Jay Strauss [off-list ref] wrote:

quoted

Either way, one of the first things I typically do on a server is add an
hdparm line with whatever the disks need for that particular machine.

I don't understand the above "whatever the disks need" portion of this 
statement.  Can you give me a little more detail?

He means that you set them up the way you want to.  Use hdparm.  -i or
-I or -v should show you what modes they are in now.  Pay particular
attention to the dma mode.

What settings am I to force?  And to what values?  I guess I'm asking, 

Whatever you like, and whatever turns out to be best.

Peter