[A110] Internal HDD standby - addendum: test and bug report

[cerk2006]

I have wrote already in couple of treads about the internal HDD not waking up from standby. I read complaints from others as well, but unfortunately got no reply afterwards. I made some additional tests to determine the source of the problem and I believe I found it.

Well, lets begin from ... beginning. I have bought the internal HDD WD 250G 2.5«, model WD2500BEVS, the one from the »confirmed list«. Everything else works flawlessly except the waking up from the standby.

I setup the HDD and PCH w/o any problems: put in the HDD, installed NMT apps, uploaded some movies. All services except Casage were running (Samba, NFS,...) No torrents being downloaded. Made a test.

The test and error description is the following:
Powered off the PCH (Power button only). And after 24 hours or soo...
1. Turned on the PCH (power button)
2. Could see drive and the video files
3. Pressed "Source" button or any other to view or browse the content
4. Heard "noise" from PCH - I would say from HDD, once only!, short, like a wakeup call
5. The round circle begins to spin for around 15-20 seconds,
5. PCH freezes (power + delete doesn't work)

Then, as mel suggested I made additional checks and tests after twitching the HDD using Busybox and hdparm command. Here is what I did: changed the APM value from default 128 (0x0080) to 255, thus turning off the APM (I do not know why then the changed value was shown as 254, but the feature was seen as disabled – see below). I used this command to do it: /bin/busybox hdparm -B 255 /dev/hda. Here is the status of the disk after applying this settings:

> /etc/init.d # /bin/busybox hdparm -I /dev/hda
>
> /dev/hda:
>
> ATA device, with non-removable media
> Model Number: WDC WD2500BEVS-22UST0
> Serial Number: WD-WXC708362559
> Firmware Revision: 01.01A01
> Standards:
> Supported: 8 7 6 5
> Likely used: 8
> Configuration:
> Logical max current
> cylinders 16383 65535
> heads 16 1
> sectors/track 63 63
> --
> CHS current addressable sectors: 4128705
> LBA user addressable sectors: 268435455
> LBA48 user addressable sectors: 488397168
> device size with M = 1024*1024: 238475 MBytes
> device size with M = 1000*1000: 250059 MBytes (250 GB)
> Capabilities:
> LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)
> Queue depth: 32
> Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, with device specific
> minimum
> R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16 Current = 0
> AdvancedPM level: unknown setting (0x00fe)
> Recommended acoustic management value: 128, current value: 254
> DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 *udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 udma6
> Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
> PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
> Cycle time: no flow control=120ns IORDY flow
> control=120ns
> Commands/features:
> Enabled Supported:
> * NOP cmd
> * READ BUFFER cmd
> * WRITE BUFFER cmd
> * Host Protected Area feature set
> * Look-ahead
> * Write cache
> * Power Management feature set
> Security Mode feature set
> * SMART feature set
> * FLUSH CACHE EXT cmd
> * Mandatory FLUSH CACHE cmd
> * Device Configuration Overlay feature set
> * 48-bit Address feature set
> SET MAX security extension
> Adv. Power Management feature set
> * DOWNLOAD MICROCODE cmd
> * General Purpose Logging feature set
> * SMART self-test
> * SMART error logging
> Security:
> Master password revision code = 65534
> supported
> not enabled
> not locked
> not frozen
> not expired: security count
> not supported: enhanced erase
> 96min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
> /etc/init.d #
I redone the test. The result: no change in behaviour – the PCH froze, same as before.


After I have completed the test(s) I have came across the linux forum, dealing with similar problems as I am experiencing (see https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/hardy/...+bug/59695). This is what I was able recapitulate from tread and think it make some sense (with my very rookie knowledge of linux and staff):

Quote:»The hard disk doesn't exactly go into suspend when the disk head is parked, so the kernel doesn't get to know that the disk head is
parked(because standby=>parking) - it interprets this as a sign that the hard disk is in Active/Idle mode. So it doesn't bother stopping data from being written to the disk - this will inevitably cause the head tounpark from the ramp. I think the problem is associated with the way in which the standby command is issued (by the kernel?). »

Quote:» I used hdparm to find the mode of the HD. Hdparm doesn't wake up the disk from standby by state -in contrast to smartctl.«

Quote:»Neither Hdparm nor the kernel can control the spin down time of hard disk , that is the problem. If I could do that , with -B 1 , the problem with my hard disk will be solved , could anyone verify this on their hard disks?«

Even though guys claimed that the change of the APM to 255 or 254 solved their case, I am once again sad to say this is not my case as well ;( This leads me to believe the problem is related to the kernel and not to the disk, ergo a bug in FW . If this problem is not detected on other disks then only on this type then it must be a compatibility issue, ergo again a bug in FW.

I have tried using another internal disk as well: WD 80G, 3.5". And, the result? Well, NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER! Works flowlessly.

So, Syabas would you please comment this and possible provide the fix asap. Chris, your thoughts?

BR Uros

[chris57]

My thoughts are that I'll put a message in the compatibility thread and pass the info on to the engineers for comment.

Thanks for spending the time and producing a good detailed report.

The WD scorpio ending with BEVT as opposed to BEVS is reported as working nicely by users.

[Drizzit]

sorry for necroing this but I have the same problem with the same disk and I found by reading further in the provided link that our problem is hdparm dont make the setting permantent meaning as soon as you turn reboot (or take the disk out of your computer to put it back in the PCH as i did) it reset the setting you just changed.... so have you found any solution to this cerk2006 or did the engineers make any comments cris57?

[cerk2006]

(01-15-2009 12:44 AM)Drizzit Wrote:  sorry for necroing this but I have the same problem with the same disk and I found by reading further in the provided link that our problem is hdparm dont make the setting permantent meaning as soon as you turn reboot (or take the disk out of your computer to put it back in the PCH as i did) it reset the setting you just changed.... so have you found any solution to this cerk2006 or did the engineers make any comments cris57?

Hi,

Yap, found a solution ... replaced the WD HDD with Fujitsu HDD and had no problems since! Over a month now without lockups, freezes, hiccups,... perfect

Uros

[chris57]

The information was passed back to the Engineers, no feedback from them to report.

[Drizzit]

looks like its time to get a new disk i guess lol... thank you both for your replys

[Christophe]

Shit !

I've got a WD1600BEVS !

Any solutions for the BEVS problems ? (I've got the same issues, crash after a long stand by)...

[Drizzit]

I didnt find a solution either sorry... I went back to the store complaining the APM function didnt work as it should (thats the problem if you didnt get that out of the first post)
they took it back and I upgraded to a WD3200BEVT instead as that was the only other 2.5" they had thought Id try it atleast.... and it works like a charm no problems at all

so short version... the BEVS disks are broken and should be returned if you have the option there are countless posts all over the net about them having a messed up APM that causes crashes left and right so its not only in a PCH.

[Christophe]

Good to know... I'll try to take it back to my shop but... I don't think they will be ok for an echange

[aren135]

Hi there...
I have a problem. I use PCH A 110 and an internal hard disk inside ( samsung 1tb with no problem) ... But my PCH is inside a cupboard and i cant reach to the on off power button at the back... So i want to use it with the stand by mode... But when i push the power button on the remote, as you know only the display goes off... But the hard disk is still working... And i dont want this. What can i do to make it on standby PCH and the hard disc too? Thank you....

Best Regards...