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SubjectRe: tools support for non-512 byte sector sizes
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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