How do I automate spinning down specific disks?

[Stubbs]

In Disk Settings, we have the option to change the "Default Spin Down Delay" to spin hard disks down after a set period of time. But this setting applies for all hard disks connected to the Unraid server.

If I wanted this setting to only apply for two specific disks, what should I be doing? Would it require some kind of user script?

 

Also, separate question, but is spinning down generally not encouraged? I see a lot of conflicting information on this subject. Some people say having disks in a spun-down state increases their lifespan, while others day it can degrade the disk quicker because the spin-up is the most likely action to physically break the drive.

[SimonF]

1 minute ago, Stubbs said:

In Disk Settings, we have the option to change the "Default Spin Down Delay" to spin hard disks down after a set period of time. But this setting applies for all hard disks connected to the Unraid server.

If I wanted this setting to only apply for two specific disks, what should I be doing? Would it require some kind of user script?

 

Also, separate question, but is spinning down generally not encouraged? I see a lot of conflicting information on this subject. Some people say having disks in a spun-down state increases their lifespan, while others day it can degrade the disk quicker because the spin-up is the most likely action to physically break the drive.

You can set option per disk also. i.e set default to not spin down and set per disks as required

[JorgeB]

Click on the disk and you can set a specific spin down time for that device.

[Stubbs]

1 minute ago, SimonF said:

You can set option per disk also. i.e set default to not spin down and set per disks as required

 

Just now, JorgeB said:

Click on the disk and you can set a specific spin down time for that device.

 

Not sure how I missed that. Thanks.

[JonathanM]

7 hours ago, Stubbs said:

Some people say having disks in a spun-down state increases their lifespan, while others day it can degrade the disk quicker because the spin-up is the most likely action to physically break the drive.

Both are correct. No need to keep a disk spinning if it's only accessed a few minutes a day, but it makes no sense to spin it down and then access it again 20 minutes later.

 

Try to limit the number of cycles, but keep rarely used disks spun down.

 

Temperature stability is more important, so if you can't keep your disks from heating up excessively while they are spinning, keep them spun up so they don't go from cold to hot to cold. better to keep them consistently warm at 50C than cycling from 20C-50C every few hours.