hdparm

Overview

The hdparm command gets and sets SATA/IDE device parameters. It’s used to tune and configure hard disk parameters for optimal performance.

Syntax

hdparm [options] [device]

Common Options

Option	Description
-i	Display drive identification
-I	Detailed drive info
-t	Perform device read timing
-T	Perform cache read timing
-d	Get/set using_dma flag
-a	Get/set fs readahead
-A	Get/set drive lookahead
-W	Get/set drive write-caching
-S	Set standby timeout
-y	Put drive in standby
-Y	Put drive to sleep
-C	Check power mode
-B	Get/set Advanced Power Management

Key Use Cases

1. Drive performance
2. Power management
3. Drive configuration
4. Performance testing
5. Troubleshooting

Examples with Explanations

Example 1: Drive Info

hdparm -I /dev/sda

Show detailed drive information

Example 2: Performance Test

hdparm -tT /dev/sda

Test drive reading speed

Example 3: Power Mode

hdparm -C /dev/sda

Check drive power mode

Common Usage Patterns

1. Enable DMA:

   hdparm -d1 /dev/sda

2. Set standby:

   hdparm -S 120 /dev/sda

3. Write cache:

   hdparm -W1 /dev/sda

Security Considerations

1. Root access required
2. Data integrity
3. System stability
4. Power management
5. Performance impact

Related Commands

• smartctl - SMART monitoring
• fdisk - Partition table
• parted - Partition manager
• dd - Disk operations
• iostat - I/O statistics

Additional Resources

• Hdparm Manual
• Disk Performance Guide
• Storage Management

Best Practices

1. Backup before changes
2. Test settings
3. Document changes
4. Monitor performance
5. Regular maintenance

Performance Tuning

1. DMA settings
2. Read-ahead
3. Write caching
4. Power management
5. Access patterns

Troubleshooting

1. Performance issues
2. Power problems
3. Configuration errors
4. Compatibility
5. Data corruption