Mini + Ext HD - HD spin down and power?

[keeper]

Hi

I'm looking at options to replace my old mac book pro and NAS.
This would act as a media server and also a subsonic server.

If I have a mini/imac that goes to sleep, what then happens to the external drives which have external power?
Also can an external firewire drive sleep when not being used?

Something I've not looked at before.
I know when I have my external connected to the NAS it spins all the time getting very hot.

As i'll be working in the room all day i'd like it to be quiet and power efficient.

Many Thanks Phil

 

[dolphin842]

I use a mini with an external FW400 drive as my user folder. The drive does indeed spin down when the mini goes to sleep. However, there have been a handful of occasions where the FW drive will not spin up once the computer wakes up! Since my user folder is on the external, this situation is the practical equivalent of a crash, since the drive is no longer mounted and I can't save anything.

If you're just using the external as a media drive, though, it would just be a matter of mounting it again should it not wake up again as expected. The drive should also spin down after a period of not being used.