I have a browse on <ATA/ATAPI-6> , <SATA3.0 gold> and <ICH7 datasheet>. But I didn't find out INTRODUCTION about how to initiate ATA-Bus-Master-PRD-Table.
So I google "ATA DMA" and find topic "http://wiki.osdev.org/ATA/ATAPI_using_DMA" which detailed "PRDT". Could someone give me some official info on "ATA-Bus-Master-PRD-Table" ?

Any info should be appreciated !

a) There is some information about the PRD Table (PRDT) in the document linked at the bottom of the web page that you mentioned (see link "Very simple original Busmaster DMA spec with PRDT spec" on that web page).

b) This part of the specification is in the T13 ATA Host Adapter Standard document - not in documents like ATA-6 etc. because it is related to the host system, not the disk.

very exact !
Thank you very much !
But, How could you know <T13 ATA Host Adapter Standard document> make a discuss on "PRDT" ? I'm afraid of I couldn't find out the relative official SPEC when meeting another similar concept like "PRDT".

Thank you !

You're welcome.


The simple answer is: I remembered that PRD tables were mentioned in that document, and you were asking for "official" documents on this subject.


If you are asking a question, then I don't understand you.

This is not a practical question, I just image if there is another TERM(like "UDMA") that I don't understand about how to use it, So how could I know which <SPEC> I need ?

Glad to learn hdd technology from you I hate my poor English~~

Thanks for explaining - now I understand what you meant

My only comment is that in some cases, there are other useful / better sources of information, depending on exactly what your needs are for that specific situation. Therefore don't limit yourself by trying to find everything in a specification. Good luck!

Vulcan, Thanks for your suggestion.