Hard drive performance in Ubuntu

The hard drive problem in Ubuntu systems is for real.

Check out these links:
http://www.linux-hero.com/rant/explanation-ubuntu-hard-drive-wear-and-tear
http://www.linux-hero.com/rant/ubuntu-hard-drive-explosions

A useful tool for monitoring hard drive performance.
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6983

How do i know if I am affected ?

Step-1
Install smartmontools by doing "sudo apt-get install smartmontools"

Step-2
Type "sudo smartctl -d ata -a /dev/sda1 | grep Load_Cycle_Count " on your commandline.

I am assuming that your HDD device is /dev/sda
You should get an output like this:

193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 001 001 000 Old_age Always - 262930

Do this again after about 5 mins. If you see a drastic change (> about 15) in the number "262930" (your number will be different), then you ARE AFFECTED!! And proceed ahead. If not .. stop here.

Rectifying the issue:

Step-3
Type "sudo hdparm -B 254 /dev/sda"
This sets the power management level of your HDD to 254. This is how the values are interpreted:
1 = aggressive power management = good battery life = most hard-drive load cycles = most hard drive wear and tear
255 = no power management = bad battery life = least HDD load cycles = least wear and tear (the hard drive is almost always on).

It turns out that by default, ubuntu does not "touch" the HDD power management, and it is set by the firmware to "128". Unfortunately, that still results in excessive load cycles on the hard drive (and so the constant "clicking" noise I would hear on my machine .. apparently it was my HDD head clicking into position and getting stacked away constantly!). I don't think that this is a problem with Ubuntu.

Step-4 making this a permanent solution
You can add the above to your /etc/profile file. It is a systemwide startup script.
Hope this helps.!

Fully knowing that this will be my last fall in corvallis, I marched around the town today (the weather happened to be cooperating very well, as you can see ..) taking pictures. The above four are ones among my favourite catches of the day ! If you would like to see more of the pictures I took, visit my web album . Do let me know what you think of the pictures. I am staring as an amateur photographer, and I want to make it my hobby and work my way up !

Kaapi Cat ?

Sometimes, I hear a distinct "ringing" noise from my kitchen, and I know its my roommate. He would be clenching his coffee mug in one hand, and a spoon in another, and would be lost in vigorous convulsions trying to "froth" away his coffee - as if its a sacred ritual to appease his taste buds :). Did I mention before that this roommate of mine is absolutely obsessed with Coffee ? So much so that I think he might kill me one day if I keep him away from his daily dose of coffee ..hee hee! Sorry roomie !

As is typical of all people from Singaara-Chennai, I seem to be an exception. Ironically, over the years, I have developed a sense of dislike for Coffee (or Tea ... or any caffeinated drink for that matter). My better-half tells me that I am always on a "high" .... so I figured I could spare spiking myself every morning with an extra shot of caffeine :). Thank you my "Sivappu Thalai"! Anyways, so I usually have Postum (which btw I have also started to slowly dislike), which is a coffee substitute. Today evening, I took the liberty of having my hot beverage the "traditional way". You take two tumblers with your drink in them, and pour it back and forth between them - its not as easy as it sounds, as you have to have to aim it into the other tumbler from yay high ...to make it frothy. It was an age old tradition (and still is in vogue) - before the latte machines with hissing steam took over.
I saw my roomie's eye brighten up - he could add a new twist to his coffee making ritual today!! So 15 minutes and a frothy cup of postum later, I found him performing gymnastics with his drink in the kitchen - a classic case of Kaappi Cat !