# ATA/133 on the new Samsung SP80 HDDS? [SOLVED]

## Cuardin

I have recently purchased a Samsung SP80 drive that is capable of ATA/133 and everyone is roaringly in agreement on that.

With one exception. My external HT302 Highpoint IDE controller lists it as an ATA/!00 drive. Now, on the other channel it has a maxtro drive that it identifies as an ATA/133 drive, so I am assuming that the card knows what ATA/133 means. Now, does anyone have an explanation for this?

Or even better, does someone have a way of conclusively proving weather the drive supports ATA/133 or only ATA/100?

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## RayDude

 *Cuardin wrote:*   

> I have recently purchased a Samsung SP80 drive that is capable of ATA/133 and everyone is roaringly in agreement on that.
> 
> With one exception. My external HT302 Highpoint IDE controller lists it as an ATA/!00 drive. Now, on the other channel it has a maxtro drive that it identifies as an ATA/133 drive, so I am assuming that the card knows what ATA/133 means. Now, does anyone have an explanation for this?
> 
> Or even better, does someone have a way of conclusively proving weather the drive supports ATA/133 or only ATA/100?

 

Try this:

```
# hdparm -v -i /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    = 256 (on)

 geometry     = 65535/16/63, sectors = 80000000000, start = 0

 Model=Maxtor 6Y080L0, FwRev=YAR41BW0, SerialNo=Y2F715VE

 Config={ Fixed }

 RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=57

 BuffType=DualPortCache, BuffSize=2048kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16

 CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=156250000

 IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:120,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}

 PIO modes:  pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4

 DMA modes:  mdma0 mdma1 mdma2

 UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5 udma6

 AdvancedPM=yes: disabled (255) WriteCache=enabled

 Drive conforms to: (null):

 * signifies the current active mode
```

Please note: on my drive udma6 is supported but SLOWER than udma5. I determined that by doing:

```
hdparm -t /dev/hda3
```

Raydude

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## nemo_

try running hdparm -i on your drive's device file, it should show a line like this :

UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5

the start next to udma5 is what you're looking for

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## ekutay

You could mesure it. 

```
hdparm -T -t /dev/hda
```

 In your case, could it be that your hardware setup disables the ATA-133 interface, as you've pointed out, that you are using an external controller with more than one harddisc connected? You could try to plug off the other harddiscs and have only your new hd connected.

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## nixnut

Are you sure your controller is a ATA/133 capable controller?

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## Cintra

According to my local suppliers list the SP80 M40 80GB is ATA100, while the P80 80GB & P120 120GB and above are ATA133..

mvh

Edit: the M40 series is 2.5 inch! So it sounds as though you have ATA133.. it might be the IDE cable holding you back.

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## Cuardin

OK, I will try to disconnect the other HD, but if that solves the problem then i have seriously broken hardware. The two disks are alone as masters on their own channels and connected with the brand new cables I got with the controllercard I bought around christmas.

Will get back when I have done some more creative tests.

BTW: I did the hdparm and the samsung has the star by the udma5. The Maxtor also has a star by the udma5, but also lists udma6. Is this relevant?

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## RayDude

 *Cuardin wrote:*   

> OK, I will try to disconnect the other HD, but if that solves the problem then i have seriously broken hardware. The two disks are alone as masters on their own channels and connected with the brand new cables I got with the controllercard I bought around christmas.
> 
> Will get back when I have done some more creative tests.
> 
> BTW: I did the hdparm and the samsung has the star by the udma5. The Maxtor also has a star by the udma5, but also lists udma6. Is this relevant?

 

The drive is reporting that it is not UDMA6 (ata-133) compatible.

Maybe you have a very old drive? Maybe there's a firmware update? You could check Samsungs site to see if they have information on your drive. I think if you go there and register it (putting in the serial number) you may be able to see its specs.

I'm not positive about that though, just guessing.

Raydude

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## Cuardin

OK, now we have two bids:

One person says that ATA/133 is udma5

Another that ATA/133 us udma6

Which one is it?

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## Cintra

 *Cuardin wrote:*   

> OK, now we have two bids:
> 
> One person says that ATA/133 is udma5
> 
> Another that ATA/133 us udma6
> ...

 

udma6 means ATA/133 capable..

however the big question is whether your motherboard is ATA133 capable!? Tho' perhaps the Highpoint gets round the motherboard limitation.. any southbridge/pci experts around? 

what board is it btw?

mvh

edit: the following page is quite instructive http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/printpage/45

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## Cuardin

I thought PCI was PCI and that was the end of it. Didtn't thing the disks dma-mode was dependent on that. I do not use the build-in controllers for more than my CD-ROMS as they have been acting up lately.

Here is my system ( Slightly edited )

 *Quote:*   

> 00:00.0 Host bridge: nVidia Corporation nForce2 AGP (different version?) (rev c1)
> 
>         Subsystem: Asustek Computer, Inc.: Unknown device 80ac
> 
>         Flags: bus master, 66Mhz, fast devsel, latency 0
> ...

 

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## Cintra

The simplest test I can think of, if you haven't already done it, is to swap the cables between the Rocket interface and your drives. The other thing which you haven't shown yet is hdparm -i /dev/hdx for the second drive.. that will show the disk model info.

Mvh

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## Cuardin

OK, I did a shitload of tests, all confirming that the drive is in every way an ATA/100.

Today at work I did some googling and I then found the reason. The drive is ATA/133-enabled, but due to some form of compatibility issues the default firmware is limited to ATA/100. Samsung mentiones this in their HDD-faq, and provides a firmware update.

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