From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Tejun Heo Subject: Re: WDC WD15EARS-00Z5B1: harddrive which does crazy unloading Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:02:44 +0900 Message-ID: <4B9D7924.1020908@kernel.org> References: <201002081933.10144.suse-linux@ml082.pinguin.uni.cc> <4B96013F.1050904@kernel.org> <4B965DE7.7000109@teksavvy.com> <4B9881C8.10506@kernel.org> <4B9D0772.4080306@teksavvy.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Return-path: Received: from hera.kernel.org ([140.211.167.34]:33842 "EHLO hera.kernel.org" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1755265Ab0COACu (ORCPT ); Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:02:50 -0400 In-Reply-To: <4B9D0772.4080306@teksavvy.com> Sender: linux-ide-owner@vger.kernel.org List-Id: linux-ide@vger.kernel.org To: Mark Lord Cc: Al Bogner , linux-ide@vger.kernel.org Hello, On 03/15/2010 12:57 AM, Mark Lord wrote: > No. The vendor-unique commands appear to download a small firmware > packet to the drive, which reprograms it for a longer "IDLE-3" timeout. > > "IDLE-3" is what WD call this vendor-specific "powersaving" mode, > and it is not intended to be adjustable. Except via that little > DOS utility hack, and even WD no longer make that available. > > But I found it by googling for it, and it can change the timeout > up to 30 seconds from the default of 8. So I set my WD 1.5TB drive > to use 30, and things are now acceptable. > > Ugh (again)! I'm currently talking with WD but in general I'm leaning toward simply leaving it alone. The manufacturer is actively preventing those timesouts from being adjusted and they probably have a pretty good rationale for that. If those drives expire before their warrnty, it's a matter between the customer and the vendor. I really don't see much point in trying to circumvent it. Anyways, I'll let you guys know where the conversation w/ WDC leads to. Thanks. -- tejun