DOS ain't dead

bencollver 23.02.2026, 05:50	disable IDE write cache (Miscellaneous) Post reply
	The Linux hdparm(1) command has an option to disable the on-disk IDE write cache. `-W Get/set the IDE/SATA drive´s write-caching feature.` https://www.man7.org/linux/man-pages/man8/hdparm.8.html Does DOS have a way to accomplish the same thing? Note that i mean the onboard cache built-in to the disk (ATA-1 and above), not OS-level caches such as LBACACHE.

Japheth

Germany (South),
23.02.2026, 13:40

@ bencollver

disable IDE write cache

Post reply

> The Linux hdparm(1) command has an option to disable the on-disk IDE write
> cache.
>
> Does DOS have a way to accomplish the same thing?

You can always talk to the device directly.

There's the ATA/ATAPI "Set Features" command (0xEF):

General feature set − Mandatory for all devices. − Set transfer mode subcommand is mandatory. − Enable/disable write cache subcommands are mandatory when a write cache is implemented. − Enable/Disable Media Status Notification sub commands are mandatory if the Removable Media feature set is implemented. − All other subcommands are optional.

02h Enable write cache 82h Disable write cache

I got this from document "d1153r18-ATA-ATAPI-4.pdf"

---
MS-DOS forever!

bencollver

23.02.2026, 17:09

@ Japheth

disable IDE write cache

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> You can always talk to the device directly.

Challenge accepted.

hwinfo16.exe reports whether the write cache is disabled or enabled.

https://www.hwinfo.com/files/HWINF623.ZIP

In a system with only one disk and no CD-ROM:

C:\>debug.com -a 100 1674:0100 mov dx,1f1 1674:0103 mov al,82 1674:0105 out dx,al 1674:0106 mov dx,1f7 1674:0109 mov al,ef 1674:010B out dx,al 1674:010C in al,dx 1674:010D mov ah,4c 1674:010F int 21 1674:0111 -g =100 Program terminated normally (00C0) -q

After running that, hwinfo16.exe reports that the write cache is disabled.

For a different IDE bus, the ports would need to be adjusted. To select a drive, the Drive / Head register would need to be set before issuing the Set Feature command, and then the status would need to be read 15 times to clear the status and delay 400 ns. It's so simple! (not)

Helpful links:

https://web.archive.org/web/20250820020434/https://wiki.osdev.org/ATA_PIO_Mode

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/First_steps_towards_system_programming_under_MS-DOS_7/Debugger%27s_assembler_commands

RayeR

CZ,
23.02.2026, 17:58

@ bencollver

disable IDE write cache

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There are some low-level DOS HDD tools like Hitachi HDF tool that can enable/disable cache. On most HDD I saw the write cache was disabled by default (let OS to enable it). I'm not sure if the setting is persistent or it will return back to default after drive reset/power cycle...

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

bencollver

23.02.2026, 18:44

@ RayeR

disable IDE write cache

Post reply

> There are some low-level DOS HDD tools like Hitachi HDF tool that can
> enable/disable cache. On most HDD I saw the write cache was disabled by
> default (let OS to enable it). I'm not sure if the setting is persistent or
> it will return back to default after drive reset/power cycle...

Thanks, i will look for the Hitachi HDF tool.

NetBSD's dkctl(8) manual implies that it can persist on some but not all drives.

setcache none | r | w | rw [save] ... save If specified, and the cache enables are savable, saves the cache enables in the disk's non-volatile parameter storage.

https://man.netbsd.org/dkctl.8

disable IDE write cache (Miscellaneous)

disable IDE write cache

disable IDE write cache

disable IDE write cache

disable IDE write cache