Author Topic: IDEA: Use scroll lock LED as hard drive indicator (Read 55,626 times)

wetsmellydog · « **on:** October 13, 2007, 05:04 PM »

Years ago I found a program that allowed you to use the scroll lock LED as a hard drive light indicator.
I have not been able to find it again after numurous pcs and HD crashes. I tried searching the net and
have not found a replacement either.

This was WAY before motherboards had integrated hard drive controllers. I think they were intercepting
hardware int15.

There is a software version that sits in the task tray but I find that one annoying.

Thanks!

Cpilot · « **Reply #1 on:** October 13, 2007, 05:28 PM »

Funny you should bring this up, I wrote a script a while ago that monitors HD activity, but it sits in the tray.
It may not be as annoying though so I'll up load it.
Source included.

Ralf Maximus · « **Reply #2 on:** October 13, 2007, 06:31 PM »

I tried to find something like that a few years ago and discovered that there's something about my USB keyboard that doesn't like having its LED toggled numerous times a second. Either the LED would get stuck in a particular state, or the keyboard itself would go nuts requiring a reboot.

I gave up and ended up using FloatLED: http://www.stone-oakvalley-studios.com/index_software.php

wetsmellydog · « **Reply #3 on:** October 13, 2007, 07:12 PM »

Quote from: Ralf Maximus on October 13, 2007, 06:31 PM

I tried to find something like that a few years ago and discovered that there's something about my USB keyboard that doesn't like having its LED toggled numerous times a second. Either the LED would get stuck in a particular state, or the keyboard itself would go nuts requiring a reboot.

I gave up and ended up using FloatLED: http://www.stone-oakvalley-studios.com/index_software.php

I had spent long hours searching for a solution and after I post this message, I find a couple of software solutions.

FloatLED is based on this software DriveGLEAM found at http://www.dirtcellar.net/
What is cool about this program is that you can hook up and control LEDs from the
parallel port.

I also found an autohotkey script at http://www.autohotkey.com/forum/topic17954.html

What I would really like is just a stand alone program that would do job without all the bells and whistles.

jgpaiva · « **Reply #4 on:** October 13, 2007, 09:36 PM »

Quote from: wetsmellydog on October 13, 2007, 07:12 PM

What I would really like is just a stand alone program that would do job without all the bells and whistles.

Doesn't that ahk script do just that?

wetsmellydog · « **Reply #5 on:** October 14, 2007, 12:08 AM »

Quote from: jgpaiva on October 13, 2007, 09:36 PM

Quote from: wetsmellydog on October 13, 2007, 07:12 PM
What I would really like is just a stand alone program that would do job without all the bells and whistles.
Doesn't that ahk script do just that?

It depends on aht to run.

jgpaiva · « **Reply #6 on:** October 14, 2007, 02:08 AM »

Quote from: wetsmellydog on October 14, 2007, 12:08 AM

It depends on aht to run.

Not necessarly, ahk scripts are compilable, if you'd like, i could compile it for you. (or you could compile it yourself, if you install ahk)

wetsmellydog · « **Reply #7 on:** October 16, 2007, 11:24 PM »

OK, I tried the AHK script and it did not work reliably.

That leaves me with DriveGLEAM that has way too much overhead involved just to intercept the
hard drive activity.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #8 on:** October 17, 2007, 04:28 AM »

What do you mean when you say "did not work reliably"? I am running it right now (gotta love the blinking lights

) and it seems to work fine (wired keyboard, didn't touch a line of code within the script so it is as-is from the net). Very handy for me, I didn't even have a mobo LCD to show HDD usage.

BigJim · « **Reply #9 on:** October 17, 2007, 05:04 AM »

Could I impose on someone to post the compiled script here?

Thanks!!

Oh, what's that about running "diskperf.exe -y" first as mentioned in the first post on the AHK forum (http://www.autohotkey.com/forum/topic17954.html) ?

yksyks · « **Reply #10 on:** October 17, 2007, 11:52 AM »

SoftLeds can also use the ScrollLock led on your keyboard to display the disk access on all the monitored drives. See http://xfx.net/utilities/softleds/index.htm.

wetsmellydog · « **Reply #11 on:** October 17, 2007, 06:17 PM »

Quote from: wreckedcarzz on October 17, 2007, 04:28 AM

What do you mean when you say "did not work reliably"? I am running it right now (gotta love the blinking lights ) and it seems to work fine (wired keyboard, didn't touch a line of code within the script so it is as-is from the net). Very handy for me, I didn't even have a mobo LCD to show HDD usage.

I compared the HD light on my computer and the Scroll Lock LED. They rarely matched. In fact, the scroll lock LED would blink even when there wasn't any indicated activity from the computer.

I am using a wired Logitec keyboard.

wetsmellydog · « **Reply #12 on:** October 17, 2007, 06:20 PM »

Quote from: yksyks on October 17, 2007, 11:52 AM

SoftLeds can also use the ScrollLock led on your keyboard to display the disk access on all the monitored drives. See http://xfx.net/utilities/softleds/index.htm.

I am looking for a small program without extras. The AHK script would have been great if it had worked.

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #13 on:** October 18, 2007, 06:01 AM »

Quote from: BigJim on October 17, 2007, 05:04 AM

Could I impose on someone to post the compiled script here?

Thanks!!

Oh, what's that about running "diskperf.exe -y" first as mentioned in the first post on the AHK forum (http://www.autohotkey.com/forum/topic17954.html) ?

BigJim, just open the Run box (Start > Run) and type "diskperf.exe -y" (w/o quotes) to prep the computer to give off HDD readings for the AHK script. I will post the script sometime tomorrow as a compiled exe for you (I am adding it to my notepad here so I don't forget

)

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #14 on:** October 18, 2007, 06:04 AM »

By the way wetsmellydog, make sure you did what I said above before running the AHK script, otherwise you will get random readings.

(Just ONCE though!

)

Target · « **Reply #15 on:** October 18, 2007, 06:33 AM »

FYI, that command is in the script, albeit commented out...

i don't see why it couldn't be uncommented, then you wouldn't need to run it from the prompt (not sure what happens if you need to restart the script though...)

Target

BigJim · « **Reply #16 on:** October 18, 2007, 01:45 PM »

Quote

(I am adding it to my notepad here so I don't forget )

Thanks a BUNCH !! I'll keep and eye out for your post.

'preciatecha

(BTW/FYI I'd love to get more familiar with AHK and soooo many more things but I MUST stop falling down rabbit holes and get some real (AKA paid for) work done!)

wetsmellydog · « **Reply #17 on:** October 18, 2007, 08:02 PM »

Quote from: wreckedcarzz on October 18, 2007, 06:04 AM

By the way wetsmellydog, make sure you did what I said above before running the AHK script, otherwise you will get random readings.

(Just ONCE though! )

According to the help file on diskperf.exe, it is not necessary to run the script in XP.

See below

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Mr Comp>diskperf.exe -y

Both Logical and Physical Disk Performance counters on this system
are automatically enabled on demand.
Raw counters are also enabled for IOCTL_DISK_PERFORMANCE.

C:\Documents and Settings\Mr Comp>diskperf.exe /?

DISKPERF [-Y[D|V] | -N[D|V]] [\\computername]

-Y Sets the system to start all disk performance counters
when the system is restarted.

-YD Enables the disk performance counters for physical drives.
when the system is restarted.
-YV Enables the disk performance counters for logical drives
or storage volumes when the system is restarted.
-N Sets the system to disable all disk performance counters
when the system is restarted.

-ND Disables the disk performance counters for physical drives.
-NV Disables the disk performance counters for logical drives.
\\computername Is the name of the computer you want to
see or set disk performance counter use.
The computer must be a Windows 2000 system.
NOTE: Disk performance counters are permanently enabled on
systems beyond Windows 2000.

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #18 on:** October 19, 2007, 10:13 PM »

@ Wetsmellydog: Not sure then. I would run it just in case, but I am not familiar with that exe.

@ BigJim: Here is your EXE (attached) all set and ready to go!

EDIT: For spelling

EDIT 2: Again ^

jgpaiva · « **Reply #19 on:** October 19, 2007, 10:17 PM »

Quote from: wreckedcarzz on October 19, 2007, 10:13 PM

EDIT: For spelling

Still, "attached" is misspelled

eheh

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #20 on:** October 19, 2007, 10:25 PM »

Quote from: jgpaiva on October 19, 2007, 10:17 PM

Quote from: wreckedcarzz on October 19, 2007, 10:13 PM
EDIT: For spelling
Still, "attached" is misspelled eheh

You have GOT to be joking...

Waxhead · « **Reply #21 on:** October 20, 2007, 02:37 AM »

Quote from: wetsmellydog on October 16, 2007, 11:24 PM

That leaves me with DriveGLEAM that has way too much overhead involved just to intercept the
hard drive activity.

Hi, I'm the author of DriveGLEAM. How can you justify this? exactly what are the overhead? are you experiencing slowdowns? if so please enter a bugreport here: http://forum.dirtcellar.net
DriveGLEAM is one of the fastest free (and non-free for that matter) software HD LED indicators available. If you are still running on a 100mhz pentium you can set the pollrate if neccesary.
Just compare DriveGLEAM with other simmilar tools and check the resource usage by your self.
...as you can understand this post really provoked me and I just had to blow off some steam

Cpilot · « **Reply #22 on:** October 20, 2007, 05:16 AM »

You know when you get right down to it the AHK script is just a pretty light, but is in no way a reflection of HD activity.
It basically lags behind just about any other HD activity monitor, mine included.
Some languages are not up to monitoring system activity, it's nothing to be ashamed of, sometimes you have to accept the inherent limitations.

BigJim · « **Reply #23 on:** October 20, 2007, 10:19 AM »

Wreckedcarzz: Thanks a squillion for doing that for me. I appreciate the effort. Unfortunately, as Cpilot says, it doesn't work. I've tried it on three machines (2x XP Home and 1x XP Pro) and the light activity bears little if any resemblance to the HDD light on the tower. Worse, it screws up the function of the other lights.

I presently trying FloadLED on one machine and it seems to be working fine. Will give DriveGLEAM a try, too.

Thanks again to all. I love this place!

wetsmellydog · « **Reply #24 on:** October 22, 2007, 02:21 AM »

Quote from: Waxhead on October 20, 2007, 02:37 AM

Quote from: wetsmellydog on October 16, 2007, 11:24 PM
That leaves me with DriveGLEAM that has way too much overhead involved just to intercept the
hard drive activity.

Hi, I'm the author of DriveGLEAM. How can you justify this? exactly what are the overhead? are you experiencing slowdowns? if so please enter a bugreport here: http://forum.dirtcellar.net
DriveGLEAM is one of the fastest free (and non-free for that matter) software HD LED indicators available. If you are still running on a 100mhz pentium you can set the pollrate if neccesary.
Just compare DriveGLEAM with other simmilar tools and check the resource usage by your self.
...as you can understand this post really provoked me and I just had to blow off some steam

Hi Waxhead,

I apologize if I offended you or your program!

Maybe the term "overhead" was used in the wrong context.

I am looking for a simple program to just blink the scroll lock LED without any other features.

I appreciate programmers like you who work hard to put out quality programs for free. I have tried your program and found it to work as you have stated without any issues on my computer.

Again I sincerely apologize if you took offense to my statements.

WSD