strong disk drives ( HDDs ) work by spin their internal phonograph record . Only while spinning can information be read or written . It ’s been decades since they gain the ability to remain on-line butnotspinning in a standby state . This reduces power and can also thin out wear and tear raise by heating system output and mechanically skillful employment .
macOS mechanically send a signal to national HDDs ( on older Macs ) and outside ones that recite them to spin down after a period during which there has been no access to data stored on them . The next sentence an HDD is postulate , there is a slight holdup while the drive spins up to speed . Some people have an intermittent but continual need for HDD custom , and they find that the constant short delays summate up – and they ’re justly concerned about frequent spinning up and down induce its own readiness of wear - and - tear issues .
Apple provides a friendly fashion to control that behaviour in System configurations via the “ Put heavy disks to kip when possible ” scope :
A laptop Mac offers four options for hard drive sleep.
A laptop Mac offers four choice for intemperate drive sleep .
Foundry
A desktop Mac lets you enable or disable surd crusade spin - down .
A laptop Mac offers four options for hard drive sleep.
Some HDDs and some installation of macOS may ignore that scene and continue to gyrate an HDD down after a brusk interval . If you come up that unacceptable , you’re able to openApplications > public utility > Terminaland participate the follow bid watch over by a Return ; enter an administrative watchword when requested :
sudo pmset -a disksleep 0
The0means “ never , ” but you’re able to localize a higher note value in minutes , like30to intend “ 30 arcminute . ”
A desktop Mac lets you enable or disable hard drive spin-down.
You ca n’t emerge a command phone line education to reset the HDD rest length to the default , which look to be 10 minutes on an otherwise unaltered Mac desktop I tested on .
This Mac 911 clause is in response to a question submitted by Macworld referee Howard .
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We ’ve compile a list of the questions we get asked most frequently , along with answer and links to columns : read our super FAQto see if your motion is treat . If not , we ’re always looking for Modern job to solve ! Email yours tomac911@macworld.com , including screen captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used . Not every question will be answered ; we do n’t reply to emails , and we can not provide direct troubleshooting advice .
