The hdparm Command

The hdparm utility can be used by root to set and tune the settings for IDE hard drives. You would do this to tune the drives for optimal performance. After previously requiring a kernel patch and installation of associated support programs, the hdparm program is now included with Ubuntu. You should only experiment with the file systems mounted read-only because some settings can damage some file systems when used improperly. The hdparm command also works with CD-ROM drives and some SCSI drives.

The general format of the command is this:

matthew@seymour:~$ hdparm command device

The following command runs a hard disk test:

matthew@seymour:~$ hdparm –tT /dev/hda

You ...

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