# Drive fails when placed in DMA mode

## OdinsDream

I started another thread, based off the information in my dd progress thread, since I feel the conversation has revealed another problem entirely.

When I enable DMA on a Maxtor 120GB drive I recently purchased, I cannot access the drive at all. Any attempts fail.

```

p2c2e root # hdparm -tT /dev/hdc

/dev/hdc

    Timing buffer-cache reads:     128MB in 0.66 seconds = 193.94 MB/sec

    Timing buffered disk reads:    64MB in 16.79 seconds = 3.81 MB/sec

p2c2e root # hdparm -d1 /dev/hdc

/dev/hdc:

    setting using_dma to 1 (on)

    using_dma      =  1 (on)

p2c2e root # hdparm -tT /dev/hdc

/dev/hdc:

_ 

```

As you can see, the drive is testable before I enable DMA. Once I do, however, the test simply continues with the blinking cursor (here the underline). It never continues beyond this point. I cannot ctrl+c the hdparm test, nor can I kill it from another root console.

When I shutdown -h now the machine, I am left at:

flushing ide devices: hda hdb hdc _ where, again, the cursor is left blinking, and the system never shuts down properly.

This is a completely new drive, fresh out of the box, with nothing on it. What have I done wrong?

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## antik

 *OdinsDream wrote:*   

> I started another thread, based off the information in my dd progress thread, since I feel the conversation has revealed another problem entirely.
> 
> When I enable DMA on a Maxtor 120GB drive I recently purchased, I cannot access the drive at all. Any attempts fail.
> 
> ```
> ...

 

This is some kind of compatibility problem with your motherboard. Try update bios. Is there dma66 ide-cable installed?

You hdd shows extremely slow buffered disk reads  :Exclamation: 

My hdd 4200rpm 2,5" 20GB hitachi reads about 7MB/s without dma.

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## OdinsDream

Alright, I now tested the drive as Primary Slave, and it works as expected. hdparm is able to both set DMA, and then test speeds afterwards:

```

/dev/hdb

     Timing buffer-cache reads:     128 MB in 0.69 seconds = 186.59 MB/sec

     Timing buffered disk reads:    64 MB in 10.91 seconds = 5.87 MB/sec

```

I am not sure what's wrong with my secondary IDE channel. I am going to try replacing the cable, although the cable is fairly new, and has given me no trouble with my cdrom drives...

... any other options?

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## antik

 *OdinsDream wrote:*   

> Alright, I now tested the drive as Primary Slave, and it works as expected. hdparm is able to both set DMA, and then test speeds afterwards:
> 
> ```
> 
> /dev/hdb
> ...

 

Here is my server P!!!-550MHz, Chaintech 6BTM mobo, 256MB ram

Maxtor 40G 7200rpm

```
hdparm /dev/hda:

/dev/hda:

 multcount    = 16 (on)

 IO_support   =  3 (32-bit w/sync)

 unmaskirq    =  1 (on)

 using_dma    =  1 (on)

 keepsettings =  0 (off)

 readonly     =  0 (off)

 readahead    =  8 (on)

 geometry     = 4982/255/63, sectors = 80043264, start = 0
```

```
root@kivi:~# hdparm -tT /dev/hda

 Timing buffer-cache reads:   128 MB in  0.97 seconds =131.96 MB/sec

 Timing buffered disk reads:  64 MB in  2.34 seconds = 27.35 MB/sec
```

And this is udma33 40wire cable!

suggestions:

1. Change to max 40cm long cable. 

2. If there is rounded cable throw it away.  :Twisted Evil: 

3. by some decent motherboard.

4. test with another hdd- maybe yours is defective.

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## OdinsDream

 *antik wrote:*   

>  *OdinsDream wrote:*   Alright, I now tested the drive as Primary Slave, and it works as expected. hdparm is able to both set DMA, and then test speeds afterwards:
> 
> ```
> 
> /dev/hdb
> ...

 

1. My cables are all short, standard ribbon cable. They're the newer kind, with twice as many wires, each wire much thinner.

3. My motherboard is an IWill KA-266Plus, Athlon 1.2GHz, not overclocked. Standard RAM timings in the BIOS.

I flashed the BIOS today, in hopes of fixing the problem. Is there anything I can run to test the drive, to see if it is, indeed, defective? I literally just bought the thing.

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## antik

 *OdinsDream wrote:*   

> 
> 
> I flashed the BIOS today, in hopes of fixing the problem. Is there anything I can run to test the drive, to see if it is, indeed, defective? I literally just bought the thing.

 

Check drive manufacturer site for test software- almost all of them uses Ontrack soft.

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## pjp

Moved from Portage & Programming.

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