I understand that the answer to this is probably some basic script using:

hdparm -y /dev/hda

However, I don't know where/how to put it to get the result I'm looking for.

Background....

I dual-boot to WinXP verrrry rarely. The only partitions on /dev/hda are NTFS for WinXP and I NEVER access them in Linux. However, when the system boots, it spins up and stays powered. Now the kernel checks for it at boot, examines it, and then I never use it again. I would like part of the boot sequence to automatically spin it down. The drive does not support sleep, but it does support standby (is there really a difference?). On the fly I can issue the above hdparm command to do what i need.

Thanks!

Why don't you put the command in rc.local?

Thanks for your quick reply!

One question though...

once I open rc.local with mcedit (hey, I like it) how does it format it? (not so good with scripting)

If the corredt command is

hdparm -y /dev/hda

just put

/path/to/hdparm -y /dev/hda

as the last line in rc.local. I'd guess the corrct path is /bin or similar, but I can't see from where I am at present

that's it????

No "if", "for", "fi", or whatever???? ok, I think I can do that.

Thanks!

I'd try it that way. Putting it in rc.local is just the same as running it mannualy at the end of the boot process.

hdparm is in /usr/sbin. Will it run w/o being root?

It will be run as root