Seagate Samsung SpinPoint M8 (AF) - HELP: Set Block Size to 4096

[SpinPoint]

Dear STH,

I have the following drive:
=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family: Seagate Samsung SpinPoint M8 (AF)
Device Model: ST750LM022 HN-M750MBB
Serial Number: S2YD
LU WWN Device Id: 5 0004cf 20b95c5f7
Firmware Version: 2AR20002
User Capacity: 750,156,374,016 bytes [750 GB]
Sector Sizes: 512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical
Rotation Rate: 5400 rpm
Form Factor: 2.5 inches
Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is: ACS-2, ATA8-ACS T13/1699-D revision 6
SATA Version is: SATA 2.6, 3.0 Gb/s
Local Time is: Sat Mar 19 08:59:05 2022 UTC
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled


This is a laptop with Intel SATA AHCI Series 7 controller.

I get the following errors when trying to convert it to native 4k:

setblocksize tool results:

root@ubuntu:~/setblocksize/setblocksize# ./setblocksize -b4096 -t1200 /dev/sg0

setblocksize V0.2

Checking parameters ...
Blocksize specified.
Timeout specified.
Done.
New blocksize: 4096 Bytes
Format timeout: 1200 minutes
Open device file ...
Done.
Prepare command ...
Done.
Send INQUIRY command ...
Done.
Check status ...
Command successful.
Check for LUN ...
LUN present.

===============================================================================
SCSI ID : 0
LUN : 0
Connected to: Host0 / Channel0
Manufacturer: ATA
Model : ST750LM022 HN-M7
Device type : Disk
===============================================================================
Do you really want to reformat this device [y/n]? y

Prepare command ...
Done.
Send MODE SELECT command ...
Done.
Check status ...
Error: Check Condition
[valid=0] Info fld=0x0, Current sense key: Illegal Request
Additional sense indicates: Invalid field in cdb
Raw sense data (in hex):
70 00 05 00 00 00 00 12 00 00 00 00 24 00 00 c9
plus...: Driver_status=0x08 (DRIVER_SENSE,SUGGEST_OK)
Command NOT succesful!

sg_format result:

root@ubuntu:~# sudo sg_format --format --size=4096 -v /dev/sg0
ATA ST750LM022 HN-M7 0002 peripheral_type: disk [0x0]
PROTECT=0
Unit serial number: S2YDJ9BDA15489
LU name: 50004cf20b95c5f7
mode sense(10) cdb: [5a 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 fc 00]
Mode Sense (block descriptor) data, prior to changes:
Number of blocks=0 [0x0]
Block size=512 [0x200]
mode select(10) cdb: [55 11 00 00 00 00 00 00 1c 00]
mode select(10):
Fixed format, current; Sense key: Illegal Request
Additional sense: Invalid field in cdb
Sense Key Specific: Error in Command: byte 1 bit 1
Try MODE SELECT again with SP=0 this time
mode select(10) cdb: [55 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 1c 00]
mode select(10):
Fixed format, current; Sense key: Illegal Request
Additional sense: Invalid field in parameter list
Sense Key Specific: Error in Data parameters: byte 16
MODE SELECT command: Illegal request, type: sense key, apart from Invalid opcode


hdparm result:

root@ubuntu:~# sudo hdparm --set-sector-size 4096 --verbose --please-destroy-my-drive /dev/sda

/dev/sda:
APT: No idVendor found -> not USB bridge device
outgoing cdb: 85 08 0e 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 ec 00
SG_IO: ATA_16 status=0x0, host_status=0x0, driver_status=0x0
SG_IO: sb[]: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
incoming_data: 40 00 ff 3f 37 c8 10 00 00 00 00 00 3f 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 32 53 44 59 39 4a 44 42 31 41 34 35 39 38 20 20 20 20 20 20 00 00 00 80 04 00 41 32 32 52 30 30 32 30 54 53 35 37 4c 30 30 4d 32 32 48 20 2d 4e 37 4d 30 35 42 4d 20 42 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 10 80 00 40 00 2f 00 40 00 02 00 02 07 00 ff 3f 10 00 3f 00 10 fc fb 00 00 00 ff ff ff 0f 00 00 07 00 03 00 78 00 78 00 78 00 78 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 1f 00 06 0d 00 00 4c 00 4c 00 ff 03 28 00 6b 70 09 7c 23 61 69 70 09 bc 23 61 7f 40 4d 00 4d 00 fe 00 fe ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 f0 66 54 57 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 60 00 00 00 50 f2 4c 95 0b f7 c5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 1c 40 1c 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 21 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 3d 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 18 15 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 1f 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 a5 84
SG_IO: desc[]: 00 00
ATA_16 stat=00 err=00 nsect=00 lbal=00 lbam=00 lbah=00 dev=00
oflags.bits.lob_all=0xfc, flags={ nsect lbal lbam lbah dev command }
oflags.bits.hob_all=0x3c, flags={ nsect lbal lbam lbah }
using LBA48 taskfile
outgoing cdb: 85 09 0e 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0 2f 00
SG_IO: ATA_16 status=0x0, host_status=0x0, driver_status=0x0
SG_IO: sb[]: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
incoming_data: 01 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 10 00 01 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
SG_IO: desc[]: 00 00
ATA_16 stat=00 err=00 nsect=00 lbal=00 lbam=00 lbah=00 dev=00
READ_LOG_EXT(SECTOR_CONFIGURATION) failed: No such file or directory





Tried also: seagate seachest / open seachest, HGST hugo and niagara.

tried also with sudo chmod 777.

Am I doing something wrong here?
I'm new to linux, have installed it especially for this procedure, but tried some tools in windows too.

Is it because it is a SATA device and the commands are for SCSI devices?


Let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance!

David

 

[UhClem]

... Tried also: seagate seachest / open seachest, HGST hugo and niagara. ...

I admire your perserverance ...
[I seriously doubt that you have any technical justification for wanting 4k LBAs, but ...]
Note that hdparm IS for SATA drives; and if it is throwing an error, it is a very good indicator that, despite the DRIVE IDENTIFY info showing

Sector Sizes: 512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical

the lower level firmware does not actually support the ATA-level (primitive) command to set the sector size.

If you haven't yet, you might try updating to the newest firmware available, and try hdparm (and Seachest) again. Otherwise, "Don't worry--be happy."

 

[SpinPoint]

Thanks for dropping by UhClem!

although getting an SSD is cheap, I was wondering how to hit max I/O using what is already there, for the sake of fun!

During this journey I have learned for example that short stroking is a thing and actually works. Also old intel RST drivers which I didnt test before have better random reads and writes, compared to MS generic AHCI drivers.

Now I came across AF 4K and 512e sector emulation, which does reduce performance, for example in this blog, someone did some nice testing and gave explanation about 4K vs 512k.

4k Sectors vs 512 Byte Sector Benchmarks, and a 20 Year Reflection

I have, in a server I’ve built, some new Exos x16 drives. These drives are interesting in that they support dynamic switching between 512 byte sectors and 4096 byte sectors - which means that one can actually compare like-for-like performance with sector size!

www.sevarg.net

Will try to get latest firmware from Seagate, although using their lookup feature mentioned that there is no new firmware available for this drive. Maybe the tech support will tell me otherwise.


p.s. why would hdparm give such a weird error:
READ_LOG_EXT(SECTOR_CONFIGURATION) failed: No such file or directory

/dev/sda is the correct address for the drive and it works when setting other drive functions with hdparm, such as -m16, -c3, etc.

 

[UhClem]

... although getting an SSD is cheap, I was wondering how to hit max I/O using what is already there, for the sake of fun!

Cool ... but you sure are late to the party. SSDs have (pretty much) made moot the traditional concerns about Disk Access times (seek+rot_latency), and the art/science of optimal partition layout. But you can still learn, and enjoy the challenge.

Just be aware that your inexperience leaves you ill-equipped to do proper "fact-checking"[**]. I'm not going to explain, and you are free to doubt me, but that blog blurb is only "relevant" to the specific drive model tested, and I question the conclusiions, and the methodology used, regardless.

p.s. why would hdparm give such a weird error:
READ_LOG_EXT(SECTOR_CONFIGURATION) failed: No such file or directory

See above post: "the lower-level ..." (but the "No such..." part IS a misleading glitch)

Have fun!
======
[**] "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king."

 

[SpinPoint]

To make what is less, more, is a challenge!

If it will be a snappy setup which boots fast and launches the browser quick enough, then job is done!

everything became bloated and heavy that only an SSD can save the day.
Insert a slim, yet a modern UI based OS and optimize it, you create what should have been in first place. Simple and fast computer interaction.

trying Clear Linux now, to see if it boots faster with 5400rpm drive!