Hang on Resume with Ultra DMA Device and ACPI BIOS with _GTF Support

On a computer with an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) BIOS, if an ATAPI storage device requires the use of the Get Task File (_GTF) method to resume from Suspended mode, the computer may stop responding (hang) on resume. Most Ultra DMA (UDMA) CD-ROM and Optical drives exhibit this behavior on computers that attempt to suspend and resume.

This behavior occurs because the operating system only supports the optional ACPI _GTF method for IDE hard disks.

If you already have a UDMA device, have ACPI enabled, and are experiencing this problem, contact your hardware manufacturer to determine if an updated BIOS that addresses this problem is available.

You can also prevent the problem by disabling the DMA on the ATAPI device that implements the _GTF method.

Your computer's BIOS may also support the ability to change the ACPI Sleep state. If so, change the Sleep state to S1 instead of S3.

Microsoft recommends that BIOS manufacturers and OEMs that are shipping UDMA-enabled ATAPI devices with _GTF method support follow these guidelines:

• OEMs should modify the BIOS to remove the _GTF method, or the BIOS can reinitialize the drive with UDMA ATAPI parameters before the resume.
• For existing devices, the OEM can revise the BIOS for computers in the marketplace with this hardware configuration and exhibiting this problem.
• IHVs that are shipping ATAPI devices should indicate in the documentation that the _GTF method on ATAPI devices when DMA is enabled on UDMA-capable ATAPI devices does not work in Windows 98 Second Edition unless the BIOS has been updated from the OEM to support it.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Windows 98 Second Edition.

The ACPI specification documents the _GTF method in section 10.8.1. Table 10-3 ("IDE Specific Controls") describes the _GTF Object as follows: "Optional control method to get the ATA task file needed to re-initialize the drive to bootup defaults."

For more information about ACPI and a link to the specification, please see the following Microsoft Web site: This issue affects only computers that suspend and resume, and does not occur at boot.