Question hdd no read/no write position heads

Any ideas, thoughts - not necessary related to Hard Disk Sentinel.
cloudff7
Posts: 32
Joined: 2020.12.12. 00:49

Question hdd no read/no write position heads

Post by cloudff7 »

Is it true or false that all 2.5" HDDs have read heads that go into parked mode when the 2.5" HDD + USB 3.0 case does not perform writes and reads?
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hdsentinel
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Re: Question hdd no read/no write position heads

Post by hdsentinel »

It is not "true or false" in general as depends on lots of factors: hard disk drive, USB enclosure, Windows power management setting etc.

Several USB enclosures automatically park the drive heads and spin down the drive when there is no read/write access for long time. This depends on the actual USB enclosure manufacturer, chipset and functionality. You may ask the manufacturer of the USB case for details about this functionality.

Also several hard disk drives may have Advanced Power Management function: depending on this setting, the hard disk may automatically spin down (or "just" park the heads) during inactive periods. In Hard Disk Sentinel, you can use the Disk menu -> Advanced Power Management option (if supported by the drive, otherwise the option is greyed out) to adjust the power management setting:
- if you drag the slider to right, it configures the hard disk to highest power management level (254) when it should never park (and should never spin down)
- if you drag the slider to left, it configures the hard disk to lowest power management level, when it may park (and also spin down) as soon/frequently as possible

As hard disks have finite load/unload cycles, generally I'd recommend to avoid high number of parking, so (if this function supported by the hard disk drive) configure the hard disk to the highest power management setting.
cloudff7
Posts: 32
Joined: 2020.12.12. 00:49

Re: Question hdd no read/no write position heads

Post by cloudff7 »

My USB 3.0 cases are Orico 25pw1 and Kesu 2530 but I couldn't get any hardware information from them, the chipset and functionality because Orico makes the processor and Kesu makes the processor chipset variations.

I thought that the USB3.0 case only passed on Windows commands to the 2.5" HDD. Example: after ejecting (safely removing hardware) in Windows but keeping the USB3.0 cable connected to the PC/case, the case receives the information from this completed Windows procedure and the 2.5" HDD firmware decides whether to park heads it or not.

My HDDs are: old 2013, models 2.5" WD10JPVX-08JC3T5 and HGST HTS541010A99E662

I was confused because I contacted WD chat and they said that 2.5" hdd + usb3.0 case entered parked only in power off disconnected usb cable of pc
remove cable seconds for parked?
Last edited by cloudff7 on 2024.11.13. 14:35, edited 4 times in total.
InquiringMind
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Joined: 2024.10.20. 22:03

Re: Question hdd no read/no write position heads

Post by InquiringMind »

See "Inching toward the NAS of our dreams" at http://dansdata.com/gz060.htm for more details about drive spindown - it varies by enclosure so you either have to check for yourself, or ask the manufacturer.
cloudff7
Posts: 32
Joined: 2020.12.12. 00:49

Re: Question hdd no read/no write position heads

Post by cloudff7 »

I asked WD but they provide different information about the parking of the 2.5" models mentioned, before they said that the parking was triggered when ejecting and safely removing hardware in Windows 10 even if the usb3.0 cable remains connected PC on + case now today they They say that parking is activated only by removing the USB cable and cutting off the power supply, I don't know which information to trust, I'm confused


My HDDs are: old 2013, models 2.5" WD10JPVX-08JC3T5 and HGST HTS541010A99E662
Last edited by cloudff7 on 2024.11.15. 10:03, edited 1 time in total.
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