Cache, where is located this parameter ?

[Menard]

In OS or in the hard drive ?

Especially on Linux I get Gnome-disks seeing my drive caches as disabled, and Gsmartcontrol see them as enabled

[Rainbow]

Seems that the GUI apps are not reliable. You'll find the real HDD cache status in kernel log (dmesg).

Code:

[    6.355806] scsi 0:0:0:0: Direct-Access     ATA      SAMSUNG HD400LD  0-15 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5
[    6.515941] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] 781422768 512-byte logical blocks: (400 GB/373 GiB)
[    6.515988] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
[    6.515995] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
[    6.516055] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA

[fzabkar]

Gsmartcontrol would see the cache on the drive itself.

[Menard]

OK, thanks a lot

I am on Linux Mint 20.3 with my system on an USB external drive, ST500LT012 inside

Code:

[    1.596124] ata4: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 300)
[    1.597189] usb-storage 1-4:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[    1.597697] scsi host8: usb-storage 1-4:1.0
[    1.638004] ata4.00: ATA-7: ST3500630A, 3.AAF, max UDMA/100
[    1.638018] ata4.00: 976773168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48
[    1.696335] ata4.00: configured for UDMA/100
[    1.696910] scsi 3:0:0:0: Direct-Access     ATA      ST3500630A       F    PQ: 0 ANSI: 5
[    1.697609] sd 3:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
[    1.697971] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] 976773168 512-byte logical blocks: (500 GB/466 GiB)
[    1.697993] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
[    1.697997] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
[    1.698063] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[    1.774790]  sda: sda1 sda2 sda3 sda4 < sda5 sda6 sda7 >
[    1.812420] sd 3:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI disk
[    1.830910] scsi host9: uas
[    1.831384] usbcore: registered new interface driver uas
[    1.832466] scsi 9:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Seagate  BUP Slim BK      0938 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[    1.834559] sd 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
[    1.853775] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] 976773167 512-byte logical blocks: (500 GB/466 GiB)
[    1.854254] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
[    1.854257] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 2b 00 10 08
[    1.855187] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdb] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, supports DPO and FUA


So I am very disappointed because Linux Mint make me take risks with my data
if I understand well, this drive cache is the same as what they call buffer on the hard drive manufacturer side ?