Re: IDE-flash device and hard disk on same controller

[Benjamin Herrenschmidt]

>> The problem is that immediately after bootup ATA devices do not respond
>until
>> their media has spun up.  Which is both required by the spec, and
>observed in
>> practice.   Which is likely a problem if this code is run a few seconds
>after
>> bootup.  Which makes it quite possible the drive will ignore the
>EXECUTE DEVICE
>> DIAGNOSTICS and your error code won't be valid when the bsy flag
>> clears.   I don't know how serious that would be. 
>
>We did POST already.

Well... x86 PCs with ordinary BIOSes did. Other firmwares,
embedded devices, whatever.... may not, or eventually the firmware
will have reset everything prior to booting the kernel (go figure
why, but that happens).

It's not difficult nor harmful to wait for that dawn busy bit to
go away, so why not do it ?

Ben.