hard drive head parking in linux

hard drive head parking in linux

[Jerry James Haumberger]

Hi, folks --

Does Linux automatically lift the heads of a hard drive off
of the disk after some time of non-activity?

Does it also park the heads as a part of the shutdown process?

I understand that early PC hard drives had to have their heads
parked when shut down, but that the later hard drives do this
automatically.  Under DOS with most of my older PCs, I've used
a few small utilities that perform both of the above functions.
One such utility lifts the heads after a period of inactivity
(a TSR) after a predetermined number of minutes.

This is important to me, since I find it useful to preserve the
old hard drives of PCs in my collection, which will also include
some Linux machines...

Thank you for any knowledge on this matter!
--
Jerry... on a 486 DX2-50MHz with 8MB RAM in BasicLinux 1.7
and Midnight Commander at the lab of Classic Systems, Ltd.



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Re: hard drive head parking in linux

[ichi]

Jerry James Haumberger wrote:
> 
> I understand that early PC hard drives had to have 
> their heads parked when shut down, 

A blast from the past.  Yes, indeed, pre-IDE drives 
(two data cables) needed parking.  Over the years I've 
had several of these monsters.  I even installed a small
Linux on one (it had to be small 'cause the HD was only
20mb :-).  Did you know that the latest Slackware (8.1) 
still provides a stock kernel (xt.i) for such drives?
Imagine that: a 2.4.18 kernel on an old Seagate MFM.   

> Jerry... on a 486 DX2-50MHz with 8MB RAM in BasicLinux 1.7
> and Midnight Commander at the lab of Classic Systems, Ltd.

You gotta give credit to Jerry.  He doesn't just talk the
talk, he walks the walk.  A close reading of his message
header reveals that he is indeed using a minimalist mailer
for this list.

Cheers,
Steven

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hard drive head parking in linux

[Jerry James Haumberger]

Hello, Steven --

>> I understand that early PC hard drives had to have 
>> their heads parked when shut down, 

>A blast from the past.  Yes, indeed, pre-IDE drives 
>(two data cables) needed parking.  Over the years I've 
>had several of these monsters.  I even installed a small
>Linux on one (it had to be small 'cause the HD was only
>20mb :-).  Did you know that the latest Slackware (8.1) 
>still provides a stock kernel (xt.i) for such drives?
>Imagine that: a 2.4.18 kernel on an old Seagate MFM.   

But do you know whether or not Linux lifts the HD heads after a
period of inactivity, or is this already an automatic feature
of the later hard drives... say, my (approx.) 700MB HD on
this machine?  I'm guessing Linux (including your BL 1.7)
parks hard drive heads (if not done by the HD mechanism itself)
upon shutdown... but I'm not certain about what happens to
the hard drive heads during up time...

Or are you implying that the "stock kernel (xt.i)" *does*
support this hard drive head parking/"resting" feature... for
XTs and later hard drives?

>You gotta give credit to Jerry.  He doesn't just talk the
>talk, he walks the walk.  A close reading of his message
>header reveals that he is indeed using a minimalist mailer
>for this list.

Oh?  I thought that "mail" was the Standard Procedure for "Mr.
BasicLinux" himself... ;-)

This 486 DX2 is one of my more *powerful* machines... actually,
it was "newly" constructed (with some used parts, but new case and
monitor) only about five years ago.  This was done at my expense
through Computer Renaissance in the USA.  I've intended it to be
a showcase demonstration of the capabilities of a DOS-only computer
system comprised largely of freeware and/or abandoned software
(and some inexpensive shareware from my past purchases); it contains
PC DOS 7 in its boot-up partition (thrown away -- still in the
unbroken plastic-wrapped box).  Now, however, it also demonsrates
the dual capabilities of DOS/Linux -- thanks to your wonderful
distribution of BasicLinux 1.7.  I've wished for several years to
have a console-only installation of Linux (without that enormous
quantity of "X" material) from which I could have full textual
style Internet services.  Your BasicLinux is installed in the
larger area of this machine's hard drive (PC DOS has about 160 MBs,
and BasicLinux 1.7 has two partitions in the remainder of the
688 MB HD, minus around 16 MBs for its swap partition).  Originally,
the Linux partition was RH 5.0, but I couldn't figure out how to
install that without X, until your excellent distribution became
available -- which only occupies (according to du) about 9.2 MBs of
its ext2 partition (this includes several other add-ons from the
Slackware 3.5 distribution site; your basic BL installation is only
about half that size, I believe).

And I have other classic systems -- a venerable old IBM AT and XT,
among others... all in splendid shape and Internet-ready...

Anyway, back to topic... ?!

Jerry... on a 486 DX2-50MHz with 8MB RAM in BasicLinux 1.7
and Midnight Commander at the lab of Classic Systems, Ltd.


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Re: hard drive head parking in linux

[Chuck Gelm]

Jerry James Haumberger wrote:
> 
> Hello, Steven --
> 
> >> I understand that early PC hard drives had to have
> >> their heads parked when shut down,
> 
> >A blast from the past.  Yes, indeed, pre-IDE drives
> >(two data cables) needed parking.  Over the years I've
> >had several of these monsters.  I even installed a small
> >Linux on one (it had to be small 'cause the HD was only
> >20mb :-).  Did you know that the latest Slackware (8.1)
> >still provides a stock kernel (xt.i) for such drives?
> >Imagine that: a 2.4.18 kernel on an old Seagate MFM.
> 
> But do you know whether or not Linux lifts the HD heads after a
> period of inactivity, or is this already an automatic feature
> of the later hard drives... say, my (approx.) 700MB HD on
                                                ^^^^^^^^
 They made MFM or RLL drives that big?
I would guess that a drive that big is IDE.  :-|

Regards, Chuck
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hard drive head parking in linux

[Jerry James Haumberger]

>> is this already an automatic feature of the 
>> later hard drives... 

>Yes, AFAIK this is an automatic eature of all IDE drives.

Good.  If I listen closely to this 486 DX2 system, I can
hear the gentle "plunk" sound as the IDE drive heads move
into or out of position.  For example, I suspect that when I
hear this sound shortly after activating the screen (when it
has been blanked by the screen saver under BasicLinux) and do
something on the keyboard, the HD heads that were lifted off
from above the hard drive surface during the quiet period are
moving back closer into their normal active position -- just
scarcely above the hard disk surface.

>It's not a big issue (it will be a very rare bird that
>runs Linux on an old XT HD).  If you want to protect the
>HD, just reset to DOS and run the park utility before 
>powering down.

These older machines do just fine with DOS and the Internet
without the need for something more complex, like Linux.  I
keep pretty close to software/hardware combinations that were
usual for the active period of each of my classic machines.  The
Linux console-only installation on this 486 DX2 is altogether
"normal", in my opinion, right along with its dual relationship
alongside PC DOS 7.  I don't think it would have been a peculiar
combination back in the early 1990's (this machine has a late
1991 BIOS).  Around 1994, let's say, this would have been a
very powerful and expensive machine, but not unattainable for
those who could afford it, nor strange.

All in all, though, I believe that Linux is easier on and kinder
to old hardware; and for serious professional use of classic
machines, folks should consider using Linux to prolong the
productivity of such hardware -- and they should preferably
begin with the most basic of distributions, such as your
BasicLinux, with no less than the minimum hardware requirements
you've mentioned.

Jerry... on a 486 DX2-50MHz with 8MB RAM in BasicLinux 1.7
and Midnight Commander at the lab of Classic Systems, Ltd.


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Re: hard drive head parking in linux

[Chuck Gelm]

 I feel the need to separate this discussion to two drive types:

 1. MFM & RLL
 2. IDE

Jerry James Haumberger wrote:
> 
> >> is this already an automatic feature of the
> >> later hard drives...
> 
> >Yes, AFAIK this is an automatic eature of all IDE drives.
> 
> Good.  If I listen closely to this 486 DX2 system, I can
> hear the gentle "plunk" sound as the IDE drive heads move
> into or out of position.  For example, I suspect that when I
> hear this sound shortly after activating the screen (when it
> has been blanked by the screen saver under BasicLinux) and do
> something on the keyboard, the HD heads that were lifted off
> from above the hard drive surface during the quiet period are
> moving back closer into their normal active position -- just
> scarcely above the hard disk surface.

 I assume that the aforementioned system is IDE based
and does not fall under the subject
 "hard drive head parking in linux".

> >It's not a big issue (it will be a very rare bird that
> >runs Linux on an old XT HD).  If you want to protect the
> >HD, just reset to DOS and run the park utility before
> >powering down.
> 
> These older machines do just fine with DOS and the Internet
> without the need for something more complex, like Linux.  I
> keep pretty close to software/hardware combinations that were
> usual for the active period of each of my classic machines.  The
> Linux console-only installation on this 486 DX2 is altogether
> "normal", in my opinion, right along with its dual relationship
> alongside PC DOS 7.  I don't think it would have been a peculiar
> combination back in the early 1990's (this machine has a late
> 1991 BIOS).  Around 1994, let's say, this would have been a
> very powerful and expensive machine, but not unattainable for
> those who could afford it, nor strange.

 Again, this does not seem to follow the subject.

> All in all, though, I believe that Linux is easier on and kinder
> to old hardware; and for serious professional use of classic
> machines, folks should consider using Linux to prolong the
> productivity of such hardware -- and they should preferably
> begin with the most basic of distributions, such as your
> BasicLinux, with no less than the minimum hardware requirements
> you've mentioned.

 "...serious professional use of classic machines..."
Seems oxymoronic to me.  :-|


> Jerry... on a 486 DX2-50MHz with 8MB RAM in BasicLinux 1.7
> and Midnight Commander at the lab of Classic Systems, Ltd.

 Not on it, but I do run an 80486dx33 as my firewall and route.
;-)
Chuck
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Re: hard drive head parking in linux

[Ralph Gesler]

Jerry James Haumberger wrote:
> 
> Hi, folks --
> 
> Does Linux automatically lift the heads of a hard drive off
> of the disk after some time of non-activity?
> 
<snip>

AFAIK the heads _never_ touch the surface, even in the "park" position,
while the disk is spinning. If this event should occur, good by HD. They
are only allowed to rest on the surface when the disk has come to
complete stop.

Ralph
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Re: hard drive head parking in linux

[ichi]

Jerry James Haumberger wrote:
> 
> is this already an automatic feature of the 
> later hard drives... 

Yes, AFAIK this is an automatic feature of all IDE drives.

> Or are you implying that the "stock kernel (xt.i)" 
> *does* support this hard drive head parking/"resting" 
> feature... for XTs and later hard drives?

Hmmm, I don't know.  xt.i contains support for the 
non-IDE HD block device, but I have no idea whether 
this includes parking.  My guess would be: probably not.

It's not a big issue (it will be a very rare bird that
runs Linux on an old XT HD).  If you want to protect the
HD, just reset to DOS and run the park utility before 
powering down.

Cheers,
Steven

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