Wireless LAN spins up HDD...

[XYZ]

So, to avoid this, you have to choose a new SSID and keep (i said KEEP) it hidden from the start. Then no other device will see it, nor has it's name in his list of former engagements.

I tried exactly what you described, but unfortunately nothing is happening - disk is still spinning all the time. I am using original 1.0.4.6 firmware. Do I need to install KC Furge for this? Should I type SSID on my PC every time when I want to use WiFi or could I choose Yes when MS Vista is asking me if I want to remember it?

[mumsoft]

I tried exactly what you described, but unfortunately nothing is happening - disk is still spinning all the time. I am using original 1.0.4.6 firmware. Do I need to install KC Furge for this? Should I type SSID on my PC every time when I want to use WiFi or could I choose Yes when MS Vista is asking me if I want to remember it?

You are using verrrrryyyy old firmware. Even the newest (1.0.7.8) is old nowadays.
And yes, yous should upgrade to KC Furge modified firmware (WL700gE_kc_1078_02.nas). So please read what is said here http://wl700g.homelinux.net/drupal/?q=node/134.
You can skip section 2.2.

Asus did not provide anything to stop the disk, but with the KC Furge version it is rather easy.

As you already have a super secret SSID, you can answer your question about MS Vista yourself, I presume.
At least, with this setup, not one of my wifi-clients has trouble accessing the Asus router once it knows the SSID, which they all can remember. I assume that Vista is not more dumb than say my humble Palm Pilot or my tiny Linux netbook.

Good luck.

Marc

[XYZ]

You are using verrrrryyyy old firmware. Even the newest (1.0.7.8) is old nowadays.

Yes, I know that, but old version worked fine for me and I didn't want to broke something which isn't broken, especially because I read that new version opened security hole with the telnet.

Anyway, I upgraded firmware to 1.0.7.8 KC Furge as you suggested and after many hours which I spend trying, I finally managed to get my HDD spinning down. It was not enough just to upgrade firmware, but I needed to modify rc.local and to add hdparm -S 60 ${internal_hdd} as you suggested in one another thread. I don't know why KC Furge didn't modify his firmware according to your suggestion when it is obvious that his settings don't work as it should.

So please read what is said here http://wl700g.homelinux.net/drupal/?q=node/134.

Yes, I read that tutorial many times, but honestly it is not very well written for dumb Windows users like me.

I assume that Vista is not more dumb than say my humble Palm Pilot or my tiny Linux netbook.

Well, seems to me that it is semi-dumb - I need to click on the Refresh button whenever I restart Asus router which is not a big deal. However, Vista could resume connection automatically after its restart or hibernation.

Now, it works great. Thank you very much for your advices and suggestions, I really appreciate them.

[mumsoft]

I don't know why KC Furge didn't modify his firmware according to your suggestion when it is obvious that his settings don't work as it should.

Well, I know. He has told that in some post here. You might know that constantly starting and stopping a disk isn't so good for it's health, and at the time that KC wrote his version, he knew that the disk now and then started to spin up even if no-one seemed to urge it do so.
So he has provided the code to let it spin, but with minimal fuss.

I did not like that, and changed the hdparm parameters, only to find out that it did not keep the disk quiet all the time.
After that, I found out that this was caused by the wlan-interface with a not-so-secret SSID.
For people like me, that seldom use the disk, it's a nice trick, but for others, that use it as a streamer it isn't.

I have some pictures on it, and just one movie, that I seldom need. I think that I will wipe off my backups and my music from it, and use the HD for pictures only.
My music is nowadays better served by a Olive Opus No.4

Goodbye
Marc

[pooz]

So he has provided the code to let it spin, but with minimal fuss.

Hi Marc,
may you have the instruction/link how and where to configure the WL700gE with lower Spinning tempo?

I would like to use the Asus for making backups via W-LAN. Maybe every hour (with Time Machine on OS X).

Thanks!
pooz

[mumsoft]

Hi Marc,
may you have the instruction/link how and where to configure the WL700gE with lower Spinning tempo?

I would like to use the Asus for making backups via W-LAN. Maybe every hour (with Time Machine on OS X).

Thanks!
pooz

Pooz,

Sorry for my low spinning up...
I discarded making backups to the NAS, because it found it too slow for that.
But, if you like to do that, no problem.
With KFurge's code:

# Do the necessary steps so the internal HDD will enter low power
# idle after 5 minutes and low RPM idle after 1 hour
if [ "$kc_spin_down_hdd" != "No" ]; then
mount -o remount,noatime,nodiratime /shares/${pool}
hdparm -B 164 ${internal_hdd}
hdparm -B 114 ${internal_hdd}
smartctl -dT ${internal_hdd}
fi

My code:
hdparm -S 60 ${internal_hdd}
will stop the disk spinning after 60 minutes (or seconds?). Just google for it to make sure.

Marc

[pooz]

I discarded making backups to the NAS, because it found it too slow for that.

Hi, Marc,

no prob. Thanks for reply. Interesting statement, are you now backing up via USB / FW / eSATA?

Have you added your line of code to the "standard"one or just replaced it? What are the options "-S" and "-B" standing for?

My HDD wont spin lower, instead it shuts down completly and I dont know why... :-(

This works only, if all applications are set inactive...strange...although I have kept the SSD secret and didnt ever use it yet.

Thanks, greetz
Pooz