Uniti Core drives never stop

Streaming Audio
1

I have had my Uniti Core for a couple of weeks now (the other part of the system is a Uniti Atom) and I am very happy with the functionality, sound quality and appearance. I installed an internal SSD and used a portable HDD for backup. I understand that the Core keeps all the drives running non-stop. That is obviously no problem for the internal SSD, but I would have hoped it could have spun down the external backup drive as this is only used on an occasional basis (it can be scheduled for daily, weekly, or monthly operation).

My ‘solution’ is simply to unplug the backup drive when it is finished. Do other Core owners do the same? Or do you just keep everything running non-stop?

2

Press the power button on the front for a few seconds, you can then if you wait hear a hdd power down, an ssd may be too quiet to hear powering down.

3

If I do that, then the entire unit is down, and I would need to restart it before I listen to any local music. I was under the impression that the preferred technique was to simply leave all the hardware in standby mode when it was not actually being used. I am wondering which route most users take: 1. Let the discs run all the time (standby), 2. power down completely (cold), 3. go into standby and disconnect the HDD.

4

I just leave it alone and it powers down itself in the time set with the app

5

I use as described above as i have a have a hdd, they get warm and will fail…it is only a minute or so to get back up and running. I have no experience of the Core with ssd, too expensive a few years back.

6

Mine is left on all the time,it is even playing music all the time. I do power down my Nagra Integrated when not in use, so as soon as I fire that up I hear music. I have a playlist of around 100 songs on repeat. I have a SSD in the Core, and a 3 TB western digital external drive plugged in the back USB port.

7

I’m not sure I follow. If you just leave it alone, it goes into standby mode, but the external HDD attached to the usb port will keep running.

8

Surely you would want to keep the drive disconnected if it’s for backup. Not much protection from fire, flood, theft etc. if it’s left plugged into the Core.

9

The drives do indeed run 24/7 if the Core is either fully on, or in “Network sleep” (where the lights are off but the unit can still serve music to streamers on the network).

If you hold the front panel power switch for a few seconds then the Core goes into “Deep Sleep” and it’s now no longer discoverable and can’t serve files. The drives are powered off and the Core runs on its small SMPS rather than its linear power supply.

If you use the recommended internal drive, then you can have the drive running 24/7 without concern. That drive is designed for video surveillance use and even though it gets hot and runs continually, it’s still within the temperature design limits for the drive. Obviously an SSD doesn’t get hot and is silent but everything is still powered in the same way in the two sleep modes as for HDDs.

An external USB drive will also be fully powered 24/7 and then may be more of a drive life issue. If the drive is a share then unplugging it is fine, but if you have designated the USB drive as the music store then the Core won’t be able to serve music from it (obviously) but also won’t be able to do queued metadata lookup tasks. So if the running and heat bothers you then putting the Core into Deep Sleep as @Gazza does is the way to go and this will power down internal and USB drives but you will need to touch the front panel button to wake it up to use it on the network.

In any case, the OP’s Core is working as designed. (Obviously if the USB drive is for backup then you should unplug it and store it somewhere else as @ChrisSU says.)

David

10

If you are using a “ pocket drive “ type for back up un plug it from the Core after it’s done the back up
The other type is the deck top type back up that have there own power supply, this type will go to sleep on there own.

11

Presumably if the Core was clever enough to know that the USB drive only contained a backup folder, it could power it down?

12

It could, but it doesn’t, at least not with current firmware. And if it wasn’t designed to do that originally, then the means to power down the USB ports alone may not be there anyway.
Best
David

13

As others have said, I would keep any backup well away from the device I was backing up unless it was a secondary backup but even then I would be reluctant to keep it connected. Otherwise you are only protecting against main drive failure and not the myriad other potential issues that can occur.

(Personal experience can be a painful thing :slight_smile: )

14

Ssd,s are a solid state drive just like a memory stick not a disk so doesn’t spin , so you won’t hear it.

1 Like
15

I have a seperate USB external hard drive that is not plugged into anything, which contains all the same music as the one plugged into the Core. If the building I live in burns down, I guess I am screwed.

16

I have a Usb hard drive plugged into my Star. A copy of my music is on my PC with aback up on another Ext hard drive.
I also use a Memory stick with music on plugged into the car radio in my caravan.

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