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RE: hdparm / DMA problems - options



hi ya

On Sun, 10 Aug 2003, Nyc0n wrote:

-- if you dont know hwo to use hdparm ...
   you stand to corrupt data on your disks 
 
> Well, here is my script file, the first two drives are connected to the
> MB, which doesn't support DMA so I left out the -d1 parameter on those,
> the other 4 are connected to my Promise UltraATA133 Tx2 card, which does
> support DMA....   
> 
> hdparm -q -X34 -u1 -m16 -c1 -a16 /dev/hda
> hdparm -q -X34 -u1 -m16 -c1 -a16 /dev/hdb
> hdparm -q -X34 -d1 -u1 -m16 -c1 -a16 /dev/hde
> hdparm -q -X34 -d1 -u1 -m16 -c1 -a16 /dev/hdf
> hdparm -q -X34 -d1 -u1 -m16 -c1 -a16 /dev/hdg
> hdparm -q -X34 -d1 -u1 -m16 -c1 -a16 /dev/hdh

-X34  means you are using (very old) dma mode ( dma2 ) 
	== and you wonder why its slow ??

-X66  is ata33 ( udma2 ) 
-X68  is ata66 ( udma4 )
-X69  is ata100 ( udma5 )
-X70  is ata133 ( udam6 )

- i dont use -a16 ... ( readahead  options )

 
> /dev/hda:
>  DMA modes: mdma0 mdma1 *mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5

says this disk supports udma5 ( ata100 )
you've downgraded your disk down to mdma2 w/ hdparm instead of udma5

>  using_dma    =  0 (off)

says you should turn on dma mode in the kernel if -d1 didnt work
when hdparm was manually invoked

> /dev/hdb
>  DMA modes: mdma0 mdma1 *mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5

you've downgraded your disk down to mdma2 w/ hdparm instead of udma5

> /dev/hde:
>  DMA modes: mdma0 mdma1 *mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5

you've downgraded your disk down to mdma2 w/ hdparm instead of udma5 

>  using_dma    =  1 (on)

magic ...  that ide controller is supported by the kernel


.... 

> 
> Here are some speed tests after it boots with the script.....
> 
> /dev/hda:
>  Timing buffer-cache reads:   128 MB in  1.35 seconds = 94.81 MB/sec
>  Timing buffered disk reads:  64 MB in 14.95 seconds =  4.28 MB/sec

the only number you (should) care about is "buffered disk read"...

> /dev/hdb:
>  Timing buffer-cache reads:   128 MB in  1.34 seconds = 95.52 MB/sec
>  Timing buffered disk reads:  64 MB in 15.06 seconds =  4.25 MB/sec
> 
> /dev/hde:
>  Timing buffer-cache reads:   128 MB in  1.34 seconds = 95.52 MB/sec
>  Timing buffered disk reads:  64 MB in  9.19 seconds =  6.96 MB/sec

even w/ dma supported by the kernel and disk drives, you told it to run in
mdma2 ...
	which is exactly what you're getting

c ya
alvin




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