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) |
🛠️ /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