diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/bpck.c b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/bpck.c
index 2072e291fd16..ecb98bf0e6de 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/bpck.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/bpck.c
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ static void bpck_force_spp(struct pi_adapter *pi)
 
 #define TEST_LEN  16
 
-static int bpck_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi, char *scratch)
+static int bpck_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi)
 
 {	int i, e, l, h, om;
 	char buf[TEST_LEN];
diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/epat.c b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/epat.c
index 4877b39ed04c..609614b2c69e 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/epat.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/epat.c
@@ -246,10 +246,11 @@ static void epat_disconnect(struct pi_adapter *pi)
 	w2(pi->saved_r2);
 }
 
-static int epat_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi, char *scratch)
+static int epat_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi)
 
 {       int     k, j, f, cc;
 	int	e[2] = {0,0};
+	char scratch[512];
 
         epat_connect(pi);
 	cc = RR(0xd);
diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/epia.c b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/epia.c
index e7401351463a..970532619aeb 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/epia.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/epia.c
@@ -232,10 +232,11 @@ static void epia_write_block(struct pi_adapter *pi, char *buf, int count)
 
 }
 
-static int epia_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi, char *scratch)
+static int epia_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi)
 
 {       int     j, k, f;
 	int	e[2] = {0,0};
+	char scratch[512];
 
         epia_connect(pi);
         for (j=0;j<2;j++) {
diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/friq.c b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/friq.c
index df15b210f355..1888e8bcb884 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/friq.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/friq.c
@@ -178,10 +178,11 @@ static void friq_disconnect(struct pi_adapter *pi)
         w2(pi->saved_r2);
 } 
 
-static int friq_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi, char *scratch)
+static int friq_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi)
 
 {       int     j, k, r;
 	int	e[2] = {0,0};
+	char scratch[512];
 
 	pi->saved_r0 = r0();	
 	w0(0xff); udelay(20); CMD(0x3d); /* turn the power on */
diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/frpw.c b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/frpw.c
index 0d4e84806350..484b5b9d31eb 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/frpw.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/frpw.c
@@ -219,10 +219,11 @@ static int frpw_test_pnp(struct pi_adapter *pi)
    a hack :-(
 */
 
-static int frpw_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi, char *scratch)
+static int frpw_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi)
 
 {       int     j, k, r;
 	int	e[2] = {0,0};
+	char scratch[512];
 
 	if ((pi->private>>1) != pi->port)
 	   pi->private = frpw_test_pnp(pi) + 2*pi->port;
diff --git a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/pata_parport.c b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/pata_parport.c
index c85593788951..b6499f2160da 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/pata_parport/pata_parport.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/pata_parport/pata_parport.c
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ static void pi_release(struct pi_adapter *pi)
 	module_put(pi->proto->owner);
 }
 
-static int default_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi, char *scratch)
+static int default_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi)
 {
 	int j, k;
 	int e[2] = { 0, 0 };
@@ -300,21 +300,21 @@ static int default_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi, char *scratch)
 	return e[0] && e[1];	/* not here if both > 0 */
 }
 
-static int pi_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi, char *scratch)
+static int pi_test_proto(struct pi_adapter *pi)
 {
 	int res;
 
 	parport_claim_or_block(pi->pardev);
 	if (pi->proto->test_proto)
-		res = pi->proto->test_proto(pi, scratch);
+		res = pi->proto->test_proto(pi);
 	else
-		res = default_test_proto(pi, scratch);
+		res = default_test_proto(pi);
 	parport_release(pi->pardev);
 
 	return res;
 }
 
-static bool pi_probe_mode(struct pi_adapter *pi, int max, char *scratch)
+static bool pi_probe_mode(struct pi_adapter *pi, int max)
 {
 	int best, range;
 
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ static bool pi_probe_mode(struct pi_adapter *pi, int max, char *scratch)
 			range = 8;
 		if (range == 8 && pi->port % 8)
 			return false;
-		return !pi_test_proto(pi, scratch);
+		return !pi_test_proto(pi);
 	}
 	best = -1;
 	for (pi->mode = 0; pi->mode < max; pi->mode++) {
@@ -335,14 +335,14 @@ static bool pi_probe_mode(struct pi_adapter *pi, int max, char *scratch)
 			range = 8;
 		if (range == 8 && pi->port % 8)
 			break;
-		if (!pi_test_proto(pi, scratch))
+		if (!pi_test_proto(pi))
 			best = pi->mode;
 	}
 	pi->mode = best;
 	return best > -1;
 }
 
-static bool pi_probe_unit(struct pi_adapter *pi, int unit, char *scratch)
+static bool pi_probe_unit(struct pi_adapter *pi, int unit)
 {
 	int max, s, e;
 
@@ -367,14 +367,14 @@ static bool pi_probe_unit(struct pi_adapter *pi, int unit, char *scratch)
 		for (pi->unit = s; pi->unit < e; pi->unit++) {
 			if (pi->proto->probe_unit(pi)) {
 				parport_release(pi->pardev);
-				return pi_probe_mode(pi, max, scratch);
+				return pi_probe_mode(pi, max);
 			}
 		}
 		parport_release(pi->pardev);
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	return pi_probe_mode(pi, max, scratch);
+	return pi_probe_mode(pi, max);
 }
 
 static void pata_parport_dev_release(struct device *dev)
@@ -420,7 +420,6 @@ static struct pi_adapter *pi_init_one(struct parport *parport,
 			struct pi_protocol *pr, int mode, int unit, int delay)
 {
 	struct pardev_cb par_cb = { };
-	char scratch[512];
 	const struct ata_port_info *ppi[] = { &pata_parport_port_info };
 	struct ata_host *host;
 	struct pi_adapter *pi;
@@ -473,7 +472,7 @@ static struct pi_adapter *pi_init_one(struct parport *parport,
 	if (!pi->pardev)
 		goto out_module_put;
 
-	if (!pi_probe_unit(pi, unit, scratch)) {
+	if (!pi_probe_unit(pi, unit)) {
 		dev_info(&pi->dev, "Adapter not found\n");
 		goto out_unreg_parport;
 	}
diff --git a/include/linux/pata_parport.h b/include/linux/pata_parport.h
index e45bb1896003..bbfa4e63ee85 100644
--- a/include/linux/pata_parport.h
+++ b/include/linux/pata_parport.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ struct pi_protocol {
 
 	int (*test_port)(struct pi_adapter *pi);
 	int (*probe_unit)(struct pi_adapter *pi);
-	int (*test_proto)(struct pi_adapter *pi, char *scratch);
+	int (*test_proto)(struct pi_adapter *pi);
 	void (*log_adapter)(struct pi_adapter *pi);
 
 	int (*init_proto)(struct pi_adapter *pi);