Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

Lontronics · 2007-04-15 21:24:40

Not ment for people without Linux knowledge, tweaking a lot, etc....

I am using this some time now to make my system more quiet and to improve the performance.

What am I doing then?

I change the pdflush settings so changes are written to harddisk every 10 minutes instead of every 5 seconds
I change the hdparm settings to enable read ahead and to enable turndown after 120 seconds.

I do have in /etc/rc.local:

# Change interval to 10 minutes for pdflush:
echo 60000 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_expire_centisecs

# Let the harddisk spin down when not used for X * 5 seconds
# For example 12 will give a standby time of 24*5=120 seconds
# Also set read ahead to on
if [ -x /usr/sbin/hdparm ]; then
  /usr/sbin/hdparm -S 24 -A 1 /dev/sda
fi

And in /etc/rc.local.shutdown:

#
# Change interval for pdflush to normal:
#
echo 500 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_expire_centisecs

# Disable standby (spindown)
if [ -x /usr/sbin/hdparm ]; then
  /usr/sbin/hdparm -S 0 /dev/sda
fi

The last part to be sure everything is written to disk on shutdown, although this should not be neccessary.

Again, for your own risc, not neccessary to tell me it is not smart to do this, I am happy with it

Jan

byte · 2007-04-15 21:51:41

Regarding silent harddisks: hdparm -M quiet /dev/....

Lontronics · 2007-04-15 21:56:07

Hi Byte,

I have experimented with the -M setting and it is noticable, but spindown is more quiet ofcourse.
It depends on the way you are using your system.
When the harddisk is used a lot, it will never spindown and then it is better to use the -M setting.

Btw, they say a lower setting (more quiet) will give a decreased performance of the harddisk, but I never noticed it.
So I think for most users it is save to use the -M setting with a low numer (0-128, the 'quiet' setting = 128).

Jan

[vEX] · 2007-04-16 10:31:54

If your harddrive supports it, get the manufacturers diagnostics program and adjust the AAM setting to change the performance/noise ratio. Did it on my Samsung Spinpoint P120 and it's quite a difference!

Last edited by [vEX] (2007-04-16 10:32:03)

deficite · 2007-04-17 02:14:44

Personally I wouldn't mind if my hard drive shook my windows with loudness if it'd just go faster than ATA100.

Cagnulein · 2007-04-17 18:46:30

[20:44:10 - 0/54 Mail - /root/.gaim]# hdparm -M128 /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
 setting acoustic management to 128
 acoustic     =  0 (128=quiet ... 254=fast)
[20:45:22 - 0/54 Mail - /root/.gaim]# hdparm -M128 /dev/hdb

/dev/hdb:
 setting acoustic management to 128
 acoustic     =  0 (128=quiet ... 254=fast)

what did i do wrong?

Lontronics · 2007-04-17 18:59:04

Not working with your (old??) harddisks..

Probably no acoustic management?

Last edited by Lontronics (2007-04-17 18:59:21)

Cagnulein · 2007-04-17 21:17:57

does hdparm should show if acoustic management is supported?

[23:15:43 - 0/54 Mail - /root/.gaim]# hdparm -i /dev/hda

/dev/hda:

 Model=QUANTUM FIREBALLlct20 30, FwRev=APL.0900, SerialNo=353105362650
 Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec Fixed DTR>10Mbs }
 RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=32256, SectSize=21298, ECCbytes=4
 BuffType=DualPortCache, BuffSize=418kB, MaxMultSect=8, MultSect=8
 CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=58633344
 IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:120,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
 PIO modes:  pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
 DMA modes:  mdma0 mdma1 mdma2
 UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5 udma3 udma4 *udma5
 AdvancedPM=no WriteCache=enabled
 Drive conforms to: ATA/ATAPI-5 T13 1321D revision 1:  ATA/ATAPI-1 ATA/ATAPI-2 ATA/ATAPI-3 ATA/ATAPI-4 ATA/ATAPI-5

 * signifies the current active mode

[23:16:22 - 0/54 Mail - /root/.gaim]# hdparm -i /dev/hdb

/dev/hdb:

 Model=MAXTOR 6L080J4, FwRev=A93.0500, SerialNo=664211440532
 Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec Fixed DTR>10Mbs }
 RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=32256, SectSize=21298, ECCbytes=4
 BuffType=DualPortCache, BuffSize=1819kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16
 CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=156349375
 IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:120,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
 PIO modes:  pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
 DMA modes:  mdma0 mdma1 mdma2
 UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 udma3 udma4 udma5 *udma6
 AdvancedPM=no WriteCache=enabled
 Drive conforms to: ATA/ATAPI-5 T13 1321D revision 1:  ATA/ATAPI-1 ATA/ATAPI-2 ATA/ATAPI-3 ATA/ATAPI-4 ATA/ATAPI-5

 * signifies the current active mode

byte · 2007-04-17 23:41:26

hdparm -I, not -i. Look for "Automatic Acoustic Management feature set"

Cagnulein · 2007-04-18 04:58:04

thanks byte

[23:27:53 - 0/55 Mail - /root/.gaim]# hdparm -I /dev/hda

/dev/hda:

ATA device, with non-removable media
        Model Number:       QUANTUM FIREBALLlct20 30
        Serial Number:      353105362650
        Firmware Revision:  APL.0900
Standards:
        Used: ATA/ATAPI-5 T13 1321D revision 1
        Supported: 5 4 3 & some of 6
Configuration:
        Logical         max     current
        cylinders       16383   16383
        heads           16      16
        sectors/track   63      63
        --
        CHS current addressable sectors:   16514064
        LBA    user addressable sectors:   58633344
        device size with M = 1024*1024:       28629 MBytes
        device size with M = 1000*1000:       30020 MBytes (30 GB)
Capabilities:
        LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)
        bytes avail on r/w long: 4
        Standby timer values: spec'd by Vendor, no device specific minimum
        R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 8   Current = 8
        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
Security:
        Master password revision code = 65534
                supported
        not     enabled
        not     locked
        not     frozen
        not     expired: security count
        not     supported: enhanced erase
        34min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
Checksum: correct
[06:55:22 - 0/66 Mail - /root/.gaim]# hdparm -I /dev/hdb

/dev/hdb:

ATA device, with non-removable media
        Model Number:       MAXTOR 6L080J4
        Serial Number:      664211440532
        Firmware Revision:  A93.0500
Standards:
        Used: ATA/ATAPI-5 T13 1321D revision 1
        Supported: 5 4 3 & some of 6
Configuration:
        Logical         max     current
        cylinders       16383   16383
        heads           16      16
        sectors/track   63      63
        --
        CHS current addressable sectors:   16514064
        LBA    user addressable sectors:  156355584
        device size with M = 1024*1024:       76345 MBytes
        device size with M = 1000*1000:       80054 MBytes (80 GB)
Capabilities:
        LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)
        bytes avail on r/w long: 4
        Standby timer values: spec'd by Vendor, no device specific minimum
        R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16  Current = 16
        Recommended acoustic management value: 128, current value: 128
        DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 *udma6
             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
Security:
        Master password revision code = 65534
                supported
        not     enabled
        not     locked
        not     frozen
        not     expired: security count
        not     supported: enhanced erase
        40min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
HW reset results:
        CBLID- above Vih
        Device num = 1 determined by the jumper
Checksum: correct

hda dosn't support it, but hdb does it instead...how could it be possible?

drakosha · 2007-04-18 06:17:24

Combined with this post, you are one brave user http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=31993

iphitus · 2007-04-18 09:23:10

Only thing i'm concerned about with this, is hard drive wear. This will cause your hdd to be spun up and down, at least every ten minutes, most probably more.

Desktop hard drives aren't rated for anywhere as near as many spin cycles as a laptop hard drive.

On a laptop, or even a desktop, I suggest you use laptop-mode-tools, as this handles the issue a lot more smartly.

James

Last edited by iphitus (2007-04-18 09:24:11)

Lontronics · 2007-04-18 18:01:06

Hi Iphitus,

About your point of spun up and down, I do not agree with you.
The harddisk is only spunning down after you have not used it for 10 minutes.
This is only true when doing a lot of browsing etc.... and not opening programs, files etc....

The nice thing is you are using much less power because your harddisk is not spunning, and it is much more quiet.

And I really wonder if the harddisk wear is much more when spunning up and down then spunning continously.
Probably you are right, but then I do still prefer more wear and a quiet en energy-saving setup which is also a little faster for normal usage

Jan

Arch Linux

#1 2007-04-15 21:24:40

Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#2 2007-04-15 21:51:41

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#3 2007-04-15 21:56:07

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#4 2007-04-16 10:31:54

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#5 2007-04-17 02:14:44

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#6 2007-04-17 18:46:30

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#7 2007-04-17 18:59:04

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#8 2007-04-17 21:17:57

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#9 2007-04-17 23:41:26

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#10 2007-04-18 04:58:04

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#11 2007-04-18 06:17:24

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#12 2007-04-18 09:23:10

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

#13 2007-04-18 18:01:06

Re: Quiet harddisk and better performance (dangerous)

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