Comment 7 for bug 96693

I'm glad it solves the problem in your box, but not here...

$ uname -a
Linux patatilla 2.6.20-14-generic #2 SMP Mon Apr 2 20:37:49 UTC 2007 i686 GNU/Linux

$ apt-cache policy linux-image-2.6.20-14-generic
linux-image-2.6.20-14-generic:
  Instalados: 2.6.20-14.22
  Candidato: 2.6.20-14.22

# hdparm -tT /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
 Timing cached reads: 1474 MB in 2.00 seconds = 737.26 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads: 232 MB in 3.01 seconds = 77.00 MB/sec

# sudo hdparm -tT /dev/sda

/dev/sda:
 Timing cached reads: 1434 MB in 2.00 seconds = 716.55 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads: 164 MB in 3.02 seconds = 54.34 MB/sec