There are several options in HD Driver which I'm never sure to set even if I don't immediately need given feature. For instance:
- Background Transfer (MagiCAtari) [not sure what this does if I'm not using MagiC all the time?]
- SCSI Processor Device [is there a scenario where I certainly would want this off? Especially if the help dialog says I must have this enabled for the option above?]
- SCSI Reset when Booting [again, is there a scenario when this is harmful?]
- Manage Linux nad Minix partitions [why wouldn't I want this even if I may be not using them right now?]
And one bonus suggestion for 'Accelerated mode': I have read https://www.hddriver.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=152 however wouldn't be possible to tell the right setting to the user somehow? For instance by making a quick read/write test (as an option next to the checkbox) and recommend settings this on or off?
Are following options harmless to set?
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uweseimet
- Site Admin
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- Joined: 10 Jan 2010, 15:39
Re: Are following options harmless to set?
Please also see the HDDRIVER manual and the HDDRUTIL Help dialog for the meaning of these options.
None of these settings is harmful. If you do not run MagiC. the MagiC background DMA setting does not have any effect. Regarding Linux partitions, you may not always want them to be managed. If, for instance, you are running HDDRIVER within Hatari or Aranym, and you have the SCSI Driver for Linux and MiNT installed, you may not want MiNT (via HDDRIVER) to see your native Linux partitions.
Regarding the Accelerated mode, I do not want to introduce any kind of write test. HDDRUTIL should not write data to a drive unless unavoidable. This is why the sector test, for instance, only reads, but does not write.
None of these settings is harmful. If you do not run MagiC. the MagiC background DMA setting does not have any effect. Regarding Linux partitions, you may not always want them to be managed. If, for instance, you are running HDDRIVER within Hatari or Aranym, and you have the SCSI Driver for Linux and MiNT installed, you may not want MiNT (via HDDRIVER) to see your native Linux partitions.
Regarding the Accelerated mode, I do not want to introduce any kind of write test. HDDRUTIL should not write data to a drive unless unavoidable. This is why the sector test, for instance, only reads, but does not write.
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mikro
- Posts: 32
- Joined: 18 May 2010, 10:09
Re: Are following options harmless to set?
Thank you for the explanation. Yes, I did read the help dialogs and manual (unfortunately mine is as old as 7.30 or so, i.e. quite outdated) but the things above weren't clear to me.
So I ask the obvious question: why not to make at least Background Transfer, SCSI Processor Device, SCSI Reset default ON and remove the options all together?
About the speed test: fair enough, maybe even read speed test would be sufficient for that case?
So I ask the obvious question: why not to make at least Background Transfer, SCSI Processor Device, SCSI Reset default ON and remove the options all together?
About the speed test: fair enough, maybe even read speed test would be sufficient for that case?
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uweseimet
- Site Admin
- Posts: 408
- Joined: 10 Jan 2010, 15:39
Re: Are following options harmless to set?
They are not default because if there are slight hardware problems something might not work, and you would not be able to switch it off. I prefer the conservative approach here.
Regarding MagiC background DMA there actually is one scenario where you would not enable it: If you have other drivers that, independently of HDDRIVER (to be more precise: independently of the SCSI Driver), directly access the ACSI/SCSI bus. But I think even old HDDRIVER manuals tell you that ;-).
Regarding speed tests, there are already existing tools. I recommend using XFERRATE. I don't want to re-invent the wheel by adding one more tool, where I am sure the speed reported would differ a bit from other tools, and then useless discussions would start why different speeds are reported.
Regarding MagiC background DMA there actually is one scenario where you would not enable it: If you have other drivers that, independently of HDDRIVER (to be more precise: independently of the SCSI Driver), directly access the ACSI/SCSI bus. But I think even old HDDRIVER manuals tell you that ;-).
Regarding speed tests, there are already existing tools. I recommend using XFERRATE. I don't want to re-invent the wheel by adding one more tool, where I am sure the speed reported would differ a bit from other tools, and then useless discussions would start why different speeds are reported.