[wellylug] Setting HDD spindown time

[jumbophut]

On Fri, 05 Nov 2004 19:05:39 +1300, Josh Simpson wrote:
> I have an external USB HDD enclosure plugged into my Debian box, but it
> sits there all day spinning away getting nice and hot, I would like to
> set a spin down time for this drive.
> 
> I tried to use hdpram to do it, but the drive is mounted with this weird
> SCSI emiluation system, and hdpram will not do anything as it says SCSI
> drive are not supported. :(
> 

This _may_ help:
<http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?p=113847&sid=5638e99cd874cf3d529e48f20f6a12ed#113847>
(look for the line echo "using_dma:1" > /proc/ide/hdc/settings)

I've used it to enable DMA on a SCSI-emulated CD drive, but it should
work for spin-down on a HD too, assuming you can figure out the
relevant setting.

Alternatively, upgrade to a 2.6 kernel which doesn't require
emulation, at least for CDs.

-- 
Tony (echo 'spend!,pocket awide' | sed 'y/acdeikospntw!, /l at omcgtjuba.phi/')