Disk noises and Tyan S2468UGN

[David Mathog]

Steve Cousins wrote concerning disk noises on IBM  IC35L036UWD210-0
drives:

> http://www.storage.ibm.com/hdd/ipl/oem/tech/pfa.htm
>
>A (sic) periodic intervals, PFA's Generalized Error Measurement (GEM)
>automatically performs a suite of self-diagnostic tests which measure
>changes in the disk drive's component characteristics."

So I read the URL and don't see what this feature buys you on Linux
besides a lot of extra noise. Presumably the OS has to understand the
warning message that gets sent back.  Which operating systems,
if any, have this capability?  Presumably AIX, any others?

Even if PFA is a plus, why must gathering the information
require the generation of such an awful sound?

Thanks,

David Mathog
mathog at caltech.edu
Manager, Sequence Analysis Facility, Biology Division, Caltech