after setting apm_battery=128 in my /etc/hdparm.conf as well as in /lib/hdparm/hdparm-functions: if hdparm_is_on_battery; then hdparm_set_option -B128 Here is what I get with sudo hdparm -I /dev/sda Advanced power management level: 1 Complete log: apparently, same HD as Swâmi Petaramesh above /dev/sda: ATA device, with non-removable media Model Number: SAMSUNG HN-M101MBB Serial Number: S2RQJ9ABB07710 Firmware Revision: 2AR10001 Transport: Serial, ATA8-AST, SATA 1.0a, SATA II Extensions, SATA Rev 2.5, SATA Rev 2.6, SATA Rev 3.0 Standards: Used: unknown (minor revision code 0x0028) Supported: 8 7 6 5 Likely used: 8 Configuration: Logical max current cylinders 16383 16383 heads 16 1 sectors/track 63 63 -- CHS current addressable sectors: 1032129 LBA user addressable sectors: 268435455 LBA48 user addressable sectors: 1953525168 Logical Sector size: 512 bytes Physical Sector size: 4096 bytes Logical Sector-0 offset: 0 bytes device size with M = 1024*1024: 953869 MBytes device size with M = 1000*1000: 1000204 MBytes (1000 GB) cache/buffer size = 8192 KBytes Form Factor: 2.5 inch Nominal Media Rotation Rate: 5400 Capabilities: LBA, IORDY(can be disabled) Queue depth: 32 Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, no device specific minimum R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16 Current = 16 Advanced power management level: 1 Recommended acoustic management value: 254, current value: 128 DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 *udma6 Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 Cycle time: no flow control=120ns IORDY flow control=120ns Commands/features: Enabled Supported: * SMART feature set Security Mode feature set * Power Management feature set * Write cache * Look-ahead * Host Protected Area feature set * WRITE_BUFFER command * READ_BUFFER command * NOP cmd * DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE * Advanced Power Management feature set Power-Up In Standby feature set * SET_FEATURES required to spinup after power up SET_MAX security extension * Automatic Acoustic Management feature set * 48-bit Address feature set * Device Configuration Overlay feature set * Mandatory FLUSH_CACHE * FLUSH_CACHE_EXT * SMART error logging * SMART self-test * General Purpose Logging feature set * 64-bit World wide name * IDLE_IMMEDIATE with UNLOAD * WRITE_UNCORRECTABLE_EXT command * {READ,WRITE}_DMA_EXT_GPL commands * Segmented DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE * Gen1 signaling speed (1.5Gb/s) * Gen2 signaling speed (3.0Gb/s) * Native Command Queueing (NCQ) * Host-initiated interface power management * Phy event counters * Idle-Unload when NCQ is active * NCQ priority information * DMA Setup Auto-Activate optimization * Device-initiated interface power management * Software settings preservation * SMART Command Transport (SCT) feature set * SCT Long Sector Access (AC1) * SCT LBA Segment Access (AC2) * SCT Error Recovery Control (AC3) * SCT Features Control (AC4) * SCT Data Tables (AC5) Security: Master password revision code = 65534 supported not enabled not locked frozen not expired: security count supported: enhanced erase 210min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 210min for ENHANCED SECURITY ERASE UNIT. Logical Unit WWN Device Identifier: 50024e920670e1bf NAA : 5 IEEE OUI : 0024e9 Unique ID : 20670e1bf Checksum: correct