Finding tweaks for hdparm

andrewski · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:48 pm Post subject: Finding tweaks for hdparm

I'm trying to tweak my two hard drives and my two CD drives (DVD and CD-RW), but I can't seem to find any (useful) info about how to do so.

My drives:
/dev/hda: Maxtor 6Y080P0
/dev/hdb: IC35L040AVER07-0
/dev/hdc: _NEC DV-5800A
/dev/hdd: _NEC CD-RW NR-7800A

I have read the manpage for hdparm, but I have *no* idea what those terms mean and I have no idea how to figure them out. Can anyone help me learn a bit here (and get my HDs/CDs blazing :twisted:

)?

Sorry, but I'm a real n

b at hardware lingo!

pmjdebruijn · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 6:34 pm Post subject:

Well, the issue here is that most harddrives/cdroms already work at maximum performance with newer Linux kernels... In the darkages when the 2.4 kernel was still young, hdparm could really speed up your stuff...

Performance test:
# hdparm -tT /dev/hda
Activate DMA:
# hdparm -d 1 /dev/hda
Performance test:
# hdparm -tT /dev/hda
Activate DMA + Safe Performance-enhancing Options:
# hdparm -d 1 -A 1 -m 16 -u 1 -a 64 /dev/hda
Performance test:
# hdparm -tT /dev/hda

I doubt it will make a difference...
(btw got these from the gentoo installation handbook)

Regards,
Pascal de Bruijn

andrewski · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 7:02 pm Post subject:

Yes, I've activated the Gentoo handbook safe options, with noticeable performance increase.

What I'm wondering about is hard drive specific options. How do I check the specs on my HDs/CDs?

pmjdebruijn · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 8:18 pm Post subject:

Surf to your HDD manufacturer's website, and search for HDD specs... They all have those documents... They just might be a little hidden...

Regards,
Pascal de Bruijn