bug in ubuntu "kill" hardrive

[Nils Kassube]

Derek Broughton wrote:
> Nils Kassube wrote:
> > Cybe R. Wizard wrote:
> >> "Dotan Cohen" <dotancohen at gmail.com>  said:
> >> > The bug is in the default hard drive configuration as set by the
> >> > manufacturer. The reason that Windows does not hammer the drive is
> >> > because Windows has yet another bug, which causes the OS to ignore
> >> > the drive's default configuration settings. So there you have what
> >> > I like to call an even number of bugs, which 'fix' each other.
> >>
> >> <tin-hat mode>
> >> Sounds like an under-the-table agreement between M$ and HD
> >> manufacturer to discredit Linux!
> >> </tin-hat mode>
> >
> > Oh, great! I love conspiracy theories (epecially about MS), but this
> > is not true. Otherwise there would be the same conspiracy with
> > previous Linux distributions. I.e. Ubuntu Dapper doesn't have the
> > bug.
>
> I don't think that's true either.  Dapper would have the bug, if it had
> strigi, beagle, and who knows how many other apps continuously
> hammering the drives.

IMHO, the bug has nothing to do with applications running but with a 
setting for the hard disk to unload the head after a short time of no 
activity. Unfortunately, not all hard disks behave the same. The 
S.M.A.R.T. setting is interpreted different by different manufacturers 
because it is no real standard. Therefore the delay is different for every 
hard disk type.

I have tested the existance of the bug with Dapper, Gutsy and Windows XP 
Pro when it was mentioned on Slashdot. The short version of the test 
result: I could only verify it with Gutsy. But considering the date of 
the bug report, it probably existed since Feisty. The long version can be 
found in the archive of ubuntu-users and/or kubuntu-users (if you want to 
read some numbers which apply only for my disk).


Nils