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View Full Version : hardware software - switch off hard drives.


Negaal
10-22-2008, 06:12 PM
Hello, is it possible to turn off specific hard disks from some program or console in windows xp?

Thank you.
Samiam303
10-22-2008, 06:28 PM
I don't think that's doable, your hard disks are something your computer sees before windows boots. Perhaps you could have a program that would hide them from windows, but AFIAK you can't actually power them off and back on.
Negaal
10-22-2008, 06:44 PM
well, if you can set turn off hard disk after x minutes if there are no activities.. should be possible..
bullzeye95
10-22-2008, 06:52 PM
Windows may just block access to it.
bobng
10-22-2008, 07:11 PM
Its in power options.
Turn of hard-disks after X minutes of being inactive.

You can do this in python, but its haaard and not very functional (You can't turn them back on!)
Negaal
10-22-2008, 08:38 PM
Its in power options.
Turn of hard-disks after X minutes of being inactive.

You can do this in python, but its haaard and not very functional (You can't turn them back on!)

As soon system requests something from x drive they'll power up..

Too bad i don't know python, very primitive IMO.
evilfrogie
10-23-2008, 07:14 AM
that won't work because the sleep drive option sleeps all drives meaning non-of them are usable.
On the other hand you could use a hot-swap drive (retro) and just pull it out.
Boreas
10-23-2008, 11:05 AM
You can remove the drive letter from all partitions on that disk (go to disk management) to effectively hide it from windows.
Negaal
10-23-2008, 03:23 PM
You can remove the drive letter from all partitions on that disk (go to disk management) to effectively hide it from windows.

Well actually my problem is that some 40gb WD does some noise...the hiding function is the one I needed aswell, now is there ay way to access it w/o setting a letter?

I have 40 + 40 + 160 doh..
Boreas
10-23-2008, 05:11 PM
Probably not. It still works for recovery partitions, and live cds, but AFAIK, you need the letter for windows to work with it.
bobng
10-23-2008, 07:04 PM
As soon system requests something from x drive they'll power up..

Too bad i don't know python, very primitive IMO.

Nope, it just turns it off. I read it in a cookbook somewhere.
Negaal
10-23-2008, 08:20 PM
Nope, it just turns it off. I read it in a cookbook somewhere.

Well, ok thanks bobng and Boreas, if anyone have more suggestions about how to temporally turn off specific hard drive then please, let me know.
wanted_crisis
10-25-2008, 10:30 AM
You can use a partitioning software which has the ability to change two hard disks into 1 :)