How do I make DMA work? ( 8.04 )

[pdevries]

I'm trying ubuntu. I cannot figure out how to get dma to work on my hard disk drive. Dma works fine on this computer on the other distro I'm running. This is a desktop computer, not a laptop, but I don't see any other hardware forum.

Here is some hdparm information:

(Checking how fast the drive reads)
sudo hdparm -tT /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
Timing cached reads: 626 MB in 2.00 seconds = 312.96 MB/sec
Timing buffered disk reads: 12 MB in 3.08 seconds = 3.89 MB/sec

(Try to enable dma)
sudo hdparm -d1 /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
setting using_dma to 1 (on)
using_dma = 0 (off)
HDIO_SET_DMA failed: Operation not permitted


(Querying the drive)
sudo hdparm -iI /dev/hda

/dev/hda:

Model=WDC WD800JB-00JJC0, FwRev=05.01C05, SerialNo=WD-WCAM9M146468
Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec SpinMotCtl Fixed DTR>5Mbs FmtGapReq }
RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=66
BuffType=unknown, BuffSize=8192kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16
CurCHS=4047/16/255, CurSects=16511760, LBA=yes, LBAsects=156301488
IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:120,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
PIO modes: pio0 pio3 pio4
DMA modes: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2
UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5
AdvancedPM=no WriteCache=enabled
Drive conforms to: Unspecified: ATA/ATAPI-1,2,3,4,5,6

* signifies the current active mode


ATA device, with non-removable media
Model Number: WDC WD800JB-00JJC0
Serial Number: WD-WCAM9M146468
Firmware Revision: 05.01C05
Standards:
Supported: 6 5 4
Likely used: 8
Configuration:
Logical max current
cylinders 16383 4047
heads 16 16
sectors/track 63 255
--
CHS current addressable sectors: 16511760
LBA user addressable sectors: 156301488
device size with M = 1024*1024: 76319 MBytes
device size with M = 1000*1000: 80026 MBytes (80 GB)
Capabilities:
LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)
Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, with device specific minimum
R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16 Current = 16
Recommended acoustic management value: 128, current value: 254
DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5
Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
Cycle time: no flow control=120ns 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
* DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE
SET_MAX security extension
Automatic Acoustic Management feature set
* Device Configuration Overlay feature set
* Mandatory FLUSH_CACHE
* SMART error logging
* SMART self-test
* SMART Command Transport (SCT) feature set
* SCT Long Sector Access (AC1)
* SCT LBA Segment Access (AC2)
* SCT Error Recovery Control (AC3)
* SCT Features Control (AC4)
* SCT Data Tables (AC5)
Security:
Master password revision code = 65534
supported
not enabled
not locked
not frozen
not expired: security count
not supported: enhanced erase
HW reset results:
CBLID- above Vih
Device num = 0 determined by CSEL
Checksum: correct

I'd appreciate help in how to enable dma.

Thanks.

[wabbalee]

i dont have a ubuntu system to check it for you as i am now on kubuntu8.04 where i cannot find thid feature, but i remember that on ubuntu there is a setting in the gui that you can just enable hparm by placing a tick. it is either in system->preferences or in system->administration. that's the best i can do, may be another and more advanced user here can be of better help.

[pdevries]

Um, I think I found the problem.

My via ide hardware seems to require the kernel to be compiled with

CONFIG_BLK_DEV_VIA82CXXX=y

but, in the kernel supplied by ubuntu it has

CONFIG_BLK_DEV_VIA82CXXX is not set.

I don't believe the kernel will permit that driver to build as a module.

Is there any way to enable my dma without compiling my own kernel?

If I compile my own kernel, am I correct that the package tools are no longer going to manage my kernel? Will I also have to manually compile and install the modules for 3rd party applications like VirtualBox?

Thanks.

[jocko]

Will I also have to manually compile and install the modules for 3rd party applications like VirtualBox?

Yes, you would have to rebuild all modules that are not provided by the kernel source itself.
For virtualbox it depends on which version you use.
The OSE version in the repo comes with precompiled module packages for the ubuntu kernels, so I think that would not work any more.
The restricted licence version of virtualbox will actually compile its modules when you install it, and I think it will automatically compile new modules if the kernel is updated (at least if you have the packages "build-essential", "linux-headers-generic" and "dkms" installed).

[pdevries]

I know how to do this myself, and how to manage it, but I thought the whole point of ubuntu was that I wouldn't have to.

Is this a bug?

[jocko]

Is this a bug?
If a piece of hardware is not working properly, yes, it's a bug.
Report it to https://launchpad.net/ubuntu. I guess the bug should be filed against the kernel (but search launchpad for via82cxxx, there seems to be some bugs already reported, e.g https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/217511)