Hi,

After compiling my own 2.6.13.3 kernel, I get the following message in the dmesg output (in the hard disk section):

"hda: cache flushes not supported"

I don't recall seeing this earlier for my Western Digital 80 GB (8 MB cache) hard disk, but everything seems to work fine nevertheless. So, is this message harmful? How can I get it away (in my .config-file)?

Kind regards,

BA

you will need to re-compile the kernel and add support into it.......

I have 2 seagate drives, one is 40GB and the other (newer) one is 120 GB. dmesg shows the older one as 'cache flushes not supported', and the newer one as 'cache flushes supported', so I think that dmesg is just giving you more info than it did with the earlier kernel.
Admittedly I do not have a WD drive, but I think you have nothing to worry about, it is just that cache flushes are not supported by your drive. As far as I have been able to ascertain, it does not affect performance, it is just the ability to save cached data in the event of a powerfail.
There is not much accurate googleable info on the subject, so I invite better informed comment. I searced the recent kernel changelogs on the subject with no result.

tobyl

Hi,

freakyg: Yes, but which kernel option solves this?

tobyl: My hard disk dates back to early 2003 and is no SATA one, so it's possible that the drive itself doesn't support cache flushing yet. I'll try to verify this at the website of WD as soon as I find the exact model number.

Kind regards,

Bram Adams

make menuconfig and give a look wherever the brand of your HD appear... Im not very sure now because Im not on linux, but if I remember you must look in the Block Devices section...