[FUJITSU MHL2300AT HDD] IDE or SCSI? Chance to get it faster?

mnemonix84 · 2007-07-20 19:46:00

Hi, there!

I have an old Gericom laptop (Overdose 1030M) with archlinux installed. The harddisk spec says that it uses ATA-5 (IDE) as the interface -> http://193.128.183.41/home/v3__product. … f=fsp&wg=0 but why is it shown up as a SCSI (/dev/sda) device and why is it so slow? Or are these values (shown below) good for this kind of harddisk? What can I do to get it a bit faster?

Thank you!

Sorry for the bad english!

[root@gericom ~]# hdparm -I /dev/sda

/dev/sda:

ATA device, with non-removable media
powers-up in standby; SET FEATURES subcmd spins-up.
        Model Number:       FUJITSU MHL2300AT
        Serial Number:      01024231
        Firmware Revision:  3022
Standards:
        Supported: 5 4 3
        Likely used: 6
Configuration:
        Logical         max     current
        cylinders       16383   17475
        heads           16      15
        sectors/track   63      63
        --
        CHS current addressable sectors:   16513875
        LBA    user addressable sectors:   58605120
        device size with M = 1024*1024:       28615 MBytes
        device size with M = 1000*1000:       30005 MBytes (30 GB)
Capabilities:
        LBA, IORDY(cannot be disabled)
        bytes avail on r/w long: 4
        Standby timer values: spec'd by Vendor, with device specific minimum
        R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16  Current = 16
        Advanced power management level: unknown setting (0x0000)
        DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 *udma4
             Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
        PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
             Cycle time: no flow control=240ns  IORDY flow control=120ns
Commands/features:
        Enabled Supported:
           *    SMART feature set
                Security Mode feature set
           *    Power Management feature set
           *    Write cache
           *    Look-ahead
           *    Host Protected Area feature set
           *    WRITE_BUFFER command
           *    READ_BUFFER command
                Advanced Power Management feature set
                SET_MAX security extension
Security:
        Master password revision code = 65534
                supported
        not     enabled
        not     locked
        not     frozen
        not     expired: security count
        not     supported: enhanced erase
        24min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
HW reset results:
        CBLID- above Vih
        Device num = 0 determined by the jumper
Checksum: incorrect (0xec), expected 0x14

[root@gericom ~]# hdparm -i /dev/sda

/dev/sda:

 Model=FUJITSU MHL2300AT                       , FwRev=3022    , SerialNo=            01024231
 Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec Fixed DTR>10Mbs }
 RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=4
 BuffType=unknown, BuffSize=2048kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=?16?
 CurCHS=17475/15/63, CurSects=16513875, LBA=yes, LBAsects=58605120
 IORDY=yes, tPIO={min:240,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
 AdvancedPM=yes: disabled (255) WriteCache=enabled
 Drive conforms to: Unspecified:  ATA/ATAPI-2,3,4,5

 * signifies the current active mode

[root@gericom ~]# hdparm /dev/sda

/dev/sda:
 IO_support    =  0 (default 16-bit)
 readonly      =  0 (off)
 readahead     = 256 (on)
 geometry      = 3648/255/63, sectors = 58605120, start = 0

[root@gericom ~]# hdparm -tT /dev/sda

/dev/sda:
 Timing cached reads:   176 MB in  2.01 seconds =  87.38 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads:   44 MB in  3.09 seconds =  14.23 MB/sec

//---------------------------------------
//edit: I have boot the gentoo live cd as a comparison. It boots the HDD as a IDE device and it is a faster in cached reading. Weird.

livecd ~ # hdparm -I /dev/hda

/dev/hda:

ATA device, with non-removable media
powers-up in standby; SET FEATURES subcmd spins-up.
        Model Number:       FUJITSU MHL2300AT
        Serial Number:      01024231
        Firmware Revision:  3022
Standards:
        Supported: 5 4 3 2
        Likely used: 6
Configuration:
        Logical         max     current
        cylinders       16383   17475
        heads           16      15
        sectors/track   63      63
        --
        CHS current addressable sectors:   16513875
        LBA    user addressable sectors:   58605120
        device size with M = 1024*1024:       28615 MBytes
        device size with M = 1000*1000:       30005 MBytes (30 GB)
Capabilities:
        LBA, IORDY(cannot be disabled)
        bytes avail on r/w long: 4      Queue depth: 1
        Standby timer values: spec'd by Vendor, with device specific minimum
        R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16  Current = 16
        Advanced power management level: unknown setting (0x0000)
        DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 *udma4
             Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
        PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
             Cycle time: no flow control=240ns  IORDY flow control=120ns
Commands/features:
        Enabled Supported:
           *    READ BUFFER cmd
           *    WRITE BUFFER cmd
           *    Host Protected Area feature set
           *    Look-ahead
           *    Write cache
           *    Power Management feature set
                Security Mode feature set
           *    SMART feature set
                SET MAX security extension
                Advanced Power Management feature set
Security:
        Master password revision code = 65534
                supported
        not     enabled
        not     locked
        not     frozen
        not     expired: security count
        not     supported: enhanced erase
        24min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
HW reset results:
        CBLID- above Vih
        Device num = 0 determined by the jumper
Checksum: correct

livecd ~ # hdparm -i /dev/hda

/dev/hda:

 Model=FUJITSU MHL2300AT, FwRev=3022, SerialNo=01024231
 Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec Fixed DTR>10Mbs }
 RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=4
 BuffType=unknown, BuffSize=2048kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16
 CurCHS=17475/15/63, CurSects=16513875, LBA=yes, LBAsects=58605120
 IORDY=yes, tPIO={min:240,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
 AdvancedPM=yes: disabled (255) WriteCache=enabled
 Drive conforms to: device does not report version:

 * signifies the current active mode

livecd ~ # hdparm /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
 multcount    = 16 (on)
 IO_support   =  0 (default 16-bit)
 unmaskirq    =  0 (off)
 using_dma    =  1 (on)
 keepsettings =  0 (off)
 readonly     =  0 (off)
 readahead    = 256 (on)
 geometry     = 58140/16/63, sectors = 30005821440, start = 0

livecd ~ # hdparm -tT /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
 Timing cached reads:   412 MB in  2.00 seconds = 206.00 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads:   42 MB in  3.04 seconds =  13.82 MB/sec

Last edited by mnemonix84 (2007-07-20 20:10:24)

[vEX] · 2007-07-20 20:36:55

With the newer kernels they're switching over PATA drivers to libata which is the reason your old PATA drive now is listed as /dev/sdX instead of /dev/hdX. Not sure why it seems slower during cached reads though.

mnemonix84 · 2007-07-20 21:22:49

Thansk for your answer, [vEX]!

I have switched back to the old IDE driver as described in this post but the performance is still not as good as in gentoo. Something is wrong.

[root@gericom ~]# hdparm -tT /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
 Timing cached reads:   176 MB in  2.01 seconds =  87.35 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads:   44 MB in  3.06 seconds =  14.37 MB/sec

[root@gericom ~]# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 630 Host (rev 31)
00:00.1 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 [IDE] (rev d0)
00:01.0 ISA bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS85C503/5513 (LPC Bridge)
00:01.1 Ethernet controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS900 PCI Fast Ethernet (rev 82)
00:01.2 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 07)
00:01.3 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 07)
00:01.4 Multimedia audio controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS PCI Audio Accelerator (rev 02)
00:01.6 Modem: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] AC'97 Modem Controller (rev a0)
00:02.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] Virtual PCI-to-PCI bridge (AGP)
00:0a.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1410 PC card Cardbus Controller (rev 01)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 630/730 PCI/AGP VGA Display Adapter (rev 31)

Last edited by mnemonix84 (2007-07-20 22:26:08)

Lone_Wolf · 2007-07-21 08:51:55

livecd ~ # hdparm /dev/hda
/dev/hda:
multcount = 16 (on)
IO_support = 0 (default 16-bit)
unmaskirq = 0 (off)
using_dma = 1 (on)
keepsettings = 0 (off)
readonly = 0 (off)
readahead = 256 (on)
geometry = 58140/16/63, sectors = 30005821440, start = 0

The multcount = 16 (on) is probably the reason of the difference.
It has to do with the transfer of multiple sectors between the drive and the controller.
Usually this can be changed through a bios setting, but on a laptop you may nto have that option in the bios.

Try using hdparm to set the multicount under arch.

mnemonix84 · 2007-07-21 10:55:39

Thanks, Lone_Wolf!

Sorry, the HDD is already set to multcount = 16 but it has no effect on arch. Something else is slowing down the HDD.

[root@gericom ~]# hdparm /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
 multcount     = 16 (on)
 IO_support    =  0 (default 16-bit)
 unmaskirq     =  0 (off)
 using_dma     =  1 (on)
 keepsettings  =  0 (off)
 readonly      =  0 (off)
 readahead     = 256 (on)
 geometry      = 58140/16/63, sectors = 58605120, start = 0

Last edited by mnemonix84 (2007-07-21 10:56:41)

Arch Linux

#1 2007-07-20 19:46:00

[FUJITSU MHL2300AT HDD] IDE or SCSI? Chance to get it faster?

#2 2007-07-20 20:36:55

Re: [FUJITSU MHL2300AT HDD] IDE or SCSI? Chance to get it faster?

#3 2007-07-20 21:22:49

Re: [FUJITSU MHL2300AT HDD] IDE or SCSI? Chance to get it faster?

#4 2007-07-21 08:51:55

Re: [FUJITSU MHL2300AT HDD] IDE or SCSI? Chance to get it faster?

#5 2007-07-21 10:55:39

Re: [FUJITSU MHL2300AT HDD] IDE or SCSI? Chance to get it faster?

Board footer