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New Seagate Drives Have Real Difficulties With Linux

Posted by Zonk on from the making-the-penguin-crotchety dept.

wtansill writes "Seagate's Free Agent series of drives are not intended to be compatible with the Open Source operating system Linux. The Inquirer reports on the problem: an unhelpful power saving mode. 'The problem is to do with the power-saving systems on Seagate's latest range of drives and the fact that it is shipped already formatted to NTFS. The NTFS is only a slight hurdle to Linux users who have a kernel with NTFS writing enabled or can work mkfs. But the "power saving" timer is a real bugger. It will shut the drive off after several minutes of inactivity and helpfully drop the USB connection. When the connection does come back it returns as USB1 which is apparently as useful as a chocolate teapot.' Via Engadget, though, there is a solution!

7 of 361 comments (clear)

  1. Actually by Eddi3 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Actually, it's only incompatible with Open Sauce operating systems, so Linux should be fine.

  2. Re:Power-saving? by Jugalator · · Score: 2, Funny

    I don't think you know what that word really means. Eh, what, wasn't it obvious?

    A dilemma (Greek - "double proposition") is a problem offering two solutions or possibilities, in particular two solutions neither of which is acceptable. The alleged problem in choosing between using Windows as an unpreferred OS with a functional drive, or Linux with a non-functional drive?

    Sounds like a dilemma to me.
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  3. Re:Easy workaround by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    This "workaround" will surely make every Unix-guy rotate in his grave.

    Yes! And by using them to drive generators they will produce enough electricity to power all of the Seagate hard drives that no longer go into power saving sleep mode.

  4. Re:it is unfair by ajs318 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Er ..... any HP-badged one?

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    Je fume. Tu fumes. Nous fûmes!
  5. Re:Easy workaround by nacturation · · Score: 3, Funny

    #!/bin/sh

    for i in /sys/class/scsi_disk/*; do

                    if [ "`cat "$i/device/model"`" = "FreeAgentDesktop" ]; then

                                    echo Return for refund immediately!

                    fi
    done

    There... fixed your script.

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  6. Re:This article is FUD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Given that it's a long timeout (15')

    15 feet is a long timeout.

  7. Re:Power-saving? by phantomcircuit · · Score: 4, Funny

    Observing the UI principle that it's better to ask forgiveness than permission (something Vista has forgotten) Can you imagine the shit that Microsoft would get if Vista asked for forgiveness?

    "Give Vista forgiveness for allowing a virus to install a rootkit, Cancel Allow?"

    ?!?!?!