Do WD EARX drives need Wdidle "patch"?

[french_guy]

I just bought a 2TB WD EARX drive and I was wondering if I should run the wdidle patch

I think I've seen somewhere it was requested on the EARS, but the newest EARX didn't need it

Could someone confirm?

[sureguy]

All it does is increase the amount of time before the head gets parked.  It won't hurt anything if you do it.

[french_guy]

Ok, so if i were to do it:

1) I install the drive in my main PC

2) I run the apps - what are the right parameters to apply?

3) I install the drive in Unraid and format

[althoralthor]

http://www.storagereview.com/how_to_stop_excessive_load_cycles_on_the_western_digital_2tb_caviar_green_wd20ears_with_wdidle3

 

 

[sureguy]

There is a step by step here:

 

http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=52211#p296857

 

I'd recommend preclearing the drive before adding it to the array.

[french_guy]

OK, thanks for the links

Do you know if it applies as well for older EADS drive? I have one already in my server (1.5 TB) ...

Looks like wdidle3 is always referring to EARS drive, but not for "older" EADS or "newest" EARX

 

About the pre-clearing, is it part of the format function or it has to be done before Format with a separate button (don't recall all the functions of the webGUI)

[sureguy]

Preclearing verifies the disk is good before adding it to the array.  Do a forum search for preclear_disk.sh

[french_guy]

I found something but it's a 73 pages thread....

Could you do a quick sumary.................please?

[sureguy]

Just read the first post in that 73 page thread.  It explains what it does, and links to the most current version of the tool.

[althoralthor]

"A utility to "burn-in" a new disk, before adding it to your array has been requested several times.  Also requested is a process to "pre-clear" a hard disk before adding it to your array.  When a special "signature" is detected, the lengthy "clearing" step otherwise performed by unRAID is skipped."

 

Basically you are burning in your drive to make sure it is good.  Strictly speaking it is not required to run preclear on a drive.  If you add it to the array, it will be cleared for you. But while this is happening, the array is off line and not useable for hours.

 

Pre clearing then serves 2 functions.  One it runs the disk through an exercise that tests it, and two prepares the disk to be added to the array.

 

 

[tucansam]

download gcc etc and then download and compile idle3, you can do this right from unraid.  i've done it on three disks with no issues. 

[sureguy]

download gcc etc and then download and compile idle3, you can do this right from unraid.  i've done it on three disks with no issues.

 

It's important to note that this utility may not work on certain controller cards, I'm pretty sure I had to disconnect my drives from my M1505 in order to run this as the drives were not detected.