Disk might not be spun down properly. Update shutdown utility
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Yea that's what I did. I think it fixed the problem. Something flashes on the screen in place of the previous error when the computer is halting. It displays a split second before the computer shuts off so I can't read it. I don't think it is an error though.
Have the same problem and I have fixed using the explanation above. But I newbie at linux and I would like to know if I have to reinstall my linux again? Did that problem damage my computer?
You should not have to reinstall. Even if the problem goes on without being fixed, it would most likely only damage your hardware after hundreds of bad shutdowns. Also, if your particular hardware really minded, then you would most likely know. What I mean is that people who reported significant problems with this could hear a loud thunk as the hard-drive spun down, then up, then down again a little too quickly. If you are really concerned and you don't especially need a 2.6.22 kernel, then you could downgrade your kernel to 2.6.21 or 2.6.18 (which didn't have this problem).
Can you tell me more about the problem with shutdown? I'm getting the warning before power-off, but I cannot hear _any_ parking sound. However on other forums I have found reports, that the bug causes the drive to do parking twice very quickly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlucardZero
Edit /etc/init.d/halt, find the hddown="-h" and
change it to hddown="".
What does this line do? I would just like to know what am I doing I googled a bit, and couldn't find a clear answer.
I am using Debian testing (Lenny). Should I update my `shutdown`?
To sum up, I just want to know if anything may happen to my drive. It's a new 250GB disk, and I have quite important data on it.
As I said above, if you are very nervous, then the easiest complete fix is to downgrade your kernel (say to 2.6.18-5 from Etch). I'm not an expert on the issue, but here's my rough understanding: the kernel (as of 2.6.22) issues a shutdown sequence and the operating system also initiates a shutdown sequence (as it always used to). The two overlapping sequences get f&*$%ed up (that's the technical term), and the system can (1) get told (by one side) to spindown, (2) get a command (from the other side) that causes it to spin up again and then (3) get a final command to shut down entirely (and quickly?!?). The result is a hard change in direction that can cause a noticeable clunk on some drives. You do that enough times and your drive is f&*$%ed. However, a few people on a kernel irc channel said that "enough times" means in the hundreds.
For me, it's not worth the worry, so I left the kernel on both my boxes at 2.6.21 (the last version before the trouble started for me).
Removing the "-h" from that file manually would seem to remove the Debian system calling for "halt" - that's certainly what the -h flag does in, eg, "shutdown -h now". Perhaps that fixes the conflicting messages and the problem. Again, I don't know enough to trust it, so I stuck with an earlier kernel.
Last edited by Telemachos; 11-13-2007 at 08:17 PM..
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