# Some problem with HDD heads parking



## Antarex (Sep 14, 2010)

Hello!

Sorry for my bad English!

Problem with FreeBSD 8.1 and my notebook HP ProBook 4510s <NX668EA> (Intel Mobile Dual Core Celeron T3000 1.8GHz, Intel GL 40 Cantiga Chipset, MB HP 3072, Bios Compaq F15, 2GB RAM DDR II 800 MHz, 250GB HDD FUJITSU MJA2250BH, Intel GMA X4500MHD, LAN Marvell Yukon 88E8072 10/100/1000Mbit, DVDRW Optiarc AD7581S, WiFi Broadcom BCM4312, Snd HDA):

FreeBSD uses too aggressive power saving mode of HDD, at which HDD heads very often park. The sound "blink" is heard during this moment.

This problem also is observed in Linux (Russian ALT Linux 5.0.0 KDE Desktop and may be Ubuntu ), but no this problem in WinXP SP3.

FreeBSD users have found working workaround:

Install port sysutils/ataidle and run

`# ataidle -P 254 /dev/ad0`

Or write changes in /etc/rc.conf:


```
ataidle_enable=Â«YESÂ»
ataidle_devices=Â«ad0Â»
ataidle_ad4="-P 254"
```

---

But may FreeBSD Team fix this problem in future, else can this damage HDD (counter of parks have limit)?


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## DutchDaemon (Sep 14, 2010)

Antarex, format your posts please.


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## fronclynne (Sep 14, 2010)

It's not a FreeBSD or linux problem _per se_ but that windows already contains an automatic "workaround" as you so gracefully put it.  The HDD manufacturers set the drives up with these unrealistic load/unload timeouts, I suppose at least somewhat to help with being certified "green" or some other religious nonsense, & windows sets its own slightly more realistic timeouts.

From rummaging about on Mr. Internet a bit, it seems that 600,000 is an accepted upper limit for load_cycle_count.  My drive eventually died after going for a few months at well over 1,000,000.  Try `# sudo smartctl -A /dev/ad0 | grep 193`, & also see: Thread 12091 & Thread 8841.

I hope this helps.


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## Antarex (Nov 23, 2010)

Sorry for my bad English...

I am successfully uses FreeBSD 8.1 on my notebook after disable HDD heads parking in IDE mode emulation (disk detected as ad0), but can't disable heads parking in Native SATA Mode (disk detects as ada0) :-(

[cmd=]# ataidle -P 254 /dev/ada0[/cmd]

Ataidle says, that in this mode error detected (I write on memory). This situation takes place with 2 different HDD (old FUJITSU & new Seagate).

How it is possible to solve this problem (disable heads parking in SATA mode)?


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## mav@ (Nov 23, 2010)

I've just looked on ataidle sources in ports and as I can see it should support adaX devices now. Do you have fresh version?


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## fronclynne (Nov 24, 2010)

Thanks for the heads up on that.  There is also a thread here about camcontrol(8) for fiddling /dev/ada* device timeouts, but I'll be damned if my drinking will let me find it.


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## Antarex (Nov 24, 2010)

*mav@*

Thank you! After ports update, I am succeffully disable HDD heads parking in SATA mode (no error in ataidle).

[SOLVED]


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