Re: Trouble with hdparm -d on Dell D610

["Kristin Vadas Marsicano" <kristin.marsicano@gmail.com>]

I've tried the following configurations, none of which ended up in DMA
functioning on the D610.

# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_PIIX is not set
CONFIG_ATA_PIIX=y
CONFIG_PATA_MPIIX=y
CONFIG_PATA_OLDPIIX=y

# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_PIIX is not set
CONFIG_ATA_PIIX=y
CONFIG_PATA_MPIIX=y
# CONFIG_PATA_OLDPIIX is not set

Ultimately, my goal is to run shred at as quick a pace as possible on
all machines.  The D610 runs slow with the kernel config I was using
for the D600 (any various other machines).  I had success on making it
run quickly on the D610 by configured the kernel with
ATA/ATAPI/MFM/RLL support turned off completely.

Any thoughts as to why the configs listed above don't seem to work for
DMA on my D610?


On 1/11/08, Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk> wrote:
> > My concern with disabling the new drivers is as follows: I use this
> > linux kernel and config image to boot machines over PXE and call a
> > shred program on each of the harddrives.  If I turn off CONFIG_ATA,
> > will this limit my ability to support various new IDE and SATA drives
> > for running shred?  So far, the configuration I have works well with
>
> Yes. In that case you can build without CONFIG_IDE_PIIX and with the
> CONFIG_ATA_PIIX driver and you should be fine too (but your disk will
> move to /dev/sda on that box). The PIIX is an awkward case as in some
> modes it combines both the SATA and PATA onto one 'device'.
>
> > most of the machines I encounter  (and with both SATA and IDE drives),
> > except for the Dell D610 and HP 7700 (small desktop pc).  The models I
> > just mentioned run the shred really slow, which I believe is due to
> > the DMA problem I was having (outlined in my previous emails).  Any
> > thoughts?
>
> If your shred program is relying on DMA then you are using the wrong tool
> for the job. The correct way to erase a disk is to send it a security
> erase command. Rewriting over the data may not do what is wanted.
>


-- 
Kristin Vadas Marsicano
kristin.marsicano@gmail.com
kristinisme.blogspot.com