[ltp] [T60] Is SATA slower than PATA?

[James Pearson]

> ######## suse ########
> T60-8wxi:~ # hdparm /dev/sda
> 
> /dev/sda:
>  IO_support   =  0 (default 16-bit)
>  HDIO_GET_UNMASKINTR failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device
>  HDIO_GET_DMA failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device
>  HDIO_GET_KEEPSETTINGS failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device
>  readonly     =  0 (off)
>  readahead    = 1024 (on)
>  geometry     = 9729/255/63, sectors = 156301488, start = 0
> T60-8wxi:~ # hdparm -Tt /dev/sda
> 
> /dev/sda:
>  Timing cached reads:   5044 MB in  2.00 seconds = 2522.35 MB/sec
>  Timing buffered disk reads:  100 MB in  3.01 seconds =  33.23 MB/sec
> ######## end ########
> 
> # Question 
> Any ideas on what options control the "Timing buffered disk reads" under
> hdparm?
> 
I am replying to my own message because I did a bit of research I found the following info:
###
 hdparm -d1 /dev/sda

/dev/sda:
setting using_dma to 1 (on)
HDIO_SET_DMA failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device
HDIO_GET_DMA failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device

This is normal, benign error: SATA is not fully recognized as DMA capable. Forget about this error.
#
DMA settings do not apply to SATA.

###
# some definitions
HDIO_GET_UNMASKINTR failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device
HDIO_GET_DMA failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device
HDIO_GET_KEEPSETTINGS failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device

###
Hdparm doesn't work with scsi; try Dougls Gilberts sdparm from , 
which also has pointers to his sg-utils, for more fun with scsi/sata stuff. 
Not everything in hdparm is supported in sdparm though

# http://www.torque.net/sg/sdparm.html
The sdparm utility outputs and in some cases modifies SCSI device parameters. 
When the SCSI device is a disk, sdparm's role is similar to its namesake: 
the Linux hdparm utility which is for ATA disks that usually have device names starting with "hd".

###
curent SATA status under linux:
http://linux-ata.org/driver-status.html


It would appear that SATA is a very much a work in progress and one is better off getting the latest kernel possible.

Anyone using "bonnie" - I have no experience with it ?

Regards
James