Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!apple!snorkelwacker!spdcc!ima!mirror!frog!barr
From: barr@frog.UUCP (Chris Barr)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: To run or not to run laptop hard disk???
Summary: disk shutdown on inactivity timer saves battery
Keywords: laptop hard disk battery
Message-ID: <2201@frog.UUCP>
Date: 26 Oct 89 19:27:00 GMT
Expires: 10 Nov 89 05:00
References: <11011@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Distribution: na
Organization: Charles River Data Systems, Framingham MA
Lines: 7

Related issue: some laptops (e.g. Zenith) have a setup parameter
called hard disk timeout, usually minimum 60 seconds.  Whenever
this period of time has elapsed without disk access, disk power is
turned off, saving precious battery power, lengthening a battery-
powered session.  Of course, when software accesses the disk again,
it's powered up.  Some systems will run for only an hour or 90 mins.
under battery power - this extends that.