dma_addr_t paddr = pp->cmd_block_dma;
        unsigned long timeout = jiffies + ATA_TMOUT_BOOT;
        u32 irq_enable, irq_stat;
+       const char *reason;
 
        DPRINTK("ENTER\n");
 
        writel(irq_enable, port + PORT_IRQ_ENABLE_SET);
 
        if (!(irq_stat & PORT_IRQ_COMPLETE)) {
-               printk(KERN_ERR "ata%u: softreset failed (timeout)\n", ap->id);
-               return -EIO;
+               if (irq_stat & PORT_IRQ_ERROR)
+                       reason = "SRST command error";
+               else
+                       reason = "timeout";
+               goto err;
        }
 
        sil24_update_tf(ap);
  out:
        DPRINTK("EXIT, class=%u\n", *class);
        return 0;
+
+ err:
+       printk(KERN_ERR "ata%u: softreset failed (%s)\n", ap->id, reason);
+       return -EIO;
 }
 
 static int sil24_hardreset(struct ata_port *ap, unsigned int *class)