Re: Fwd: libata-pmp patch for 3.2.x and later for eSATA Port Multiplier Sil3726

["ANEZAKI, Akira" <fireblade1230@yahoo.co.jp>]

Hello Gwendal,

(2012/03/23 14:14), Gwendal Grignou wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 1:55 AM, ANEZAKI, Akira
> <fireblade1230@yahoo.co.jp> wrote:
>> Hello Gwendal,
>>
>> Thank you for your information.
>> I think ata8 might different from other 3 PMPs. I'll try to update all
>> firmware but it is running resync on broken RAID now. So I can't do it soon.
>> By the way, both of ata8 and ata9 loses some HDDs also. Are those
>> affected by PMPs on ata7 and ata10? Why 3.1.x driver can work?
>>
>> Best Regards,
>> Akira
>>
>>> Now I see your problem. Indeed on ata7, ata10, we have a problem.
> I should have said ata7-ata10. The PMP on these 4 enclosures do not
> like SRST at all.
> It works with 3.1.x because it does not send SRST with this PMP; but
> as I said before, that is not a good behavior [no staggered spin-up,
> problem with drives slow to spin-up]

You pointd out about power consumption, but I think most of SiI3726 are
used in HDD boxes. If no staggered sign-up causes some voltage drop, it
will affect only in HDD box, perhaps it is 12V power line drop. SiI3726
will use 5V power line with regulator (IO = 3.3V, core=1.8V) so
influence will be small.
Whether send SRST or not, no HDDs are linked up at that time and it must
wait for a while with repeating hard reset. Current behavior is "try 3
times and ignore". If the behavior is changed to "try 4 times and
ignore", the behavior of most HDD box wont be changed because all HDDs
are linked up before 4th try. For users who has slow spin-up HDDs, they
get more some seconds. I think it is convenient for most users and
easier than trace/fix my problem. Of course the solution that solves my
problem with SRST is best!

> Gwendal.
>>> I notice however some messages I did not see before:
>>>>> [    4.856382] ata7.15: Port Multiplier 1.1, 0x1095:0x3726 r23, 6 ports, feat 0x1/0x9
>>>>> [    4.858742] ata7.00: hard resetting link
>>>>> [   14.843039] ata7.00: softreset failed (timeout)
>>>>> [   17.836402] ata7.15: qc timeout (cmd 0xe4)
>>> The later indicates that the PMP is stuck and the host can not read
>>> its internal register.
>>> Is it possible that the PMP in these 4 enclosures you are using have a
>>> different firmware than the other ones?
>>> Firmware 1.0114 is available at:
>>> http://www.siliconimage.com/support/searchresults.aspx?pid=26&cat=23
>>>
>>> From the release notes:
>>> """- Fix SRST and initial two RegFIS Problem."""

I'm still fixing broken RAID. Sorry for my slow response.

Best Regards,
Akira