Hard drive light flickers continuously.

[R. McCarty]

Even without any foreground applications open and running an XP
system is going to have disk activity. My system is configured with
a minimum of background services ( 39 ). This includes AV ( Nod32 )
and Zone Alarm "Free" Firewall with Windows Defender.
Using SysInternals FileMon and DiskMon I log at least 73 read &
write operations per minute. During this watched interval I can see
the faceplate LED illuminate maybe 8 to 9 flashes.
Most file activity ( not necessarily a disk read or write ) deals with
Vsmon ( Zone Alarm ) Svchost calls and NOD32's resident monitor.
I don't doubt that you're having consistent disk access, it just may
not be excessive. One piece of information missing in this issue is the
applications you have loaded on the PC.

 

[Unknown]

Make sure you have current system restore data. Then turn off system
restore and check flashing light. Do not leave system restore turned off.
Try lowering amount of disk space used for system restore.
Have you turned off 'auto updates'?

 

[Unknown]

What kind of disk activity if nothing is running?

Even without any foreground applications open and running an XP
system is going to have disk activity. My system is configured with
a minimum of background services ( 39 ). This includes AV ( Nod32 )
and Zone Alarm "Free" Firewall with Windows Defender.
Using SysInternals FileMon and DiskMon I log at least 73 read &
write operations per minute. During this watched interval I can see
the faceplate LED illuminate maybe 8 to 9 flashes.
Most file activity ( not necessarily a disk read or write ) deals with
Vsmon ( Zone Alarm ) Svchost calls and NOD32's resident monitor.
I don't doubt that you're having consistent disk access, it just may
not be excessive. One piece of information missing in this issue is the
applications you have loaded on the PC.

 

[R. McCarty]

On my machine VSmon.Exe makes disk calls and Svchost accesses a
Perfect Disk task. A machine is never really idle, there is always
some kind of background activity going on. Services are essentially a
program that runs but has no User Interface or Window.

 

[Hobo]

On my machine VSmon.Exe makes disk calls and Svchost accesses a
Perfect Disk task. A machine is never really idle, there is always
some kind of background activity going on. Services are essentially a
program that runs but has no User Interface or Window.

Yup, and I suspect that those who say their disk activity
LED is not flashing have not really looked directly at the
LED. At first glance, looking at mine it appeared that it
was not flashing, but a closer look revealed that it was
flashing every two to three seconds . The duration was
extremely short, so it did not appear while looking at it
from an angle. It's appearance may depend upon the case and
how close to the front panel the LED is mounted.

Hobo

 

[Unknown]

I put my eyeball next to it and see no flashing.

Yup, and I suspect that those who say their disk activity LED is not
flashing have not really looked directly at the LED. At first glance,
looking at mine it appeared that it was not flashing, but a closer look
revealed that it was flashing every two to three seconds . The duration
was extremely short, so it did not appear while looking at it from an
angle. It's appearance may depend upon the case and how close to the front
panel the LED is mounted.

Hobo

 

[Unknown]

Agree that some activity is always happening such as updating the clock
BUT, no disk activity is required.
If no programs are running no disk activity is required.

On my machine VSmon.Exe makes disk calls and Svchost accesses a
Perfect Disk task. A machine is never really idle, there is always
some kind of background activity going on. Services are essentially a
program that runs but has no User Interface or Window.

 

[Unknown]

If you are using a cable modem, disconnect the cable and test.

 

[Bill in Co.]

It does on my Dell, too. When I went to the Dell newsgroups, I found it
was a quite common problem, and apparently is associated with the CD-ROM
drive (or CD-ROM drive services). As I recall, when I disabled it
temporarily (I think I did this in Device Manager), it stopped.

 

[rod]

But at least you know what`s causing it Rod.
Isn`t that normal behaviour when starting/running an app?
Kim

Yes, I know roughly what's causing it, Kim,
however it is happening whilst the program is idling,
it will flicker for hours if i remain in the scan mode.
I have had the scanner since the Win98 days
and it never used to do that, it is an XP peculiarity.

 

[John Corliss]

Thanks for replying, Bill.

Yes, somebody else mentioned somewhere that this is a possibility.
However, when I totally disconnected the secondary channel (the cable
with both CD drives on it), unplugged their power cables and rebooted,
the hard drive light continued to flicker without any change.

 

[John Corliss]

Thanks but:

System Restore: on or off, made no difference
Auto Updates: I turned it off right after installing XP, verified
several times that it remained off. Just verified it again too.

No effect on the flashing HD light.

 

[John Corliss]

I understand that there will be activity in the background, but my
personal computer (also running XP Home SP2) has no low level HD light
activity at all. The light only flashes when I'm doing something and
expect it.

I've turned off WMI Logging on both computers. Originally on my
computer, I DID have continual low-level HD light activity. Turning off
WMI Logging put an end to it. However, on my friend's computer, doing
this had no effect.

Even without any foreground applications open and running an XP
system is going to have disk activity. My system is configured with
a minimum of background services ( 39 ). This includes AV ( Nod32 )
and Zone Alarm "Free" Firewall with Windows Defender.
Using SysInternals FileMon and DiskMon I log at least 73 read &
write operations per minute. During this watched interval I can see
the faceplate LED illuminate maybe 8 to 9 flashes.
Most file activity ( not necessarily a disk read or write ) deals with
Vsmon ( Zone Alarm )

I remember when I used ZA that I emailed them asking what Vsmon was.
They were nice enough to email me back and tell me. Now though, I use
Kerio 2.1.5. It's also what I put on my friends computer, and if I turn
it off there is no effect on the blinking HD light.

Svchost calls and NOD32's resident monitor.
I don't doubt that you're having consistent disk access, it just may
not be excessive. One piece of information missing in this issue is the
applications you have loaded on the PC.

Sorry, but excessive or not isn't really the issue. In my OP I stated
the reason I want no continual HD flashing.

 

[John Corliss]

Yup, and I suspect that those who say their disk activity LED is not
flashing have not really looked directly at the LED. At first glance,
looking at mine it appeared that it was not flashing, but a closer look
revealed that it was flashing every two to three seconds . The duration
was extremely short, so it did not appear while looking at it from an
angle. It's appearance may depend upon the case and how close to the
front panel the LED is mounted.

I just put my right eyeball about 1/2" away from the HD LED on my own
computer and stared at it for about 30 seconds. No flashing at all.
Period. Not even super low level. 80)>

 

[John Corliss]

Thanks, but that's what I've been doing on and off the whole time.
Today, I haven't had it hooked up to the modem except early in the
morning when I downloaded an updated version of the VIA chipset drivers.
Installing them made no difference, by the way.

 

[Hobo]

Well, it was just a thought. I have two computers running
here, one with Xp and the other Vista. They both do it, and
as far as I can remember, always have. It has never worried
me and I've never had a problem that I can relate to it. I
guess I just assume its doing something useful or it
wouldn't do it. Be interesting to see if someone comes up
with anything solid on this.

Hobo

 

[John Corliss]

Yes, I know roughly what's causing it, Kim,
however it is happening whilst the program is idling,
it will flicker for hours if i remain in the scan mode.
I have had the scanner since the Win98 days
and it never used to do that, it is an XP peculiarity.

Definitely sounds like a driver issue. Have you tried contacting Epson
support or updating your drivers?

OTOH, it could be a USB 2.0 issue.

 

[Unknown]

My HD light does not flash. I have Pentium 4. Is your Processor the same as
that of your friend?
Both use the same type of HD interface?

 

[Jack Mc Kenna]

Definitely sounds like a driver issue. Have you tried contacting Epson
support or updating your drivers?

OTOH, it could be a USB 2.0 issue.

Right click your HD icon, click properties, at the bottom of the page there
is a box that allows the indexing service to run continuously. Uncheck this
box.

 

[John Corliss]

Right click your HD icon, click properties, at the bottom of the page there
is a box that allows the indexing service to run continuously. Uncheck this
box.

Are you talking to me? If so, thanks, but that was the first thing I did
when I noticed the problem on my friend's computer.