DMA problem
 

I am currently having to log in as root and use the hdparm -d1 /dev/hda
command to get my hard drive to run using DMA. I have to do this before logging in a user.
Is there anyway to get this to happen automatically at boot?
I added the following line to rc.local "hdparm -d1 /dev/hda" but it doesnt seem to have worked.


many thanks

Re: DMA problem
 

did u enter it with the quotes? should just be:

/sbin/hdparm -d1 /dev/hda

Are there any error messages during bootup related to this command?

ok
i tried the above suggestion but the hdparm-d /dev/hda showed dma as 0(off)

this is not particularly a problem as the -d1 command turns it on without the need to reboot and it doesn't take long

but i would rather learn how to set it as part of the boot sequence

is /etc/rc.local the best place to be putting such a command ?

in /etc/sysconfig/harddisks ensure you have the line USE_DMA=1

then after you enable dma with hdparm it should be enable at boot.

yes i already have that line and still it is not enabled at boot

maybe i should go at this from the other end

is there a line of code that resets/overrides dma settings upon exit from system?

What distribution do you use and which version of it?
What kernel version do you use?
Did you compile the kernel yourself?
Did you patch the kernel using for instance grsecurity patch-set?

To enable it in Redhat 8.0, and in order, to use mplayer fluently, just
add this line into /etc/modules.conf:

options ide-cd dma=1

Anne

last time i booted the dma read as on
all i did was remove and then re-add the /sbin/ to the beginning of the hdparm command


hmmmmmm

no patches for kernel as yet
haven't got that far

kernel version 2.4.18.3

i think your sort of doing it right, but you might
at -k1 for keep the settings after reset. thats
a drive reset, not a reset reset.

------------------------------------------------
but you might
at -k1 for keep the settings after reset
------------------------------------------------

is this a konsole command or an addition to the rc.local file ?
and is it -k1 or at -k1 ?

i am new to this please explain a little more

-k1
i meant add -k1, not at -k1
putting stuff in rc.local is sort of like autoexec.bat
for windows. its like typing stuff at the konsole,
before you log in, if you want to think of it that way.
so, it is both a konsole command and and addition
to the rc.local file, if you wish. here's the rest of the
hdparm commands. adding 0 after the command
turns it off, 1 turns it on, which reminds me.
there are only 10 types of people in this world, people
with ... and people without . . . blah blah blah.

if i remember close to right -X64 is UDMA0
-X67 UDMA3 and so on. sometimes if you can't get
a drive to work at a certain setting you can try the next
lower one, or 2nd lower. Hell, i'd try them all to keep
from running a pio mode whatever.

Is -X33 or so MWDMA 0? those are around there
somewhere.

There are many facts on the web and probably on this
site about optimizing drives.



Usage: hdparm [options] [device] ..
Options:
-a get/set fs readahead
-A * set drive read-lookahead flag (0/1)
-c * get/set IDE 32-bit IO setting
-C * check IDE power mode status
-d * get/set using_dma flag
-D * enable/disable drive defect-mgmt
-f flush buffer cache for device on exit
-g display drive geometry
-h display terse usage information
-i * display drive identification
-I * read drive identification directly from drive
-k * get/set keep_settings_over_reset flag (0/1)
-K * set drive keep_features_over_reset flag (0/1)
-L * set drive doorlock (0/1) (removable harddisks only)
-m * get/set multiple sector count
-n * get/set ignore-write-errors flag (0/1)
-p * set PIO mode on IDE interface chipset (0,1,2,3,4,...)
-P * set drive prefetch count
-q change next setting quietly
-r get/set readonly flag (DANGEROUS to set)
-S * set standby (spindown) timeout
-t perform device read timings
-T perform cache read timings
-u * get/set unmaskirq flag (0/1)
-v default; same as -acdgkmnru (-gr for SCSI, -adgr for XT)
-V display program version and exit immediately
-W * set drive write-caching flag (0/1) (DANGEROUS)
-X * set IDE xfer mode (DANGEROUS)
-y * put IDE drive in standby mode
-Y * put IDE drive to sleep
-Z * disable Seagate auto-powersaving mode
* = (E)IDE drives only