It depends what you try and do ... though normally hdparm will just kill
the system if you give it settings you sohuldn't.
If you aren't using hdparm, you should see what your ide controller can
do (using hdparm -i or -I should show you a bit). Then, based on your HD
and IDE specs, try some settings, then do a benchmark. If your system
does not lock up, you should be ok.
Of course it's best to do all this just after installing, with all
important data on a different drive or well backed-up, so you can't lose
anything. You might also want to do this in run-level 1, to make sure
other processes can't write while you are testing (both for accurate
results and in the hopes that you don't lose data.)
On a P166MMX with a udma66 controller, I went from ~2MBps to ~12 MBps by
enabling dma. Our Celeron 500 does about 18-20 MBps with the same
controller. Can't wait to see what a decent HD (IBM 30-75GXPs) can do.
Buchan
Mark Hillary wrote:
>
> I have never had a problem, and from what I have read about hdpram is that
> data damage can occur on old or flaky hardware, so anything newer than about
> two years onld is fine.
>
> Have a look at
> http://www.linux.com/tuneup/database.phtml/Filesystem/000075.html
> and
> http://www.linux.com/tuneup/database.phtml/Hardware/000788.html
>
> Mark Hillary
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rusty Carruth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Friday, December 22, 2000 3:26 PM
> Subject: Re[2]: [expert] 'Use hard drive optimizations' does what?
>
> > Buchan Milne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > boot, like "ide0=dma", which is what I use on my custom kernel with
> > > udma66.
> >
> > Well, I've not used the hard drive optimizations because of the
> > "warning - data damage likely" comment.
> >
> > Has anyone had data loss from hdparm?
> >
> > What events could happen to cause such a situation?
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > rusty
> >
> >
> > Rusty Carruth Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Voice: (480) 345-3621 SnailMail: Schlumberger ATE
> > FAX: (480) 345-8793 7855 S. River Parkway, Suite 116
> > Ham: N7IKQ @ 146.82+,pl 162.2 Tempe, AZ 85284-1825
> >
--
|----------------Registered Linux User #182071-----------------|
Buchan Milne Mechanical Engineer, Network Manager
Cellphone * Work +27 82 472 2231 * +27 21 808 2497
Stellenbosch Automotive Engineering http://www.cae.co.za
