LSI/amr driver controller cache problem?

[Patrick M. Hausen]

Hi, all!

> > Also, check the cache
> > setting on the drives itself. Maybe the drives are loosing power or
> > getting reset while data is in their cache.
> 
> I'm starting to suspect something like this. The controller's setting
> for the individual drives' caches is "OFF". But these (Seagate ST3500841NS)
> would not be the first ATA/SATA drives to "lie" about their cache for
> "performance".

Seems like

	for i in 0 1 2 3 4 5
	do
		megarc -pSetCache -WCE0 -SaveCacheSetting -ch0 -id$i -a0
	done

did the trick. This is supposed to disable the physical drives'
write cache and save this setting in the drives' NVRAM, if supported.

I don't know why simply setting the WC to "off" in the controller's
BIOS setup tool didn't have the same effect. I'm keeping my fingers
crossed ;-)

Time to re-enable softupdates and do some more stress testing.

Up to now the system survived two times "make installworld && reboot"
after I changed the settings.

Thanks to the guys keeping the amr driver up-to-date. The Linux
"megamgr" utility works just fine. If I find the time, I'll make
a port.

Regards,

Patrick M. Hausen
Leiter Netzwerke und Sicherheit
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