Power Management

[el_pedriyo]

Hello guys,

Just a quick one:

Level 1 means that the power usage of the disk when working is gonna be minimum, or that during the standby will be minimum?
Level 127 means that the power usage of the disk when working is gonna be maximum, or that during the standby will be maximum?

Kind regards

 

[jro]

Leave it disabled. That should leave the disks running at full speed all the time.

 

[el_pedriyo]

Leave it disabled. That should leave the disks running at full speed all the time.

The initial question was for spinning down the disk, not to leave them at full speed all time :/

 

[el_pedriyo]

Does anyone know the answer to my original question?

Kind regards

 

[Kevin Horton]

The wording seems clear to me - Level 1 is minimum power usage, and the disks are allowed to go to Standby

 

[SweetAndLow]

Don't spin down your disks. It costs more to replace your disk than it does to pay the power of it running.

 

[el_pedriyo]

The wording seems clear to me - Level 1 is minimum power usage, and the disks are allowed to go to Standby

I currently do not understand still, a drive while working at its 100% can be working with low power usage and high one?
How is that managed and what type of repercussion could it have to the drives?

 

[el_pedriyo]

Don't spin down your disks. It costs more to replace your disk than it does to pay the power of it running.

mmm, don't get it. What do you mean? I am currenty slowing them down just for that, just so that they last more time apart from the electricity it cost to have them running. Or you mean, that if I slow them down they will last less time that with them working? :/

Kind regards

 

[SweetAndLow]

Slowing them down/parking the head or stopping the platter all cause more wear and tear on the drive. Running full speed 24/7 is usually the best way to get longevity out of your disks.

 

[Kevin Horton]

I currently do not understand still, a drive while working at its 100% can be working with low power usage and high one?
How is that managed and what type of repercussion could it have to the drives?

If the drive is spinning, it will be using the same amount of power no matter which APM level you select. APM levels affect how the motherboard controls many items, not only hard drives. See APM and ACPI.

I agree with the others who recommend you not attempt to spin the disks down. Hard drives live longest if you keep them at a constant temperature. If they spin down, they cool, and then warm up again when they spin back up. Temperature cycles are not good for mechanical devices.