Disk initialisation order when waking up from Deep Standby

[bbbuk]

Putting picons on the HDD means either the HDD is kept permanently awake, or the HDD has to spin up just to open the infobar. Either way, not something we would recommend.

Is this to avoid wear/tear on HDD because USB also suffers from wear/tear, MTBF, limited read/write cycles and potentially prone to NAND failure from irregular USB voltage spikes. If it's purely for speed, then I agree USB would likely win over HDD if HDD did have to spin-up first (ie not already in use by likes of timeshift).

I guess it really depends on individual circumstances/setup...

Anyone who has timeshift enabled then they are already using HDD so no difference and in fact you would be putting undue stress/wear/tear on USB stick for no reason imho. I've had my HDD in my solo2 for many years and timeshift and record a lot without an issue with HDD.

[Huevos]

I don't have PTS enabled. In that configuration there is a big pause every time the infobar is invoked.

[birdman]

Is this to avoid wear/tear on HDD because USB also suffers from wear/tear,

It's to stop the disk being spun up for any item which displays a picon.
USB sticks don't suffer wear&tear when being read (which is all this needs) and do not need to spin up.

[bbbuk]

It's to stop the disk being spun up for any item which displays a picon.
USB sticks don't suffer wear&tear when being read (which is all this needs) and do not need to spin up.

I read somewhere that NAND chips in USB do suffer from wear even just reading as it's approximately equivalent to 10 write cycles = 1 read cycle. This affects some type of NAND chips more than others.

Ultimately, as I said, it depends on whether someone has timeshift enabled because if they do then they're already using HDD so why put wear/tear on USB as well as HDD when no need. I've used HDD for years without an issue that includes timeshift and recording.

If not using timeshift, then yes there is an advantage to using USB (speed of displaying picons due to no spin-up time).

[birdman]

I read somewhere that NAND chips in USB do suffer from wear even just reading as it's approximately equivalent to 10 write cycles = 1 read cycle. This affects some type of NAND chips more than others.

Once it has been read it will be cached in memory.

[ccs]

Once it has been read it will be cached in memory.

Won't that happen with an HD as well, or is there a re-read of the directory, say, to check for any changes?

[twol]

I read somewhere that NAND chips in USB do suffer from wear even just reading as it's approximately equivalent to 10 write cycles = 1 read cycle. This affects some type of NAND chips more than others.

Ultimately, as I said, it depends on whether someone has timeshift enabled because if they do then they're already using HDD so why put wear/tear on USB as well as HDD when no need. I've used HDD for years without an issue that includes timeshift and recording.

If not using timeshift, then yes there is an advantage to using USB (speed of displaying picons due to no spin-up time).

... but on modern chips you are looking at cycles in the millions before hitting this issue..... whereas with HDD (although they are in general better ... you have latency, seek issues and wear through head/media issues).
So for recording and timeshift - HDD is fine.... but for events like Picons , settings backup, image backups ... usb is perhaps preferable, especially as its moveable.
Like everything its a case of getting the best out of the technology

[bbbuk]

... but on modern chips you are looking at cycles in the millions before hitting this issue..... whereas with HDD (although they are in general better ... you have latency, seek issues and wear through head/media issues).

USB suffers from all of these issues (except seek).

So for recording and timeshift - HDD is fine.... but for events like Picons , settings backup, image backups ... usb is perhaps preferable, especially as its moveable.
Like everything its a case of getting the best out of the technology

This is where we disagree. You're effectively stating that even when using timeshift, it's still better to use a separate USB for storing picons?

What is advantage of this because if using timeshift, you already have HDD upto correct spin speed anyhow and working so as well wear/tear on HDD, this also means then extra wear/tear of USB as well as HDD.

Once it has been read it will be cached in memory.

As mentioned by @ccs, if it's cached then surely that equally applies to HDD as well if cached by box in memory and therefore the WoS guidance that USB is recommended for picons even if using HDD (due to timeshift), has little bearing other than add to wear/tear of USB as well as HDD.

[twol]

I would suggest this post is closed before it goes even further off topic

[birdman]

Won't that happen with an HD as well, or is there a re-read of the directory, say, to check for any changes?

Well, yes it will - but the issue with using the HDD is spin-up time. As you say, if you're using timeshift you'll have it permanently on (using power) anyway.