Barracuda XT, Barracuda, Barracuda Green, DiamondMax and other desktop SATA and IDE drives

[jacob_sato]

I have a Dell B110 with two internal Seagate 500GB Baracuda 7200 Drives.  The data transfer between the drives is extremly slow, i.e. making backups very slow.  Transfer is 2.15MB/sec only.  

Any suggestions?

Message Edited by jacob_sato on 11-27-2009 03:00 AM

Message Edited by jacob_sato on 11-27-2009 03:01 AM

[fzabkar]

Windows XP will downgrade a drive's performance from DMA mode to PIO mode if it detects more than 6 CRC errors.

DMA Mode for ATA/ATAPI Devices in Windows XP:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/IDE-DMA.mspx

DMA reverts to PIO:

http://winhlp.com/node/10

[jacob_sato]

Thank you for your response.  This article says that I need to go to the Device Manager, clik on the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers and Toggle the settings From "DMA if Available" to "PIO Only"  then back to "DMA if Available"  I did this an I am still getting the same slow transfer performance.

It was mentioned on another form to uninstall the "IDE Adapter Controllers" in the Device Manager and then reinstall. If this is the solution and if I did uninstall, how do I reinstall the IDE Adapter Controllers again?

[fzabkar]

I don't use Win XP, but I would expect that the IDE controllers would be rediscovered after a reboot. Alternatively, a refresh (F5 ?) in Device Manager may redetect and reinstall the devices.

However, before doing the above I would follow the instructions at the second URL (winhlp.com).

[Grim0x]

All correct.

Reinstalling your IDE drivers would typically be done by XP (in the case that it supports it) or manually by a driver installation program / directing windows (via device manager) to where the drivers are.
Either route, in the event that XP does not support your IDE controller Natively, would involve you acquiring the drivers yourself.

Unlike fzkabar - I'm a firm believer of the saying (made by a fellow forumer of mine), that "Cockroaches, AGP, and XP will survive a nuclear war " . If not about AGP - I'm confident about XP. I dislike the new GUIs. Vista is atrocious IMO, 7 is nice - but there's the issue of certain revisions towards windows explorer (file manager).

Please list your motherboard model number for us - and I'll have your IDE drivers ready, if upon checking - they're not natively provided by windows.

However - I have a question for you. You've said that you changed the property to "DMA IF AVAILABLE" and thats great.

After doing this - and restarting - what is now listed under "currently enabled" in the same property page?
(also for both the drives)

It should in turn reflect that it has been changed to DMA 5/6. 

So to summarize - you should have set the preffered access type - THEN, the system should reflect that this access type was started and is being utilized.