Seagate External Drives Sleep Problem

06-14-2006, 05:45 PM

It looks like ALL SEAGATE EXTERNAL DRIVES over 200 gig have a permanent feature of sleep mode every 5 to 10 minutes - and therefore are a bad idea on a Mac because they make the Mac wait about 10 seconds every 5-10 minutes while they wake from sleep (assuming you're not using it) - and there is NO WAY to fix this...!!!

BTW: (internals are fine)

*** Question: someone mentioned that a cron job that did something simple and not too taxing - say a top-level directory listing - every four minutes would solve the problem. Unfortunately, I do not know anything about creating cron jobs - can someone point lead to some information so I can learn more about creating Cron jobs?

--

This is definitely a *Seagate enclosure* issue ( not the internal drive).

These are the Seagate external hard drives: (Listed below)

- Here's what I learned from a few technical e-mail's and technical phone conversation with Seagate...

- First of all, I was surprised to learn that this particular external Seagate hard drive came with no fan ( I was under the distinct impression that it did in fact have a fan)

- The tech person told me that because it does NOT have a fan - then it can overheat and therefore diminish the life of the drive.

- So, rather than putting a fan inside the enclosure ... They came up with some code built into the enclosure/controller ( not the hard drive itself) ... That would force it to go to sleep every 5 or 10 minutes of non use.

- the also told me - in no uncertain terms - that there was absolutely no software that could get rid of this problem.

- In addition, the tech person told me that every Seagate external hard drive that is greater than 200 gigs has this " sleep technology " built into it.

- When I told him how much of this was a drag for professional Mac people - having to wait about 10 seconds every 10 minutes - and that it was a potential problem for music software etc.... He told me it that many others have also complained of this issue.

NOTE: Be aware that Seagate also recently purchased Maxtor Drives - so this may become a problem with their external hardware at some future date ... Just a guess ...

- - - - -
From: Seagate External Hard Drives - Seagate Technology
Location: http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/....html#external
- - - - -
Seagate External Hard Drives
The External Hard Drive
120 GB - 400 GB

ST3120027A-RK
ST3160026A-RK
ST3160024A-RK
ST3200823A-RK
ST3300801CB-RK
ST3400801CB-RK
ST3500601CB-RK
ST3400601CB-RK
ST3300601CB-RK
ST3250601CB-RK
ST3400601U2-RK
ST3300601U2-RK
ST3250601U2-RK

--------

------ Forwarded Message
> From: <DiscSupport@seagate.com>
> Reply-To: <disc.support@seagate.com>
> Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2006 14:44:21 -0500

> Subject: Re: |ST3300601CB-RK|MacOS||new 300 gig drive
>
> Hello,
>
> Unfortunately this drive cannot have the sleep mode turned off, as it is a
> safety feature to keep the drive intact. It is not a setting on your
> system, it is a setting on the drive that goes into effect after 5-10
> minutes of inactivity.
>
> Nicholas W.
> Seagate Technical Support
>
> ========== Customer's original message ==========
>
>
> ========================================================
> new 300 gig drive - formatted in 10.43 Tiger - one partition.
>
> - even though Energy saver " put hard disks to sleep" IS UNchecked ...
> this drive still constantly goes to sleep! - someone said that you have
> some kind of PC software application that can remove some kind of PC
> drivers from this hard drive to fix this problem .. is this true - will
> it fix the problem? - if so ... where is the URL - so that I can download
> the software application? What is it called - And how do I use it to
> solve this problem?
> ========================================================

------ End of Forwarded Message

06-16-2006, 02:02 PM

i still could use some help with this...

*** Question: someone mentioned that a cron job that did something simple and not too taxing - say a top-level directory listing - every four minutes would solve the problem. Unfortunately, I do not know anything about creating cron jobs - can someone point lead to some information so I can learn more about creating Cron jobs?

Jim_in_Berkeley · 01-27-2007, 09:48 PM

The automatic, unchangable "sleep" feature makes my recently purchased 290 gig external Seagate HD unsuitable for my desired use, so I am looking for a substitute.

I note that many external HDs on the market appear not to have a fan. Do these HDs also have an automatic sleep mode to avoid overheating? I am looking for a fast external HD that does not have to be awakened whenever I access its contents.

Thanks for any info.

dekelly · 02-23-2007, 10:40 PM

I recently purchased SATA Maxtor 7V300FO to use as an external drive with a Mac Book Pro 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 10.4.8 for video editing. I have the same problem with the disk powering down after 10 minutes. Another thread on this forum says it may be possible to extend the sleep timer to 180 minutes through terminal for 10.2.1. http://forums.macosxhints.com/archiv...hp/t-6244.html.

If I am using the drive for editing, after it powers down, when I try to continue editing the system hangs and the finder crashes forcing a reboot.

SatCure · 09-19-2008, 05:31 AM

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...11024160033481

02-23-2007, 10:40 PM	#4
dekelly Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1	Maxtor 7V300FO - same problem I recently purchased SATA Maxtor 7V300FO to use as an external drive with a Mac Book Pro 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 10.4.8 for video editing. I have the same problem with the disk powering down after 10 minutes. Another thread on this forum says it may be possible to extend the sleep timer to 180 minutes through terminal for 10.2.1. http://forums.macosxhints.com/archiv...hp/t-6244.html. If I am using the drive for editing, after it powers down, when I try to continue editing the system hangs and the finder crashes forcing a reboot.

09-19-2008, 05:31 AM	#5
SatCure Prospect Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28	Cron job http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...11024160033481

06-14-2006, 05:45 PM	#1
revdave Guest Posts: n/a	It looks like ALL SEAGATE EXTERNAL DRIVES over 200 gig have a permanent feature of sleep mode every 5 to 10 minutes - and therefore are a bad idea on a Mac because they make the Mac wait about 10 seconds every 5-10 minutes while they wake from sleep (assuming you're not using it) - and there is NO WAY to fix this...!!! BTW: (internals are fine) *** Question: someone mentioned that a cron job that did something simple and not too taxing - say a top-level directory listing - every four minutes would solve the problem. Unfortunately, I do not know anything about creating cron jobs - can someone point lead to some information so I can learn more about creating Cron jobs? -- This is definitely a Seagate enclosure issue ( not the internal drive). These are the Seagate external hard drives: (Listed below) - Here's what I learned from a few technical e-mail's and technical phone conversation with Seagate... - First of all, I was surprised to learn that this particular external Seagate hard drive came with no fan ( I was under the distinct impression that it did in fact have a fan) - The tech person told me that because it does NOT have a fan - then it can overheat and therefore diminish the life of the drive. - So, rather than putting a fan inside the enclosure ... They came up with some code built into the enclosure/controller ( not the hard drive itself) ... That would force it to go to sleep every 5 or 10 minutes of non use. - the also told me - in no uncertain terms - that there was absolutely no software that could get rid of this problem. - In addition, the tech person told me that every Seagate external hard drive that is greater than 200 gigs has this " sleep technology " built into it. - When I told him how much of this was a drag for professional Mac people - having to wait about 10 seconds every 10 minutes - and that it was a potential problem for music software etc.... He told me it that many others have also complained of this issue. NOTE: Be aware that Seagate also recently purchased Maxtor Drives - so this may become a problem with their external hardware at some future date ... Just a guess ... - - - - - From: Seagate External Hard Drives - Seagate Technology Location: http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/....html#external - - - - - Seagate External Hard Drives The External Hard Drive 120 GB - 400 GB ST3120027A-RK ST3160026A-RK ST3160024A-RK ST3200823A-RK ST3300801CB-RK ST3400801CB-RK ST3500601CB-RK ST3400601CB-RK ST3300601CB-RK ST3250601CB-RK ST3400601U2-RK ST3300601U2-RK ST3250601U2-RK -------- ------ Forwarded Message > From: <DiscSupport@seagate.com> > Reply-To: <disc.support@seagate.com> > Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2006 14:44:21 -0500 > Subject: Re: \|ST3300601CB-RK\|MacOS\|\|new 300 gig drive > > Hello, > > Unfortunately this drive cannot have the sleep mode turned off, as it is a > safety feature to keep the drive intact. It is not a setting on your > system, it is a setting on the drive that goes into effect after 5-10 > minutes of inactivity. > > Nicholas W. > Seagate Technical Support > > ========== Customer's original message ========== > > > ======================================================== > new 300 gig drive - formatted in 10.43 Tiger - one partition. > > - even though Energy saver " put hard disks to sleep" IS UNchecked ... > this drive still constantly goes to sleep! - someone said that you have > some kind of PC software application that can remove some kind of PC > drivers from this hard drive to fix this problem .. is this true - will > it fix the problem? - if so ... where is the URL - so that I can download > the software application? What is it called - And how do I use it to > solve this problem? > ======================================================== ------ End of Forwarded Message

06-16-2006, 02:02 PM	#2
revdave Guest Posts: n/a	i still could use some help with this... *** Question: someone mentioned that a cron job that did something simple and not too taxing - say a top-level directory listing - every four minutes would solve the problem. Unfortunately, I do not know anything about creating cron jobs - can someone point lead to some information so I can learn more about creating Cron jobs?

01-27-2007, 09:48 PM	#3
Jim_in_Berkeley Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1	The automatic, unchangable "sleep" feature makes my recently purchased 290 gig external Seagate HD unsuitable for my desired use, so I am looking for a substitute. I note that many external HDs on the market appear not to have a fan. Do these HDs also have an automatic sleep mode to avoid overheating? I am looking for a fast external HD that does not have to be awakened whenever I access its contents. Thanks for any info.