Re: IDE layer adoptations that *fake* a failing drive?

[Pat LaVarre <p.lavarre@ieee.org>]

> code that sits between the IDE software layer and
> the storage device, that emulates a failing disk
> in one way or another.

I guess you want intermittent and unreliable failure ... else you could
swap in an ATAPI drive, since ATAPI protocol by definition looks like a
dead ATA drive.

Like you, I want to eject errors and timeouts, please post back here
what you find.  Meanwhile, three thoughts:

1) Read errors

Via ATA pass thru you can force a read error, if your drive supports the
write/ read long legacy of ATA 2 for that purpose.

2) No-data timeouts

Via 48-bit lba ATA you can force a slow timeout by asking to verify
xFFFF lba's = 32 MiB = (1 << (16+9)) bytes, at 512 = x200 = (1 << 9)
bytes/lba, if you drive actually does verify blocks when asked.

3) Write errors, data timeouts, etc.

Tough, without customarily proprietary knowledge of the drive.

Pat LaVarre