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Is Linux hard on laptop hard drives?

am_dragonam_dragon
edited October 2007 in Technology
I noticed this bug, there's actually quite a few posts around the Ubuntu community about it. It seems as if a Linux laptop running on battery power is most effected. Something is causing the hard drive to spin up, right after it spins down. This dramatically increases the amount of wear on the mechanics in the drive. I don't know how bad this really is, however it is something to keep an eye on if you are running Linux on a laptop (without solid state drives). Here is blog entry on the subject with more info. link

Comments

  • SailSail
    edited October 2007
    Oh shits. That's bad. I'm following the instructions now.

    [Edit] Uhh, not sure which number it is.

    193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 180 180 000 Old_age Always - 60142
    This lappy's about 5 months old.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • ......
    edited October 2007
    To find your Load_Cycle_Count do this (the last number is the number we are interested in) :
    $ sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda | grep Load_Cycle_Count
    60142 is the number you seek.

    EDIT: Nice avy Sail, didn't realize it was you XD
    Post edited by ... on
  • SailSail
    edited October 2007
    60,142!? FUCK!! I'm going to have to start doing a regular home dir backup...

    Thanks for the heads-up!!
    Post edited by Sail on
  • ......
    edited October 2007
    60,142!? FUCK!! I'm going to have to start doing a regular home dir backup...
    Eh, second link states you should check also tomorrow. Keep track of the time you are using your laptop today (since the check) and check tomorrow how much it has risen. It'll live for 200,000 load cycles.

    Hmmm... my desktop:
    nine@Ronin:~$ sudo smartctl -a /dev/sdb | grep Load_Cycle_Count
    193 Load_Cycle_Count 0xa88c 094 227 140 Old_age Offline FAILING_NOW 186421495703948
    Crap XD
    Post edited by ... on
  • am_dragonam_dragon
    edited October 2007
    If you read through some of the posts and the bug report there are differing views on how bad this is. I have 2 drives in my laptop. Here is what I get.
    >sudo smartctl -d ata -a /dev/sda | grep Load_Cycle_Count && sudo smartctl -d ata -a /dev/sdb | grep Load_Cycle_Count
    193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 091 091 000 Old_age Always - 94905
    193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 097 097 000 Old_age Always - 33532
    The top drive is Ubuntu Linux, the bottom is Vista. I use Vista much less so hard to tell. This laptop is 8 months old. I do know that when I checked this morning it was 94835.
    Post edited by am_dragon on
  • SailSail
    edited October 2007
    Almost one hundred in a day seems drastic.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • AprecheApreche
    That bug is very real. It killed the hard drive in my laptop. I purchased a solid state drive to replace it, and avoid the bug.
  • SailSail
    edited October 2007
    My count jumped a hundred today as well. I'm buying a new hard drive.

    [Edit] Guess I'm not. I didn't realize that SSDs are ludicrously expensive. I'll just have to keep an eye on it for now.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • AprecheApreche
    My count jumped a hundred today as well. I'm buying a new hard drive.

    [Edit] Guess I'm not. I didn't realize that SSDs are ludicrously expensive. I'll just have to keep an eye on it for now.
    There's a solution to the bug using hdparm you know.
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    That bug is very real. It killed the hard drive in my laptop. I purchased a solid state drive to replace it, and avoid the bug.
    Your new laptop?
  • AprecheApreche
    That bug is very real. It killed the hard drive in my laptop. I purchased a solid state drive to replace it, and avoid the bug.
    Your new laptop?
    I only have one.
  • SailSail
    There's a solution to the bug using hdparm you know.
    No, I don't know. Enlighten me.
  • AprecheApreche
    There's a solution to the bug using hdparm you know.
    No, I don't know. Enlighten me.
    Use the hdparm -B command to prevent your hard drive from parking the heads. This will probably hurt battery life, and it means your drive might be hurt if you drop the laptop or something, but it will solve this bug at least until it is fixed. For more information read all this stuff.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    Is this Ubuntu only or does it effect all kernels?
  • SailSail
    edited October 2007
    hdparm -B 255 /dev/sda
    I used this command from the bug page and it seems to work, but totally disables the Advanced Power Management. Yeah, it's a real battery drainer =P It also apparently makes the computer very hot, but I haven't experienced that yet.
    Post edited by Sail on
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