answering this question if you know would make me very happy

Thank you all.

Last edited by lio (2010-02-21 16:12:28)

stefanwilkens · 2010-02-21 16:23:01

Could this be related to the load_cycle issue?

how about trying to disable power management on the drives through hdparm -B 255 (or 254, depending on the drive)

journaling file systems cause some extra writes, you might look at disabling features such as access time logging (noatime flag) and journaling.

Last edited by stefanwilkens (2010-02-21 16:25:02)

lio · 2010-02-21 16:47:09

Here is what i get when i try that command.:

$  sudo hdparm -B 254 /dev/sdc

/dev/sdc:
 setting Advanced Power Management level to 0xfe (254)
 HDIO_DRIVE_CMD failed: Input/output error
 APM_level    = not supported

I tried other values also and its always the same error.

I just did another try with -y and the drive stayed in standby during ±40 minutes this time. The most annoying part is that is something that was not happening before I am pretty sure that it would stay in standby for days.

I also included my results for hdparm -I.:

 $  sudo hdparm -I /dev/sdc

/dev/sdc:

ATA device, with non-removable media
    Model Number:       WDC WD800JB-00JJC0                      
    Serial Number:      WD-WCAM9N730552
    Firmware Revision:  05.01C05
Standards:
    Supported: 6 5 4 
    Likely used: 8
Configuration:
    Logical        max    current
    cylinders    16383    16383
    heads        16    16
    sectors/track    63    63
    --
    CHS current addressable sectors:   16514064
    LBA    user addressable sectors:  156299375
    Logical/Physical Sector size:           512 bytes
    device size with M = 1024*1024:       76318 MBytes
    device size with M = 1000*1000:       80025 MBytes (80 GB)
    cache/buffer size  = 8192 KBytes
Capabilities:
    LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)
    Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, with device specific minimum
    R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16    Current = 1
    Recommended acoustic management value: 128, current value: 254
    DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5 
         Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
    PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
         Cycle time: no flow control=120ns  IORDY flow control=120ns
Commands/features:
    Enabled    Supported:
       *    SMART feature set
            Security Mode feature set
       *    Power Management feature set
       *    Write cache
       *    Look-ahead
       *    Host Protected Area feature set
       *    WRITE_BUFFER command
       *    READ_BUFFER command
       *    DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE
            SET_MAX security extension
       *    Automatic Acoustic Management feature set
       *    Device Configuration Overlay feature set
       *    Mandatory FLUSH_CACHE
       *    SMART error logging
       *    SMART self-test
       *    SMART Command Transport (SCT) feature set
       *    SCT Long Sector Access (AC1)
       *    SCT LBA Segment Access (AC2)
       *    SCT Error Recovery Control (AC3)
       *    SCT Features Control (AC4)
       *    SCT Data Tables (AC5)
Security: 
    Master password revision code = 65534
        supported
    not    enabled
    not    locked
        frozen
    not    expired: security count
    not    supported: enhanced erase
HW reset results:
    CBLID- above Vih
    Device num = 0 determined by the jumper
Checksum: correct

Arch Linux

#1 2009-03-11 19:53:08

Hard drive wakes up immediately after being put into standby

#2 2010-02-21 16:07:15

Re: Hard drive wakes up immediately after being put into standby

#3 2010-02-21 16:23:01

Re: Hard drive wakes up immediately after being put into standby

#4 2010-02-21 16:47:09

Re: Hard drive wakes up immediately after being put into standby

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