# best performance from SATA drive [solved]

## dirtbag

I just got a brand new computer system with AMD 64 dual core and SATA drive

ATA device, with non-removable media

        Model Number:       Hitachi HDS721616PLA380                 

        Serial Number:      PVF904Z5SXRSDN

        Firmware Revision:  P22OABEA

fred linux #  hdparm /dev/sda

/dev/sda:

 IO_support    =  0 (default 16-bit)

 readonly      =  0 (off)

 readahead     = 256 (on)

 geometry      = 19457/255/63, sectors = 312581808, start = 0

fred linux # 

I cant enable DMA on it,

fred linux #  hdparm -d1 /dev/sda

/dev/sda:

 setting using_dma to 1 (on)

 HDIO_SET_DMA failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device

fred linux # 

so Im wondering how can I tell that im getting the max performance out of this drive?

regards,

dbLast edited by dirtbag on Wed Nov 07, 2007 12:06 am; edited 1 time in total

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## tobr

 *dirtbag wrote:*   

> I cant enable DMA on it,
> 
> fred linux #  hdparm -d1 /dev/sda
> 
> /dev/sda:
> ...

 

hdparm won’t work with /dev/sdX devices.

```
man sdparm
```

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## dirtbag

AHA! thanks for that..

fred distfiles #  hdparm -tT /dev/sda 

/dev/sda:

 Timing cached reads:   1660 MB in  2.00 seconds = 829.99 MB/sec

 Timing buffered disk reads:  224 MB in  3.00 seconds =  74.67 MB/sec

fred distfiles # 

thats not that good, right?

-db

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## Cyker

Actually, 74MB/s is pretty darn fast...

Only stuff I seen faster than that is RAID.

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## i92guboj

 *dirtbag wrote:*   

> AHA! thanks for that..
> 
> fred distfiles #  hdparm -tT /dev/sda 
> 
> /dev/sda:
> ...

 

That is normal for a SATA drive. Even a bit above the average, if you ask me. I don't know what kind of result were you expecting. Remember that hard drives are mechanical entities, they use motors and heads, not buses and electrons.

EDIT: and yes, if you want more speed you'll need to use a RAID.

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## Pithlit

 *Quote:*   

> hdparm -tT /dev/hda3
> 
> /dev/hda3:
> 
>  Timing cached reads:   1724 MB in  2.00 seconds = 862.05 MB/sec
> ...

 on an IDE HDD. I was under the impression SATA's supposed to be fast   :Confused: 

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## dirtbag

I was expecting better than Pithlit and his old ide drive..  :Wink: 

-db

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## Pithlit

PSSH!!! I bought it last week   :Twisted Evil: 

Should've bought me a SATA since I'm now short on IDE connectors   :Rolling Eyes: 

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## i92guboj

 *Pithlit wrote:*   

>  *Quote:*   hdparm -tT /dev/hda3
> 
> /dev/hda3:
> 
>  Timing cached reads:   1724 MB in  2.00 seconds = 862.05 MB/sec
> ...

 

I never saw that marks on an IDE drive. without a raid. At most 45mb/s. But well... It is theorically possible, so I won't doubt it. Your drive must be a little beast hehe. But really, SATA drives doesn't really offer any big performance improvement over IDE ones from what I have seen. The performance gain is ridiculous, ot least on regular SATA. I haven't tested for a big time any SATA-2 drive.

And consider that the mark above is exceptional. No ide drive that I have seen performs at that speed usually.

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## Cyker

SATA drives aren't actually massively faster than a properly-configured IDE system - They're the same drive after all. The difference is usually more due to inoptimal setup of IDE than actual device performance.

If you take an IDE drive of similar build to a SATA drive and put it in single-channel mode on IDE, it performs pretty similarly to a SATA disk, esp. if the SATA isn't using NCQ, the IDE drive supports UltraDMA133 and you're using a short and properly shielded cable 80-core cable.

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## energyman76b

you don't enable dma on SATA disks. It is done by the driver. There is no need to use hdparm or sdparm. Just let the kernel do the heavy lifting and enjoy the raw power of SATA(n)  :Wink: 

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