*BSD News Article 87128


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From: scrantr@ix.netcom.com (Richard Scranton)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: IDE disk performance with multiple controller cards
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 97 22:56:54 GMT
Organization: LDA Systems, Columbus
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Awhile back. I added a second disk to a 486dx2-66 running v2.0.5, and
added a swap partition so that swap was distributed across both disks,
32 megs each.  I got the distinct impression at the time that swapping
was actually *slower* with swapping to both disks than previous, but
forgot about it, as it wasn't a big change in system performance and
I really needed the extra disk storage.
  
Well... in a fit of compulsive hardware mashing, I recently added
a second IDE paddle card and moved the second disk to it, running
both as primary drives.  I now subjectively see (or think I see)
a noticeable improvement in how the system behaves.  X is more
responsive, as are Postgres, the NCSA httpd server, a handful of
smbd instances, and a PPP dial-up line for telnet/ftp/Samba access
(at least I've deluded myself into believing they are).  It supports
all that crap in 16 megs of RAM and pages a little, but not excessively.
  
Is there in fact any overlapping I/O going on now that wasn't
previously?  Or... am I delerious from too many late evenings with
a screwdriver?

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Richard Scranton - LDA Systems, Columbus
scrantr@ix.netcom.com