Kernel regression: HDD S.M.A.R.T support and spin down

Support Kernel
1

Hello,

I’m encountering a regression that started with Kernel 6.1, where HDDs no longer spin down as expected. This issue persists in later kernels, including 6.6, 6.9, and 6.10. The last working Kernel was 5.15.

The regression was initially reported here:

HDD Spin-Down Issue

  • The HDDs no longer automatically spin down after the set standby timeout period. This was a behavior that worked correctly up until Kernel 5.15.
  • Running hdparm -y manually puts the drives into standby, but the status remains unknown according to hdparm -C.

Gnome Disk Utility

  • All HDD-related settings (Standby, APM, AAM, Cache) are now greyed out in gnome-disk-utility, rendering them unconfigurable.
  • The Self-Test assessment in gnome-disk-utility no longer reports any results, which used to work previously.

Running sudo hdparm -C /dev/sda and similar commands for other drives returns:

 SG_IO: bad/missing sense data, sb[]:  f0 00 01 00 50 40 00 0a 00 00 00 00 00 1d 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
 drive state is: unknown

The problem affects multiple HDDs, and the HDDs are used solely for storage, with no system applications running from them. I have ensured that the HDDs are not listed in /etc/fstab to avoid any unintended mounts at startup.

2

Did you see the solution too?

It is a behavior change for what I know - you simply have to adapt to the new reality.

3

Sry, I can’t help with your specific problem but i have a good recommendation.

While i use a single HDD for storage too, i mainly rely on external HDD Backup… because of less wear out, more security when it comes to ransom ware attack, lightning strike or overvoltage… because this Devices isn’t connected when its not needed.

4

It sounds like a bug to me, as the HDD settings and monitoring tools aren’t working anymore.

5

Check

It’ll be fixed in next kernel and it is in testing already.
Anyway not sure why you not able to spin down your HDD.
I have no problem with
sudo hdparm -S 1 /dev/sda
command

2 Likes
6

Yes, we seem to have the same problem with hdparm on SATA disks.

To clarify, I can manually set my HDD to sleep using:
sudo hdparm -y /dev/sdX

However, it returns an error, and the S.M.A.R.T. features don’t seem to run properly beyond Kernel 5.15. Looking forward to checking the stable release of Linux 6.11.

7 
sudo hdparm -S 30  /dev/sda

This is the command i use for setting HDD to sleep.
Try it. change “30” to “1” and sometime hdparm command not working from 1st try. So i do that command 3 times in a row and it working like a charm setting SATA disk to sleep.

Also switch to testing, new kernels(they are in testing branch only for now) have this flaw fixed.

1 Like
8

Just for the record, the spinning down and up again of a HDD causes more wear to it than anything else, and the money you save on electricity by spinning down your HDD all the time will not cover the cost of buying a new one.

9

You’re right, but the noise of 4 HDDs spinning at full speed is killing me.

I wish motherboard UEFI had the feature to only turn on HDD with a boot loader, and keep the others turned off.

10

@Okanochiwa did you apply the following udev rule? Harddisk spin down on shutdown no longer works - #4 by renkforce1

11

Yes I tried, but my HDD still didn’t spin down.
Also, applying the udev rule wouldn’t solve the problem that the SMART data, self-test and monitoring tools don’t work.

12

I ventured into Kernel 6.11 RC 4-7 and can happily confirm that SMART features are back to normal, and HDD spin down as expected - just like in Kernel 5.15.

Good job to the dev team, looking forward to the 6.11 stable release!

1 Like
13

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