hdparm is a command
line utility for Linux which reports on current IDE parameter
pewrformance and changes and saves the parameters. Parameters are
saved in /etc/hdparm.conf.
I had my primary hard drive set with `hdparm -X66 -d1 -u1 -m16 -c3
/dev/hda` in /etc/hdparm.conf, but in rereading the manpage,
thought that -X69 might give me better performance.
Sure enough, changing that one digit boosted buffered disk reads
from around 25 MB/sec to over 40 MB/sec. I've been running with
that setting for 30 hours now, without data corruption or other
drive or file problems. `-X69` sets udma5 as the default, which the
Samsung 40 gig drive supports. From the manpage:
for UltraDMA, the value is the desired
UltraDMA mode number plus 64.
Use `hdparm -i /dev/hdx` where 'x' is the device on the IDE
controller, to see what your drive reports as supporting.