In Windows Vista I would set it in this way:
1. go to:
Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Power Options

2. for your actual power plan:
Change Plan Settings -> Change advanced power settings

3. a dialog appears where:
Hard disk -> Turn off hard disk after

and set a higher value, that is your hard drive will be turned off after a longer time.

If anyone can explain this as simply as possible it would be great. I have tried running those commands but it will not open anythuing. Am i supposed to do this at the command prompt?

to make it permanent on ubuntu, i would modify the /etc/hdparm.conf file — check the end of the file, there are some samples.

i would add/modify this:

/dev/sda {
       apm = 255
}

or (does the same)

command_line {
       hdparm -B 255 /dev/sda
}

to make it permanent on different linux distos, please, check your distro documentation about the hdparm configuration.

@Curtis and Eric
hello,
(i am sorry for a late response, i was busy last weeks.)

i would follow Nick’s instructions. there could be one catch with the harddrive device — /dev/sda, /dev/hda or /dev/?d?
check the output of the

df -h

command (shows your disk(s) space usage), e.g. (just first two lines):

Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda6              15G   11G  2.8G  80% /

and check the line, where Mounted on says / - the Filesystem column contains the harddrive device path and an additional number, e.g.
/dev/sda6 = my harddrive device is /dev/sda

of course, this a simplified howto - there can be many differences, exceptions and special cases — please, write me an e-mail.

or, maybe it would be a good idea to ask a more experienced friend to help you.

for eric and curtis if you have ubuntu, you will have to go to Applications> Accessories > terminal. At the command prompt ( something like: curtis@curtis-laptop:~$ )you will have to type :
sudo hdparm -B 255 /dev/sda
you will be asked for your password.
the noise should stop.

I don’t know how to make it permanent in ubuntu yet.

something in command prompt?

like i said, im a bit of a beginner when it comes to commands and stuff, i just dont know where you put this stuff in.

sorry if i’m being difficult, but thanks for the response!

the idea is to run the
hdparm -B 255 /dev/sda
command as the root on your computer, where /dev/sda points to your harddrive.

bye

don’t understand the code speak

thanks