mw-pfeddersheim-workstation/docs/tech/trim-optimization-2026-04.md

description, tags, last_updated

description	tags	last_updated
TRIM policy optimization for the mw-pfeddersheim-workstation after the Samsung PM9A1 firmware update to GXA7801Q.	storage trim nvme ansible optimization	2026-04-02

TRIM Optimization After PM9A1 Firmware Update

Summary

On 2026-04-02 the workstation TRIM policy was aligned with current Linux best practice for ext4.

• Root filesystem (/) on /dev/nvme0n1p2 was changed from noatime,discard to noatime in /etc/fstab
• Weekly fstrim.timer remains enabled and active
• Continuous ext4 discard was disabled at runtime with a remount using nodiscard

Why This Change Was Necessary

The root ext4 filesystem was configured with continuous discard while the system already had periodic TRIM enabled via fstrim.timer.

For ext4, continuous discard adds overhead to unlink and truncate operations. With a healthy weekly fstrim.timer, it is redundant on this workstation.

Implementation

The persistent change was implemented in Ansible.

• ansible/vars/main.yml
  • added root_filesystem_uuid
  • added root_filesystem_mount_opts: noatime
• ansible/roles/common/tasks/main.yml
  • ensured the root fstab entry is managed with mount: state=present
  • checked current root mount options with findmnt
  • remounted / without continuous discard when needed

Verification

fstab

UUID=2aeade2e-b169-4964-8cbd-bb7356320b51 / ext4 noatime 0 1

Periodic TRIM

ActiveState=active
UnitFileState=enabled
NextElapseUSecRealtime=Mon 2026-04-06 00:49:28 CEST

Validation Steps

ansible-playbook ansible/workstation.yml --check --tags trim
ansible-playbook ansible/workstation.yml --tags trim
findmnt --verify --tab-file /etc/fstab

Notes

• /boot/efi remains unchanged
• This change only targets the ext4 root filesystem TRIM policy
• Firmware and benchmark documentation remain in the NVMe benchmark documents