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    #1

    Laptop questions


    Hi

    I have a Dell Inspiron 630m which runs really well with Feisty (with the odd exception like the Microphone and XD Card reader don't work - neither of which I really need anyway). However, 2 questions:

    Laptop Mode. Not installed by default although laptop mode tools was. Do I need laptop mode also? Having installed it, will I need to set it to run at startup or is it something that on installation makes changes at kernel level and therefore doesn't need to?

    Also, when I first started running edgy, on shutdown the laptop would shut down very smoothly and quietly. However, following an edgy update (which has continued through to Feisty) the laptop shuts down with a final "clunk" of the hard drive (pretty much the same noise as if I had pulled the battery out. Can anyone tell me why this happens and, if so, how to fix it?

    Thanks

    Ian
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    #2
    Re: Laptop questions

    I did a clean install on a Dell Latitude D810 and that wasn't installed. I'm fairly sure that has to do with power management in some way and maybe some of the laptop key functions (not sure about that one though). I think Power Manager may have replaced the need for laptop-mode.
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      #3
      Re: Laptop questions

      Yes, I wondered whether it was actually needed. I get pretty decent battery life as it is.

      It's a bit confusing though!

      Ian
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        #4
        Re: Laptop questions

        I agree, but I do like the new Power Manager icon, I can see it better on a lot of different backgrounds and it actually shows a good representation of power left when running on batery. Now my Dell at work does have great battery life, but my Acer at home doesn't
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          #5
          Re: Laptop questions

          That "clunk" is your hard drive shutting down, though I'm not sure if it's just an odd way of shutting down or if it's a bad thing entirely. My hard drive does it too (or at least it used to, if it still does I don't notice), but I don't see any bad things happening to the hard drive.
          For external use only.
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            #6
            Re: Laptop questions

            Hi folks - thanks for the replies!

            SheeEttin - The worry I have about the "clunk" is that when I started using Kubuntu it wasn't there. It was only following an edgy kernel update that it started to happen and it's happened ever since. Just wondered whether there was a kernel module that could be installed to stop it, as I'm sure it can't be extending the life of my Hard Drive.

            MoonRise - I agree the icon and the functions is neat. I had assumed though that that was a replacement for klaptop which (sort of) allowed suspend and hibernation etc, as opposed to laptop mode which I think spin down the hard drive. Main reason for my post was to see if installing laptop mode (or something else) would stop the "clunk".

            Ian



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              #7
              Re: Laptop questions

              A clunking sound would be very concerning having gone through numerous harddrive failures myself. Is it the new Power Manager causing this and will the laptop-mode correct it? I wouldn't be able to say as I haven't noticed this on my home system (an ACER). I do have Feisty on my work machine which is a Dell. I'll check that our for you and let you know.
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                #8
                Re: Laptop questions

                It's a known bug.

                https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/67810

                It's really just the hard disk 'parking' and supposedly isn't bad for the drive. Similar to the common rattle most laptop drives have.
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                  #9
                  Re: Laptop questions

                  Thanks for finding that! I'll be checking my system soon just to see. I haven't noticed that, but then again I really haven't been paying attention.
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                    #10
                    Re: Laptop questions

                    Interesting thread!

                    Nice to see that it's being looked into

                    Ian
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                      #11
                      Re: Laptop questions

                      I tested that on my machine at work. I didn't notice anything to that effect, but then again it was a busy day and spent all of 5 minutes on tha test.
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