This is the closest way to disabling it without using the "libata.force=noncq" kernel boot option is to set the queue to a depth of 1 which doesn't actually disable it. Change the sdc below to match the device you want to disable NCQ for. [root@officebox ~]# echo "1" > /sys/block/sdc/device/queue_depth Errors that indicate you are having a performance issue are these in messages or dmesg relating to N........

[ 2868.041375] ata1: EH in SWNCQ mode,QC:qc_active 0x40 sactive 0x40 [ 2868.041554] ata1: SWNCQ:qc_active 0x40 defer_bits 0x0 last_issue_tag 0x6 [ 2868.041556] dhfis 0x40 dmafis 0x40 sdbfis 0x20 [ 2868.041874] ata1: ATA_REG 0x41 ERR_REG 0x84 [ 2868.042013] ata1: tag : dhfis dmafis sdbfis sactive [ 2868.042163] ata1: tag 0x6: 1 1 0 1 [ 2868.042301] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x1 SAct 0x40 SErr 0x400000 action 0x6 frozen [........

[ 12.460014] ata1: SRST failed (errno=-16) [ 17.626677] ata1: link is slow to respond, please be patient (ready=0) [ 22.480011] ata1: SRST failed (errno=-16) [ 27.646681] ata1: link is slow to respond, please be patient (ready=0) [ 38.106817] ata1.01: failed to IDENTIFY (INIT_DEV_PARAMS failed, err_mask=0x80) [ 48.266676] ata1: link is slow to respond, please be patient (ready=0)........