External HD runs continuously

[Yawa4fun 1]

Hi there,

I've installed Emby on my WIndows PC a month ago and let it index my external HD, connected via USB. My library has been already completely indexed, but I see that Emby obviously tries to access the HD and won't leave my hard drive alone and let it to go in stand by mode. I'm pretty sure that this is about Emby, because the HD goes stand by as soon as I shut down the Emby server. Is there any option I have overseen maybe? Many thanks in advance!

[Abobader 3464]

Hello Yawa4fun,

** This is an auto reply **

Please wait for someone from staff support or our members to reply to you.

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Emby Team

[Luke 42078]

Hi there, please attach the Emby server log from when the problem occurred:

How to Report a Problem

Thanks!

 

[Yawa4fun 1]

11 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi there, please attach the Emby server log from when the problem occurred:

How to Report a Problem

Thanks!

 

Hey @Luke, here we go, pls find attached. The "problem" is continuously there, I mean, my HDD is permanently running as long as Emby server is active. Many thank for taking care!

logs.zip

[Neminem 1518]

It look like you server is not finished scanning your music, and is adding m3u files.

2025-06-11 00:00:26.735 Info LibraryMonitor: playlist (D:\MP3\Danny Elfman\[Danny Elfman] Sleepy Hollow\playlist.m3u) will be refreshed.
2025-06-11 00:00:26.806 Info App: Saving playlist file D:\MP3\Danny Elfman\[Danny Elfman] Sleepy Hollow\playlist.m3u

Things like this is going on i all you log files.

This is probably why its not sleeping.

[Yawa4fun 1]

30 minutes ago, Neminem said:

It look like you server is not finished scanning your music, and is adding m3u files.

2025-06-11 00:00:26.735 Info LibraryMonitor: playlist (D:\MP3\Danny Elfman\[Danny Elfman] Sleepy Hollow\playlist.m3u) will be refreshed.
2025-06-11 00:00:26.806 Info App: Saving playlist file D:\MP3\Danny Elfman\[Danny Elfman] Sleepy Hollow\playlist.m3u

Things like this is going on i all you log files.

This is probably why its not sleeping.

Hey @Neminem, this is somehow strange - the server is being running since several weeks, it should have already done the scanning, what do you think? And looking at the scheduled tasks I don't see any active tasks running.

 

[Neminem 1518]

Hmm It could be RTM + IPF that does this.

This means that even though Scan media library is done, emby will still see changes to media + m3u files.

Do you have anything auto create / edit m3u files ?  

[Yawa4fun 1]

@NeminemMany thanks!! Yes, this could be the reason, indeed. Both options were enabled in this music library. I configured 4 libraries in general and I see that the option "enable real time monitoring" is active evrythere. I will try to disable it one by one and see whether it will help. Do I understand correctly that any changes in my libraries won't become visible at once then, but after the next scheduled run (actually every 12 hours)?

[Neminem 1518]

Yes if its set to 12h interval then yes.

You can delete that and create another interval.

I would start with the music library, and disable RTM, since it looks like its that, where Emby sees changes.

Edited June 11, 2025 by Neminem

[Yawa4fun 1]

Awesome, @Neminem!! Yes, I've disabled "Import playlist files" (which I really don't need  ) and my HD went to sleep immediately! Amazing, thank you so much!

[Neminem 1518]

No problem

Happy to help