Powering down a MS300/750

[lwschwartz]

The MS750 OS is designed to be left on. Even though it is in standby mode, the "computer" is still running. A well written OS goes through a shutdown process closing files, etc but not the MS750 OS. Just unplugging the unit works most of the time but if a hard drive write is in process, it can wreak havoc with the OS on the hard drive. None the less, Ivan is correct.

The Air Force studied fluorescent lights in the 1960's and found that it is cheaper and better for the light to be left on unless it was going to remain off for more than 8 hours. With the same thinking, I would use 7 to 10 days as a time for the MS750. If it will be 7 to 10 days or longer, unplug it. Otherwise, leave it on. For my personal use, I use 14 days as the cutoff.

[Masterlu]

When I travel between homes, I unplug my MS750's. Why have them spin unecessesarily for months on end.

[Cohibaman]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

When I travel between homes, I unplug my MS750's. Why have them spin unecessesarily for months on end.

[Cohibaman]

One thing I have noticed, if I unplug the unit shortly after it just finished booting (I've done this numerous times while troubleshooting), I will lose cover art. It's because I haven't given it time to properly index. Bottom line, leave it powered for a while to do its thing after restoring power.

[jdcarlson]

There is a "sticky" thread on the MSxxx power supply situation. That seems to be the "weak link" for this unit.
One post on that thread identified the operating system as an very early OS (i.e., similar to what was use on US orbital space craft in the 1970s).
I am not familiar with the specific operating system, but having been involved with programming computers since 1968, I remember that early operating systems did not do a very good job of protecting the hard drive from physical damage from the read/write head if power was unexpectedly removed. Many hard drives in that era were permanently damaged when power was cut off, and the read/write head (loosing its control function) skipped across the drive platter like a stone over water, leaving gashes in its wake.
The drives used by McIntosh in the MS300 and MS750 may have some hardware control over such a catastrophe. But I do not know. Since I do not know, I do not want to trust what I do not know.
I suggest using the power button on the front of the machine, or on the remote, out of an abundance of caution.
Thanks,
Jim Carlson

[mchydro]

Originally Posted by jdcarlson

There is a "sticky" thread on the MSxxx power supply situation. That seems to be the "weak link" for this unit.
One post on that thread identified the operating system as an very early OS (i.e., similar to what was use on US orbital space craft in the 1970s).
I am not familiar with the specific operating system, but having been involved with programming computers since 1968, I remember that early operating systems did not do a very good job of protecting the hard drive from physical damage from the read/write head if power was unexpectedly removed. Many hard drives in that era were permanently damaged when power was cut off, and the read/write head (loosing its control function) skipped across the drive platter like a stone over water, leaving gashes in its wake.
The drives used by McIntosh in the MS300 and MS750 may have some hardware control over such a catastrophe. But I do not know. Since I do not know, I do not want to trust what I do not know.
I suggest using the power button on the front of the machine, or on the remote, out of an abundance of caution.
Thanks,
Jim Carlson

I don't think the operating system is that old. My guess is that the operating system is a derivative of Linux, which is probably the most popular operating system for servers on the Internet (including the one running this very vbullentin site). The fact that it has modern features (for its time) such as the ability to share the file system over a network, an internal web server, and the fact that it used the open source FLAC suggests an open source OS to me such as Linux. Plus, there are no royalties or licenses to pay for an open source OS like Linux. Linux handles abrupt power downs fairly well, especially if a journaling file system is used. However, it would have been nice if Escient made a graceful, software-based shutdown command available.

[jdcarlson]

My error on the OS for the MSxx. The following quote is from a thread I started some time ago about weird behavior on my MS750.

"The OS is VXWorks which is designed as an embedded OS. I began life in the early 80's so it predated Linux. Apple uses it in their Airport Extreme. It was on the Mars robot."

My thread was on unusual MS750 behavior, and I believe the quote was from the 5th response.

I was off by several years as to its origin. But, I tried every Windows Linux File Opening program I could find, and none of them would recognize anything on the drive.

Based on my experience, and the above quote from a response to my thread, I do not believe the MSxx OS is any variant of Linux.

Thanks,
Jim Carlson

[mchydro]

Originally Posted by jdcarlson

My error on the OS for the MSxx. The following quote is from a thread I started some time ago about weird behavior on my MS750.

"The OS is VXWorks which is designed as an embedded OS. I began life in the early 80's so it predated Linux. Apple uses it in their Airport Extreme. It was on the Mars robot."

My thread was on unusual MS750 behavior, and I believe the quote was from the 5th response.

I was off by several years as to its origin. But, I tried every Windows Linux File Opening program I could find, and none of them would recognize anything on the drive.

Based on my experience, and the above quote from a response to my thread, I do not believe the MSxx OS is any variant of Linux.

Thanks,
Jim Carlson

Interesting. I stand corrected. VxWorks is very popular in VoIP phone systems as well. And it is still in active development. It's rock solid, however, I'm not sure a real-time OS was needed in a music server. I certainly would have preferred linux.