SG_SYNC(8)

NAME
sg_sync - send the scsi command synchronize cache

SYNOPSIS
sg_sync [--count=<n>] [--group=<n>] [--help] [--immed] [--lba=<n>] [--sync-nv] [--verbose] [--version] <scsi_device>

DESCRIPTION

Send SYNCHRONIZE CACHE (10) command to a Linux SCSI device. This command is defined for SCSI block devices (see SBC-2). If successful this command makes sure that any blocks whose latest versions are held in (volatile) cache are written to (also termed as "synchronized with") the medium. If the '--sync-nv' option is given and the device has a non-volatile cache then any blocks whose latest versions are held in volatile cache are written to non-volatile cache.

If the arguments to '--lba' and '--count' are both zero (their defaults) then all blocks in the cache are synchronized. If '--lba' is greater than zero while '--count' is zero then blocks in the cache whose address is from and including the '--lba' argument to the highest lba on the device are synchronized. If both '--lba' and '--count' are non zero then blocks in the cache whose addresses lie in the range lba_argument to lba_argument+count_argument-1 inclusive are synchronized with the medium.

--count=<n> | -c <n>
    number of block to synchronize from and including the '--lba' argument. Default value is 0. When 0 then all blocks in the (volatile) cache from and including the '--lba' argument to the highest block address are synchronized.

--group=<n> | -g <n>
    the group number can be between 0 and 31 inclusive. The default value is 0 . Group numbers are used to segregate data collected within the device. This is a new feature in SBC-2 and can probably be ignored for the time being.

--help | -h
    output the usage message then exit.

--imm | -i
    sets the "imm" bit in the SYNCHRONIZE CACHE command. This instructs the device, if the format of the command is acceptable, to return a GOOD status immediately rather than wait for the blocks in the (volatile) cache to be synchronized with (i.e. written to) the medium (or the non-volatile cache).

--lba=<n> | -l <n>
    the lowest logical block address in the (volatile) cache to synchronize to the medium (or the non-volatile cache). Default value is 0 .

--sync-nv | -s
    synchronize the (volatile) cache with the non-volatile cache. Without this option (or if there is no non-volatile cache in the device) the synchronization is with the medium.

--verbose | -v
    increase the level of verbosity, (i.e. debug output).

--version | -V
    print the version string and then exit.

The arguments to --count, --group and --lba may be followed by one of these multiplicative suffixes: c C *1; b B *512; k *1,024; K *1,000; m *1,048,576; M *1,000,000; g *1,073,741,824; G *1,000,000,000; t *1,099,511,627,776 and T *1,000,000,000,000 (the latter two can only be used for --count and --lba).

Alternatively numerical values can be given in hexadecimal preceded by either "0x" or "0X". When hex numbers are given multipliers cannot be used.

AUTHORS
Written by Douglas Gilbert.

REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to <dgilbert at interlog dot com>.

COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2004 Douglas Gilbert
This software is distributed under a FreeBSD license. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

SEE ALSO
sg_start(sg3_utils)