how do i turn off HDD programmically ? ... [solved]

[vhelp]

- solved - see post #17

windows xp home sp2

i searched but this topic seems to be a little taboo or something.

is there any way (programmically) to put my hdd into sleep mode rather than having to manually do it ?

desktop -> rt-click -> properties -> screen saver -> power -> 'turn off hard disks: After 3 min -> OK -> OK

maybe an .msi process or batch process i missed. i just want to set it to its minimum of '3 mins' and walk away. then, to reset it back to 'Never', all at a flick of a witch or button with a utility. thank you.

[Selur]

isn't that covered by powercfg ?

[nic2k4]

This is the reverse approach I guess, instead of putting the drive to sleep, leave the Windows settings alone and use this program to force Windows to not go to sleep.

[vhelp]

hey nic2k4, that utility doesn't appear to be or do the same thing and there is no sleep or hdd spin down command. i want the HDD to spin down. when i select this method through the process outlined in post #1 you can hear the HDD spin down. when i select a folder or app, you can hear the HDD spin back up. this is what i'm looking to do only, but without all the steps in post #1.

you see, i like to set encoding projects and then go to the couch to watch tv. but sometimes i fall asleep. the hdd is probably 4 hears old and i want to reduce the amount of ware if possible, for the time being.

[jagabo]

Set up two power configurations. Switch between them with PowerCfg.exe in batch files:
http://computerstepbystep.com/windows_xp_power_options.html

[vhelp]

in a dos console window:

powercfg /CHANGE /disk-timeout-ac "After 3 mins"
powercfg /X /disk-timeout-ac "After 3 mins"

results in: "Invalid Parameters -- try "/?" for help"

    /SETACTIVE, /S  Makes the power scheme with the specified name active.
    /CHANGE, /X     Changes settings of the specified power scheme. Additional
                    switches specify the changes as follows:
                        /monitor-timeout-ac <minutes>
                        /monitor-timeout-dc <minutes>
                        /disk-timeout-ac <minutes>
                        /disk-timeout-dc <minutes>
                        /standby-timeout-ac <minutes>
                        /standby-timeout-dc <minutes>
                        /hibernate-timeout-ac <minutes>
                        /hibernate-timeout-dc <minutes>
                        /processor-throttle-ac <throttle>
                        /processor-throttle-dc <throttle>
                    AC settings are used when the system is on AC power.
                    DC settings are used when the system is on battery power.
                    Setting a timeout to zero will disable the corresponding
                    timeout feature.  Supported throttle settings are NONE
                    CONSTANT, DEGRADE, and ADAPTIVE.

[jagabo]

I've never used the program myself. But I suspect minutes should just be entered as a number.

Yes, I just tried it:

powercfg /CHANGE /disk-timeout-ac 3

[vhelp]

i copy/pasted your code, still doesn't work, same error message.


this works, but does nothing for me:

powercfg /SETACTIVE "Always On"

[jagabo]

i copy/pasted your code, still doesn't work, same error message.

It worked here (Win7, 64 bit). I went to the power options via control panel and the disk timeout had changed to 3 minutes:

this works, but does nothing for me:

powercfg /SETACTIVE "Always On"

Create another power plan (with different timeouts) and use /SETACTIVE to switch between them.

[vhelp]

yeah, i did that already. been waiting for it/something to happen, but nothing. works...no errors. and when i go into the desktop -> rt-click -> properties -> screen saver -> power -> 'turn off hard disks:' it is empty, it has no value.

POWERCFG /CREATE Custom1 
powercfg /CHANGE Custom1 /disk-timeout-ac 3
POWERCFG /SETACTIVE Custom1

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_mgt.pr_power_mgt_powerconfig

[vhelp]

i see you got it working fine under win7.

however, i believe i figure it out, now. the scheme name to use is "Always On" and i don't have to create a new one. just use the default. maybe under w7, default is assumed while xp it is not. just a guess. anyway. i'm about to test it. now. i'll let you know how it fairs.

*.bat file

powercfg /CHANGE "Always On" /disk-timeout-ac 3
POWERCFG /SETACTIVE "Always On"

[jagabo]

If you can't get /disk-timeout-ac working, I was suggesting you have two plans, Always On and Custom. Always On set to leave the disks always running, custom set to turn the disks off after 3 minutes (set via the Power Options GUI). Then use /Setactive to switch between the two plans when desired.

[vhelp]

yeah, i was able to verify the the method in post # 11 works. i can see the changes made. but i'm not hearing the hdd spin down after 3 minutes of computer inactivity.

since i have the pc case off, i usually hear the hdd spinning down or up when i'm sitting on the couch. on some days, i will hear it go on and off every 15 or so minutes while on other days, it goes off and stays off until open a folder or run an app or move the mouse around on the screen to activate/waike it the hdd up. this is when i set it to the minimum which is 3 minutes.

but currently, nothing is happening to the hdd. i must have screwed something up in all these different test runs. i'll have to wait until tomorrow to try it all over again. for now, i will leave it at the default, Never setting. tomorrow, i will do it manually and leave it alone for a while to see what happens. if i happen to catch the hdd spin down, then i now i'm close. then i will try the method in post # 11 and see what happens.

i will continue searching for an alternative method to turn off or spin down the hdd directly. there's got to be another sure-fire method (other than the powersfg) posted somewhere on the internet, i just have to use better search terms.

anyway, thank you for standing by with me on this, much appreciated.

[jagabo]

In my experience, Windows' power options are very unreliable. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. I've not been able to find any reasons for the odd behavior.

[vhelp]

ok, a little bit of history on the subject...i'm going back a bit, but.. a long time ago, maybe 8 years or more win98 ago, i had trouble/suspicion that my constant hdd activity was related to a network card and hdd activity. hdd would light up every few seconds. but the problem was i didn't have a network card. LSS, it was my motherboards build-in network card. in the bios, it was enabled by default. i had to turn it off and then the hdd activity ceased. no more blinking hdd, means less ware and less suspcision. well, its the same thing with wifi, which entails networking drivers/software. my hdd light blinks every so often. also, the network send/receive always incrementing. suspicion. yes. always.

[nic2k4]

hey nic2k4, that utility doesn't appear to be or do the same thing and there is no sleep or hdd spin down command.

Like I said it works backwards; you set your power options and leave them be, the utility sits in the tray, when you want the HDD to not spin down, you right click the icon and select disable suspend.

[vhelp]

- solved -

the powercfg and methods pointed out do in fact work. what happend was, i had the dialog box opened at the configuration, see post #10. i guess it was blocking any attempts to change. anyway. after closing them down and moving on with my encoding projects, and LSS, when i woke up from the couch the next morning, to my surprise, i heard the hdd spin up when i began moving around on the desktop. we probably don't need the { POWERCFG /SETACTIVE "Always On" } part, but just to be safe..plus i'm too lazy to test.

sleep.bat

powercfg /CHANGE "Always On" /disk-timeout-ac 3
POWERCFG /SETACTIVE "Always On"

wakeup.bat

powercfg /CHANGE "Always On" /disk-timeout-ac 0
POWERCFG /SETACTIVE "Always On"