MP 1,1-5,1 Getting HDD drives to stop spinning up again (even when ejected)

[Sharky II]

Hi,

I have a 5,1 with 4 HDD (in the traditional sleds), but run off a PCIe SSD and have some other SSDs installed too. Most of the time I don't need to use the HDDs and want them to be as quiet as possible (music studio here).

When I eject them at least 1-2 invariably start spinning up again after a short amount of time, which creates an annoying oscillating sound (it's not that loud but I can hear it because it's a very quiet space). I have tried turning on/off 'Put hard disks to sleep when possible', makes no difference.

I'm wondering if a) this is normal and b) this is due to an app that might be running? I run iStat menus and Mac Fans Control, and notice that when I launch the interface for Mac Fans Control it will spin up one or more drives, for example.

Has anyone else experienced this and have you found a work around? I'm pretty sure it's one or both of two of the specific drives.

Cheers,

Ed

 

[MarkC426]

Are they being backed up by Time Machine?
The only HDD I have is iTunes media, which only spins up when TM kicks in (unless I am accessing it).

 

[Macschrauber]

Is there a monitoring tool active what reads s.m.a.r.t. temperatures ?

To do so the spinners must wake up.

 

[h9826790]

I run iStat menus and Mac Fans Control, and notice that when I launch the interface for Mac Fans Control it will spin up one or more drives, for example.

Because S.M.A.R.T

If you want to have better control of those HDD, the easiest work around is to connect them via a USB 3.0 HDD enclosure. So that, when you don't need them, you can switch off the enclosure, which 100% make sure none of those HDD can spin up until you turn them back on.

 

[Macschrauber]

maybe you can switch off smart temperature monitoring in your tools.

I use TG Pro and it has an option for smart monitoring on / off

Edit, I updated macs fan control to 1.5.7 and it has an option also for smart on / off

 

[KeesMacPro]

I had the exact same issue (music recording and editing) and solved as described by h9826790 : removed all spinners.
Less heat generated, and sooo silent.

 

[MarkC426]

I thought the smart check was only at boot.....?

 

[h9826790]

I thought the smart check was only at boot.....?

That's POST, not SMART

 

[Sharky II]

Thank you all!

I have de-activated SMART in MacFanControls

I'm wondering if there's a setting in iStat menus that I need to turn off, or anything else that might use SMART. I don't have the 'Sensors' item turned on, but I do have HD/SSD. That doesn't give any temp readings though.

I'll restart and see how I get on with just the MFC SMART turned off!

Cheers,

Ed

 

[Sharky II]

Hi again,

I found a SMART menu option in iStat too, attached in picture. It's in the menu of iStat when I launch the actual (config) application.

Cheers,

Ed

 

[MIKX]

I had the exact same issue (music recording and editing) and solved as described by h9826790 : removed all spinners.
Less heat generated, and sooo silent.

Me too . . .banished ALL spinners from my cMP's internal case.

Cooler by far, silent. I now house my ONE spinner in an external self-powered USB 3.1 dual drive dock out of sight under my desk.

Spinners are hot and noisy.

I have one 500gb SSD living where the DVD drive cage was. I boot from a 500gb Samsung 970 EVO Plus ( firmware updated to latest. )

 

[Sharky II]

Turning off SMART on both MFC and iStat Menus has done the job for me.

As I have 4 internal HDs and 5+ external HDs (more including older archives), as well as 3 internal SSDs and 2 external SSDs, switching to more SSDs to replace the internal HDDs will take some time (due to money!). Looking forward to getting the spinners out of the machine.

Thanks again, all!