Re: DMA is turned off on my HDD

To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Subject: Re: DMA is turned off on my HDD
From: Anton Liaukevich <anthonyl@uvaga.by>
Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:36:08 +0300
Message-id: <[🔎] 488C79C8.2040308@uvaga.by>
In-reply-to: <[🔎] 20080727001509.GF6701@localhost.localdomain>
References: <[🔎] 487F3186.6020909@uvaga.by> <[🔎] 4887716D.4080601@uvaga.by> <[🔎] 20080727001509.GF6701@localhost.localdomain>

Chris Bannister wrote:

On Wed, Jul 23, 2008 at 08:59:09PM +0300, Anton Liaukevich wrote:

Anton Liaukevich wrote:
In several days I discovered that DMA is turned off on my HDD (fscksayed it while Debian booting). Please, help me turn on DMA mode.
My hardware:
    motherboard: Epox 8RDA3I rev 3.3 (nForce 2 Ultra)
    hdd: WD1200JB (ide, 120gb)
    cpu: Sempron 2200 (k7)

My software:
    Debian lenny
    kernel: linux 2.6.24-1-686
    bootloader: grub 0.97-41
Today I upgraded my linux kernel to 2.6.25-2-686, but problem hasn'tbeen solved yet.


All I can suggest is:

In the file /boot/grub/menu.lst, edit the line:
# kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro

to read:
# kopt=root=/dev/hda1 dma=on ro

of course make sure that "/dev/hda1" is correct for your setup. If you
only have one HDD installed then it probably is already correct.

Then run update-grub

Install hdparm:
aptitude install hdparm

reboot

then run:
hdparm /dev/hda

and see if dma is turned on, e.g:

root@box:~# hdparm /dev/hda
[..]
 using_dma    =  1 (on)
[..]

If instead, it outputs "using_dma    =  0 (off)" then I'm sorry, but I
am unable to help further. You may want to run the hdparm command BEFORE
you edit your menu.lst to ensure that the dma is actually off and you
are not being deceived in some way. :-)

[Sorry, I have at first sent message to your address]

I have changed /boot/grub/menu.lst as you said:

# kopt=root=UUID=683f90cf-5af5-4946-b90d-c69541f15966 dma=on ro

Now, after update-grub command, all my boot stanzas have 'dma=on'
options. For example:

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.25-2-686
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25-2-686
root=UUID=683f90cf-5af5-4946-b90d-c69541f15966 dma=on ro
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.25-2-686
savedefault

Unfortunately, DMA hasn't turned on after system reboot (I has checked
it using hdparm).

Additionally, I give you full menu.lst file in attachment.

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#            and /usr/share/doc/grub-legacy-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default		saved

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout		10

# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line)  and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
#      password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret
password --md5 $1$kLE2a$kaeh1q3GPQC38zBZB3IG7.

#
# examples
#
# title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root		(hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader	+1
#
# title		Linux
# root		(hd0,1)
# kernel	/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=683f90cf-5af5-4946-b90d-c69541f15966 dma=on ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,2)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=true

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
##      lockold=true
# lockold=true

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(single-user) single
# altoptions=(single-user mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=true

## ## End Default Options ##

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.25-2-686
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25-2-686 root=UUID=683f90cf-5af5-4946-b90d-c69541f15966 dma=on ro
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.25-2-686
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.25-2-686 (single-user mode)
lock
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25-2-686 root=UUID=683f90cf-5af5-4946-b90d-c69541f15966 dma=on ro single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.25-2-686
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.24-1-686
lock
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-1-686 root=UUID=683f90cf-5af5-4946-b90d-c69541f15966 dma=on ro
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-1-686
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.24-1-686 (single-user mode)
lock
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-1-686 root=UUID=683f90cf-5af5-4946-b90d-c69541f15966 dma=on ro single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-1-686
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.24-1-486
lock
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-1-486 root=UUID=683f90cf-5af5-4946-b90d-c69541f15966 dma=on ro
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-1-486
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.24-1-486 (single-user mode)
lock
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-1-486 root=UUID=683f90cf-5af5-4946-b90d-c69541f15966 dma=on ro single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-1-486
savedefault

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title		Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda1
title		Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root		(hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader	+1

Reply to:

References:
- DMA is turned off on my HDD
  - From: Anton Liaukevich <anthonyl@uvaga.by>
- Re: DMA is turned off on my HDD
  - From: Anton Liaukevich <anthonyl@uvaga.by>
- Re: DMA is turned off on my HDD
  - From: Chris Bannister <mockingbird@earthlight.co.nz>

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