hdparm LINK

hdparm

It is a program used for managing hard disk parameters, like spinning it down https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/hdparm

✅ hdparm Parameters (for your notes)

Command	Description
-B 254	Sets APM (Advanced Power Management) to disable head parking (max performance)
-S 60	Sets spindown timeout to 5 minutes (60 × 5 sec = 300 sec)
-I /dev/sdX	Shows detailed disk info (including current APM level, spindown)
-y	Forces immediate spindown (for testing)
-C	Checks current power state (active/standby)

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🛠️ /etc/hdparm.conf Example

ini

CopyEdit

/dev/sdb {
	apm = 254     
	spindown_time = 60 
}

• apm = 254 → disables head parking

• spindown_time = 60 → spin down after 5 min idle

You can repeat the block for multiple drives (/dev/sda, /dev/sdc, etc).

Recommendation: A Better Way to Spin Down USB Drives

Instead of the low-level hdparm, you should use the modern udisksctl utility, which works at a higher level and is designed to handle various connection types, including USB.

To spin down (power off the spindle of) your drive, use udisksctl:

udisksctl power-off -b /dev/sdd

Link to original