Further to my earlier comment, it seems that these settings don't entirely eliminate SATA errors. I've tried with both "medium_power" and "min_power" as settings for the link_power_management_policy, and still get some errors. They're slightly different, and also less regular; around 10 every 5 minutes as opposed to once a second on "max_performance". Here's a sample of the errors produced on "medium_power". I've added some line breaks to make the difference in timestamps easier to follow.
[367622.113130] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x10 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x4040000 action 0xe frozen [367622.113134] ata1.00: irq_stat 0x80000040, connection status changed [367622.113136] ata1: SError: { CommWake DevExch } [367622.113139] ata1.00: failed command: WRITE DMA EXT [367622.113143] ata1.00: cmd 35/00:08:80:7b:0d/00:00:16:00:00/e0 tag 24 dma 4096 out [367622.113143] res 50/00:00:77:3f:ff/00:00:0f:00:00/ef Emask 0x10 (ATA bus error) [367622.113145] ata1.00: status: { DRDY } [367622.113148] ata1: hard resetting link [367622.836250] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) [367622.836665] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [367622.837097] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [367622.837103] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33 [367622.837188] ata1: EH complete [367668.468555] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x10 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x4040000 action 0xe frozen [367668.468565] ata1.00: irq_stat 0x80000040, connection status changed [367668.468570] ata1: SError: { CommWake DevExch } [367668.468578] ata1.00: failed command: READ DMA [367668.468588] ata1.00: cmd c8/00:08:f8:e6:e0/00:00:00:00:00/ee tag 26 dma 4096 in [367668.468588] res 50/00:00:a7:e1:4a/00:00:1b:00:00/e0 Emask 0x10 (ATA bus error) [367668.468594] ata1.00: status: { DRDY } [367668.468601] ata1: hard resetting link [367669.192455] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) [367669.192953] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [367669.193458] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [367669.193462] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33 [367669.193568] ata1: EH complete [367676.039388] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x10 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x4040000 action 0xe frozen [367676.039393] ata1.00: irq_stat 0x80000040, connection status changed [367676.039396] ata1: SError: { CommWake DevExch } [367676.039401] ata1.00: failed command: WRITE DMA EXT [367676.039407] ata1.00: cmd 35/00:08:20:f2:fd/00:00:15:00:00/e0 tag 28 dma 4096 out [367676.039407] res 50/00:00:07:e3:7d/00:00:12:00:00/e0 Emask 0x10 (ATA bus error) [367676.039410] ata1.00: status: { DRDY } [367676.039414] ata1: hard resetting link [367676.762336] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) [367676.762813] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [367676.763339] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [367676.763342] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33 [367676.763497] ata1: EH complete [368192.378495] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x10 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x4040000 action 0xe frozen [368192.378505] ata1.00: irq_stat 0x80000040, connection status changed [368192.378510] ata1: SError: { CommWake DevExch } [368192.378517] ata1.00: failed command: WRITE DMA [368192.378528] ata1.00: cmd ca/00:80:10:d9:6a/00:00:00:00:00/ee tag 15 dma 65536 out [368192.378528] res 50/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 Emask 0x10 (ATA bus error) [368192.378533] ata1.00: status: { DRDY } [368192.378541] ata1: hard resetting link [368193.101144] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) [368193.101540] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [368193.101964] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [368193.101967] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33 [368193.102043] ata1: EH complete [368383.548958] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x10 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x4040000 action 0xe frozen [368383.548963] ata1.00: irq_stat 0x80000040, connection status changed [368383.548966] ata1: SError: { CommWake DevExch } [368383.548969] ata1.00: failed command: WRITE DMA EXT [368383.548973] ata1.00: cmd 35/00:98:e0:60:0f/00:00:16:00:00/e0 tag 30 dma 77824 out [368383.548973] res 50/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 Emask 0x10 (ATA bus error) [368383.548975] ata1.00: status: { DRDY } [368383.548979] ata1: hard resetting link [368384.270310] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) [368384.270711] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [368384.271160] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [368384.271166] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33 [368384.271246] ata1: EH complete -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Kernel Packages, which is subscribed to linux in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1318218 Title: SATA problems on MacBook Pro 11,1? Status in “linux” package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Bug description: I installed Ubuntu 14.04 next to MacOS following the guide at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MacBookPro11-1/Saucy/ Looking into dmesg, I constantlz get entries like [ 276.380934] ata1: SError: { PHYRdyChg } [ 276.380943] ata1: hard resetting link [ 277.103527] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) [ 277.103999] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [ 277.104504] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [ 277.104507] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33 [ 277.104629] ata1: EH complete [ 277.206319] ata1: exception Emask 0x10 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x10000 action 0xe frozen [ 277.206328] ata1: irq_stat 0x00400000, PHY RDY changed [ 277.206333] ata1: SError: { PHYRdyChg } [ 277.206343] ata1: hard resetting link [ 277.927757] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) [ 277.928425] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [ 277.929040] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [ 277.929051] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33 [ 277.929168] ata1: EH complete [ 278.030944] ata1: exception Emask 0x10 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x10000 action 0xe frozen [ 278.030952] ata1: irq_stat 0x00400000, PHY RDY changed [ 278.030957] ata1: SError: { PHYRdyChg } [ 278.030965] ata1: hard resetting link [ 278.752008] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) [ 278.752582] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [ 278.753140] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [ 278.753147] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33 [ 278.753231] ata1: EH complete [ 278.853417] ata1: exception Emask 0x10 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x10000 action 0xe frozen [ 278.853424] ata1: irq_stat 0x00400000, PHY RDY changed [ 278.853427] ata1: SError: { PHYRdyChg } [ 278.853434] ata1: hard resetting link [ 279.576258] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) [ 279.576881] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [ 279.577417] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [ 279.577427] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33 [ 279.577491] ata1: EH complete [ 279.677753] ata1: exception Emask 0x10 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x10000 action 0xe frozen [ 279.677762] ata1: irq_stat 0x00400000, PHY RDY changed [ 279.677767] ata1: SError: { PHYRdyChg } [ 279.677776] ata1: hard resetting link [ 280.400449] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) [ 280.401147] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [ 280.401722] ata1.00: unexpected _GTF length (8) [ 280.401733] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33 [ 280.401809] ata1: EH complete [ 280.502117] ata1: exception Emask 0x10 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x10000 action 0xe frozen [ 280.502127] ata1: irq_stat 0x00400000, PHY RDY changed [ 280.502132] ata1: SError: { PHYRdyChg } ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04 Package: linux-image-3.13.0-24-generic 3.13.0-24.47 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-24.47-generic 3.13.9 Uname: Linux 3.13.0-24-generic x86_64 NonfreeKernelModules: wl ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3 Architecture: amd64 AudioDevicesInUse: USER PID ACCESS COMMAND /dev/snd/controlC0: markus 1663 F.... pulseaudio /dev/snd/controlC1: markus 1663 F.... pulseaudio CurrentDesktop: Unity Date: Sat May 10 19:33:44 2014 HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=c71381d2-e2f3-4c96-94ea-57b8986afd08 InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-05-09 (0 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140417) MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBookPro11,1 ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=7584bc70-893a-4291-a1cb-4680f5e09d22 ro libata.force=noncq quiet splash vt.handoff=7 RelatedPackageVersions: linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-24-generic N/A linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-24-generic N/A linux-firmware 1.127 SourcePackage: linux UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) dmi.bios.date: 10/29/2013 dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc. dmi.bios.version: MBP111.88Z.0138.B03.1310291227 dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag# dmi.board.name: Mac-189A3D4F975D5FFC dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc. dmi.board.version: MacBookPro11,1 dmi.chassis.type: 10 dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc. dmi.chassis.version: Mac-189A3D4F975D5FFC dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMBP111.88Z.0138.B03.1310291227:bd10/29/2013:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBookPro11,1:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-189A3D4F975D5FFC:rvrMacBookPro11,1:cvnAppleInc.:ct10:cvrMac-189A3D4F975D5FFC: dmi.product.name: MacBookPro11,1 dmi.product.version: 1.0 dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc. 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