I know that hard drive DMA may not be set by default. I know that I copying data at about 3MBs. Way under my windows preformance. I read once how to turn it on but I don''t have the mag. Anyone know how to kick it on on a mandrake 8.2 system by chance, or where to find out?

http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/Hardware/Hard_Drive_Speed_Tweak_for_Linux.html



[edited by - Null and Void on July 15, 2002 4:22:18 AM]

All righty. Here I go

Hmm. That doesn't seam work. hdparm doesn't seam to exist. I'll give it another try and have a look around to see if I find something else. RH 6.1 was along time ago. Thanks anyway.


[edited by - Goober King on July 15, 2002 4:17:26 AM]

I made sure to test the article fully before recommending it. For Debian hdparm is in a downloadable package. You may have an RPM that includes it for you.

It just may not have been in the 2 disk install I got. The full thing is 3 disks I may have just found something that was missing.
It looks like thats the only real way to do it so it must be doable. I almost have this linux thing where I want it. This HD think is cramping my RTC Wolfenstein gamin''. Can''t have that, especaly since its vidio performace is better than windows.

Try searching for "hdparm" at rpmfind.net.

hdparm is really a must have tool. I went from around 4 MB/sec to around 38 MB/sec just by enabling 32 bit (-c) and DMA (-d). Quite an increase .