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First post, by Riikcakirds

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I'm trying to get Sata SSDs working in MWDMA modes. I've tried 8 different sata SSDs, from various manufacturers in combinations with different old and modern PCs that all support MWDMA modes.
I've tested this in Linux, DOS, Win9x, WinXP and Win10. Forcing any MWDMA mode causes a freeze / crash. They all work in PIO and UDMA modes.

After ruling everything else out the problem is with Sata SSDs. MWMDA works in all these systems and OSes using spinning HD, CF cards and SD cards.

Has MWDMA modes been deprecated in SSDs (the range I tested are from 2017-2023).

Reply 1 of 6, by douglar

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Riikcakirds wrote on 2024-03-10, 00:28:
I'm trying to get Sata SSDs working in MWDMA modes. I've tried 8 different sata SSDs, from various manufacturers in combination […]
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I'm trying to get Sata SSDs working in MWDMA modes. I've tried 8 different sata SSDs, from various manufacturers in combinations with different old and modern PCs that all support MWDMA modes.
I've tested this in Linux, DOS, Win9x, WinXP and Win10. Forcing any MWDMA mode causes a freeze / crash. They all work in PIO and UDMA modes.

After ruling everything else out the problem is with Sata SSDs. MWMDA works in all these systems and OSes using spinning HD, CF cards and SD cards.

Has MWDMA modes been deprecated in SSDs (the range I tested are from 2017-2023).

My experiences is that it's not uncommon to find newer SATA devices that only seem to support PIO & UDMA modes, but that's just me & my equipment, not some deep theoretical knowledge.

The process of negotiating a specific PATA mode for a Sata device involves interplay between the Sata device, the PATA/Sata bridge, and the IDE controller (if applicable), the device driver/BIOS, and sometimes the addressing scheme.

Reply 2 of 6, by Disruptor

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Riikcakirds wrote on 2024-03-10, 00:28:

Forcing any MWDMA mode causes a freeze / crash. They all work in PIO and UDMA modes.

After ruling everything else out the problem is with Sata SSDs. MWMDA works in all these systems and OSes using spinning HD, CF cards and SD cards.

Has MWDMA modes been deprecated in SSDs (the range I tested are from 2017-2023).

I have noticed some strange behaviour too on some models and SATA/PATA adapters.
But in my situation also the detection has failed.

Reply 3 of 6, by nhattu1986

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I think the DMA mode is depend on which bridge chip is on the adapter board
i have good result with JMicron JM20330 bridge
if your adapter is using sanded down chip or sunplus then they may cause DMA issue.

Reply 4 of 6, by Riikcakirds

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nhattu1986 wrote on 2024-03-10, 11:40:

I think the DMA mode is depend on which bridge chip is on the adapter board
i have good result with JMicron JM20330 bridge
if your adapter is using sanded down chip or sunplus then they may cause DMA issue.

I ruled out adapters 100% by connecting the SSDs directly to newer chipsets with native sata support and they also don't work in mwdma modes with ssds. Also tried PCI controllers with native sata support, they also don't work in any mwdma modes, again only when using SSDs.
It's not the operating systems, chipsets or adapters, the only common part in all this is the SSDs.
During tests i have done, Mwdma modes work in all the old and new chipsets and OS's but only with spinning HDs, CF cards and SD cards.

The reason I am doing this is it's getting cheaper to use SSDs than CF and SD cards. I have a lot of motherboards with 430FX, 430HX and 440fx chipsets, the 1995 to early 1997 period. These boards support only one dma mode, mwdma. Without mwdma they are stuck in PIO mode and then the SSD is much slower than CF and SD cards that can work in mwdma modes. It's kills performance in Win9x and Win2k on these systems, especially PPro boards using Win2k.

SSDs just don't work in any MWDMA modes, regardless of motherboard chipset (have tested on boards from 1995 430fx to Z390 chipsets), Win, Linux, Dos.

Reply 6 of 6, by nhattu1986

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Riikcakirds wrote on 2024-03-10, 16:19:
I ruled out adapters 100% by connecting the SSDs directly to newer chipsets with native sata support and they also don't work i […]
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nhattu1986 wrote on 2024-03-10, 11:40:

I think the DMA mode is depend on which bridge chip is on the adapter board
i have good result with JMicron JM20330 bridge
if your adapter is using sanded down chip or sunplus then they may cause DMA issue.

I ruled out adapters 100% by connecting the SSDs directly to newer chipsets with native sata support and they also don't work in mwdma modes with ssds. Also tried PCI controllers with native sata support, they also don't work in any mwdma modes, again only when using SSDs.
It's not the operating systems, chipsets or adapters, the only common part in all this is the SSDs.
During tests i have done, Mwdma modes work in all the old and new chipsets and OS's but only with spinning HDs, CF cards and SD cards.

The reason I am doing this is it's getting cheaper to use SSDs than CF and SD cards. I have a lot of motherboards with 430FX, 430HX and 440fx chipsets, the 1995 to early 1997 period. These boards support only one dma mode, mwdma. Without mwdma they are stuck in PIO mode and then the SSD is much slower than CF and SD cards that can work in mwdma modes. It's kills performance in Win9x and Win2k on these systems, especially PPro boards using Win2k.

SSDs just don't work in any MWDMA modes, regardless of motherboard chipset (have tested on boards from 1995 430fx to Z390 chipsets), Win, Linux, Dos.

Hmm, Got it, i will tried to test my own ssd with my ppro board since the last time i'm using it, i also using a cf card and not testing ssd with it.