Yes, you can adjust the spin speed of a hard drive using System Preferences in macOS.

F5F Stay Refreshed Software Operating Systems Yes, you can adjust the spin speed of a hard drive using System Preferences in macOS.

louie018
Posting Freak

824

10-29-2016, 07:48 AM

I have a 2011 27" iMac with a failing hard drive. It currently uses the stock 1TB Seagate drive which is not working well, along with a 500GB Crucial MX500. The SSD is fine. Can I manually make the drive stop from the operating system without needing any files on it?

louie018

10-29-2016, 07:48 AM #1

Wingman_41
Member

223

11-01-2016, 11:36 AM

Unlock it and remove it, then perform a fresh setup using the newest available version of MacOS for the SSD.

Wingman_41

11-01-2016, 11:36 AM #2

Unlock it and remove it, then perform a fresh setup using the newest available version of MacOS for the SSD.

Hyper_B0Y
Member

215

11-05-2016, 03:21 AM

The system is already set up with macOS on the SSD. Running it from there makes it unnecessary to try reducing the hard drive usage.

Hyper_B0Y

11-05-2016, 03:21 AM #3

The system is already set up with macOS on the SSD. Running it from there makes it unnecessary to try reducing the hard drive usage.

FrancisDragon
Member

213

11-07-2016, 10:44 PM

Open the file and remove it. If you prefer, use Disk Utility to unmount it.

FrancisDragon

11-07-2016, 10:44 PM #4

Open the file and remove it. If you prefer, use Disk Utility to unmount it.

A_Sound
Senior Member

486

11-08-2016, 12:41 PM

Removing the disk doesn't stop it from spinning. If I could take it apart and extract the drive, I wouldn't be attempting to halt its rotation while it's still connected.

A_Sound

11-08-2016, 12:41 PM #5

Removing the disk doesn't stop it from spinning. If I could take it apart and extract the drive, I wouldn't be attempting to halt its rotation while it's still connected.

perciphilus
Junior Member

11-08-2016, 04:20 PM

You're aiming to use diskutil eject instead of unmounting. This signals the OS that it no longer needs the drive, making it free for other operations. Ejecting the disk informs macOS you're no longer using it, which keeps it accessible if you later mount another volume. While I don't have this specific scenario, the approach should function as intended.

perciphilus

11-08-2016, 04:20 PM #6

cooldude99889
Member

179

11-09-2016, 11:36 PM

I'm struggling to find a solution, so I'll attempt to rearrange the timing for swapping the drive earlier than expected. The process isn't straightforward because this device is quite unique. The optical drive works well, keeping the display secure.

cooldude99889

11-09-2016, 11:36 PM #7

xWolfson123x
Junior Member

11-24-2016, 06:28 PM

Pulling the drive out should put it to rest after a while. If it keeps spinning, another issue might be involved.

xWolfson123x

11-24-2016, 06:28 PM #8

Pulling the drive out should put it to rest after a while. If it keeps spinning, another issue might be involved.