Messages in this thread | | | Date | Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:28:12 -0400 | From | Ric Wheeler <> | Subject | Re: tools support for non-512 byte sector sizes |
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Theodore Tso wrote: > On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 12:29:22PM -0500, Matt Domsch wrote: > >> 2) those that report a 512-byte sector size, but are really a >> 4096-byte size, and the drive does the conversions and >> read/modify/write. T10 and T13 are looking to add commands to >> expose this different underlying physical sector size so the OS >> could be aware of it. This is primarily being driven to mitigate >> any problems that may happen with "legacy" OSs that are not aware >> of the difference. >> > > As usual, the biggest problem will be "legacy" userspace. For > example, most partition tools are still generating legacy partition > tables that look like this: > > Disk /dev/sda: 255 heads, 63 sectors, 38913 cylinders > > Nr AF Hd Sec Cyl Hd Sec Cyl Start Size ID > 1 80 1 1 0 254 63 121 63 1959867 83 > 2 00 0 1 122 254 63 619 1959930 8000370 82 > 3 00 0 1 620 254 63 1023 9960300 615177045 05 > 4 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 > 5 00 1 1 620 254 63 1023 63 615176982 8e > > Note the starting sector# for the first partition..... > > - Ted > If I remember correctly, the MS Vista new alignment for data partitions is on a 0 offset, 1MB aligned boundary. The support for 4096 byte sectors is only for data partitions (not boot).
Array vendors, who consume a fair amount of drives, are most likely more friendly to native 4k drives. The big fear from disk vendors is getting a wave of returns from Best Buy, etc when people go and plug in a new, native 4k drive into an old box....
ric
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