The reason that $ udisks --detach /dev/sdX
spins down the disk properly but clicking the "Power off" menu item in the GNOME Disks application doesn't has to do with the fact that the udisks program is from udisks version 1 and was rewritten in udisks version 2. udisks v1: http://cgit.freedesktop.org/udisks/tree/src/helpers/job- drive-detach.c?id=1.0.4 udisks v2: http://cgit.freedesktop.org/udisks/tree/src/udiskslinuxdrive.c?id=2.1.2#n1195 As you can see, both v1 and v2 does this by writing a '1' to the 'remove' sysfs attribute on the parent USB device, as per http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=253e05724f9230910344357b1142ad8642ff9f5a and this makes most USB-attached disk drives actually power down - at least all the different devices that I've tested with. However, what's missing in v2 (and present in v1) is the following steps 1. sending the SCSI SYNCHRONIZE CACHE command 2. sending START/STOP UNIT command 3. unbinding the USB Mass Storage kernel driver Notably, there's actually a TODO item in v2 for doing this: /* TODO: Send the eject? Send SCSI START STOP UNIT? */ Now, I don't think that 3. is necessary as it happens as part of writing to the 'remove' sysfs file. That leaves 1. and 2. Here's what I'd like to you try. Does sg_start --stop /dev/sdX do what you want? If so, we should add 1. and 2. to v2. -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to gnome-disk-utility in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1239087 Title: Safely remove is not working (or broken) in Gnome Disks Status in GNOME Disks: Fix Released Status in abstraction for enumerating and managing block devices: Incomplete Status in “gnome-disk-utility” package in Ubuntu: New Status in “gnome-disk-utility” package in Fedora: Unknown Status in “gnome-disk-utility” package in openSUSE: Confirmed Bug description: In 12.04 I was able to safely remove USB-stick (make its LED off) and USB-HDD (do a spin down). In 13.04 this option is missed. In 13.10 it is appeared again, but not working as expected: + Gnome Disks normally powers off the USB flash (tested on 4 different flashes and 2 USB cardreaders). - Gnome Disks does not spin down USB HDD (but udisks --detach does) ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10 Package: gnome-disk-utility 3.8.2-1ubuntu2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.10.0-1.8-generic 3.10.0-rc7 Uname: Linux 3.10.0-1-generic i686 NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2 Architecture: i386 Date: Sat Oct 12 13:39:21 2013 InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-03-06 (219 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Alpha i386 (20130306) MarkForUpload: True SourcePackage: gnome-disk-utility UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to saucy on 2013-06-23 (110 days ago) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/gnome-disk-utility/+bug/1239087/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : [email protected] Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
