USB hard drive used with Time Machine runs continually

I have a USB SATA external hard drive that I am using for my Time Machine backups. The drive is configured to run on USB power. The drive begins running as soon as it is connected to the port, and runs continually, as long as it is connected. I expected the drive to sleep between TM backups, to save the moving parts. Is there any way to keep the drive sleeping until a TM backup is done, and then go back to sleep?

Kenneth Mclauchlan wrote:
I have a USB SATA external hard drive that I am using for my Time Machine backups. The drive is configured to run on USB power. The drive begins running as soon as it is connected to the port, and runs continually, as long as it is connected. I expected the drive to sleep between TM backups, to save the moving parts. Is there any way to keep the drive sleeping until a TM backup is done, and then go back to sleep?
I believe that is up to the drive manufacturer. In the Preferences Energy Saver see if you have checked "put drive to sleep when possible" and see if the external drive sleeps when you put the computer to sleep. If it does not then it's not a "sleeper." Even if it does, it may not have an internal clock or switch to sleep after so many minutes of inactivity.
Can you use the drive with external power? See if that does anything.
My LaCie d2 quadro sleeps between backups. I don't use USB, I use FW800.

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