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Sandshark's avatar
Sandshark
Sensei - Experienced User
May 03, 2025

Does disk spindown work for anyone?

After a few years of using rack-mount NAS (which don't support disk spin-down) I'm again using a desktop NAS as my primary and I find that disk spin-down doesn't really work.  They spin down, but spi...
StephenB's avatar
StephenB
Guru - Experienced User
May 03, 2025

Sipindown is enabled on my main NAS (RN526) from 10 pm to 5 am - using the default setting of 5 minutes of inactivity. 

 

Backup jobs run during that timeframe, so the system is not completely idle Here's one day's spindown activity.

May 02 01:00:18 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:03:40.
May 02 01:00:28 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:04:03.
May 02 01:00:28 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:03:58.
May 02 01:00:33 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:04:00.

May 02 01:17:11 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:07:50.

May 02 02:00:19 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:38:05.
May 02 02:00:29 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:51:51.
May 02 02:00:29 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:51:43.
May 02 02:00:34 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:51:53.

May 02 02:15:34 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:00:25.
May 02 02:15:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:00:45.

May 02 02:28:07 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:08:07.
May 02 02:28:07 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:13:06.
May 02 02:28:07 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:07:27.
May 02 02:28:12 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:07:20.

May 02 03:00:21 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:26:33.
May 02 03:00:21 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:26:28.
May 02 03:00:21 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:26:20.
May 02 03:00:26 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:26:30.

May 02 03:05:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:00:18.
May 02 03:05:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:00:13.
May 02 03:05:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:00:10.
May 02 03:05:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:00:05.

May 02 03:37:47 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:26:53.
May 02 03:37:47 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:26:48.
May 02 03:37:47 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:26:40.
May 02 03:37:52 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:26:50.

May 02 04:00:41 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:17:43.
May 02 04:00:41 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:17:38.
May 02 04:00:41 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:17:30.
May 02 04:00:46 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:17:40.

May 02 04:44:34 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:33:30.
May 02 04:44:44 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:33:53.
May 02 04:44:44 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:33:48.
May 02 04:44:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:33:50.

May 02 23:00:18 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:11:30.
May 02 23:00:33 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:11:48.
May 02 23:00:33 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:11:58.
May 02 23:00:33 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:11:55.

May 02 23:41:49 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:29:08.
May 02 23:41:49 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:29:03.
May 02 23:44:44 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:31:50.
May 02 23:44:49 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:32:00.

 

No really long spindowns (1 hour or more) - that is because snapshots are scheduled for some shares 24x7.  I'd probably get better results if I took the trouble to change that.

 

Still, the disks were spun down about 3 1/2 hours over the 7 hour interval.

 

 

  • Sandshark's avatar
    Sandshark
    Sensei - Experienced User
    May 03, 2025

    OK, so your log doesn't show the spin-down events but mine does.  I believe it's the writing of the spin-down events that's spinning them back up, and this certainly adds evidence to that.  But why is your NAS not logging the spin-downs when both of my always-on ones do?  There must be some other setting involved unless you are on another OS version which does it differently.

    • StephenB's avatar
      StephenB
      Guru - Experienced User
      May 03, 2025
      Sandshark wrote:

      your log doesn't show the spin-down events  

      It does, I just removed them from my log excerpt. The full spindown log for May 2nd looks like this:

      May 02 00:16:25 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 00:16:27 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spindown of disk 3 (/dev/sdc) cancelled.
May 02 00:51:18 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 00:51:20 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spindown of disk 1 (/dev/sda) cancelled.
May 02 00:56:20 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 00:56:25 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 00:56:30 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 00:56:33 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 01:00:18 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:03:40.
May 02 01:00:28 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:04:03.
May 02 01:00:28 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:03:58.
May 02 01:00:33 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:04:00.
May 02 01:08:33 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 01:08:38 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 01:08:41 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 01:09:16 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 01:17:11 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:07:50.
May 02 01:22:11 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 02:00:19 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:38:05.
May 02 02:00:29 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:51:51.
May 02 02:00:29 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:51:43.
May 02 02:00:34 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:51:53.
May 02 02:14:54 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 02:14:56 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spindown of disk 1 (/dev/sda) cancelled.
May 02 02:14:56 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 02:15:01 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 02:15:04 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 02:15:34 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:00:25.
May 02 02:15:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:00:45.
May 02 02:19:55 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 02:20:35 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 02:20:50 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 02:28:07 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:08:07.
May 02 02:28:07 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:13:06.
May 02 02:28:07 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:07:27.
May 02 02:28:12 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:07:20.
May 02 02:33:43 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 02:33:48 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 02:33:53 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 02:33:56 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 03:00:21 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:26:33.
May 02 03:00:21 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:26:28.
May 02 03:00:21 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:26:20.
May 02 03:00:26 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:26:30.
May 02 03:05:26 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 03:05:31 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 03:05:36 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 03:05:39 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 03:05:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:00:18.
May 02 03:05:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:00:13.
May 02 03:05:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:00:10.
May 02 03:05:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:00:05.
May 02 03:10:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 03:10:54 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 03:10:59 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 03:11:02 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 03:37:47 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:26:53.
May 02 03:37:47 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:26:48.
May 02 03:37:47 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:26:40.
May 02 03:37:52 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:26:50.
May 02 03:42:53 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 03:42:58 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 03:43:03 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 03:43:06 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 04:00:41 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:17:43.
May 02 04:00:41 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:17:38.
May 02 04:00:41 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:17:30.
May 02 04:00:46 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:17:40.
May 02 04:10:46 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 04:10:51 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 04:10:56 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 04:10:59 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 04:44:34 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:33:30.
May 02 04:44:44 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:33:53.
May 02 04:44:44 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:33:48.
May 02 04:44:49 NAS noflushd[3790]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:33:50.
May 02 05:00:02 NAS noflushd[3790]: Quitting on signal...
May 02 05:00:02 NAS systemd[1]: Stopping Idle Disk Spindown Daemon...
May 02 05:00:02 NAS systemd[1]: Stopped Idle Disk Spindown Daemon.
May 02 22:00:22 NAS systemd[1]: Started Idle Disk Spindown Daemon.
May 02 22:00:22 NAS noflushd[25623]: Enabling spindown for disk 1 
May 02 22:00:22 NAS noflushd[25623]: Enabling spindown for disk 2 
May 02 22:00:22 NAS noflushd[25623]: Enabling spindown for disk 3 
May 02 22:00:22 NAS noflushd[25623]: Enabling spindown for disk 4
May 02 22:05:27 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 22:05:29 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spindown of disk 1 (/dev/sda) cancelled.
May 02 22:48:30 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 22:48:35 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 22:48:43 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 22:48:45 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 23:00:18 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:11:30.
May 02 23:00:33 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:11:48.
May 02 23:00:33 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:11:58.
May 02 23:00:33 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:11:55.
May 02 23:07:33 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 23:07:36 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spindown of disk 1 (/dev/sda) cancelled.
May 02 23:12:36 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 23:12:41 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 23:12:46 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 23:12:49 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 23:41:49 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 1 (/dev/sda) after 0:29:08.
May 02 23:41:49 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 2 (/dev/sdb) after 0:29:03.
May 02 23:44:44 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 4 (/dev/sdd) after 0:31:50.
May 02 23:44:49 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning up disk 3 (/dev/sdc) after 0:32:00.
May 02 23:54:20 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).
May 02 23:54:22 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spindown of disk 1 (/dev/sda) cancelled.
May 02 23:54:22 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 2 (/dev/sdb).
May 02 23:54:27 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 3 (/dev/sdc).
May 02 23:54:30 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 4 (/dev/sdd).
May 02 23:59:20 NAS noflushd[25623]: Spinning down disk 1 (/dev/sda).

      The NAS is running 6.10.9 

      • Sandshark's avatar
        Sandshark
        Sensei - Experienced User
        May 04, 2025

        OK, you have some instances where they immediately spin back up where it seems to always do so in my case (if it doesn't. I've not seen a case in the log).  I can see one coincidence that it just happens to have read activity just after 5 min  (or more in my case) of none, but not several coincidences. 

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