Slow Harddrive performance

[JoeKing]

--recycling thread--

I've got a seagate 120 gig 7200 rpm harddrive, and the drive feels extremly slow. I've run HD tach on it and found I'm getting a 3.2MB/s max read speed and 16.6ms seek times.

According to the review on this site I should be seeing somthing like 45 MB/s??!!

I hope I'm converting the 45,576 KB/s to MB/s correctly.

So what could be the problem?
I'm running

Win XP Pro
Soyo Dragon Plus
XP1700+
512 MB RAM

 

[ericgl]

I use a Linksys. Works fine.

 

[DaveSimmons]

search "kvm" for several recent threads on this. Be sure to get one that includes cables, as they cost an extra $6-20 per machine.

 

[Czar]

dont even bother, when the computer is up, disconnect the monitor and just use terminal services to connect to the other computer

 

[JoeKing]

thanks, I've decided I'll go with ternimal services for the comp.

Now I've got another issue to address. So I'll recycle this thread.

 

[mechBgon]

For your hard-drive problem, open Device Manager, expand the IDE/ATA Controllers, go into the Primary and Secondary controllers that are listed, and go to the Advanced tab and ensure the controller isn't using PIO mode. If it is, try enabling DMA but also be aware that if you have a bad cable, that could be the underlying cause of the problem. If in doubt, also try a nice boring flat ATA100 ribbon cable.

 

[JoeKing]

I've been switching around cables and
I'm still stuck at 3 MB/s.

The primary and secondary IDE channels are set to DMA if applicable, but in the "Current Transfer Mode" all of the boxes are set to "not applicable"


There is also a 3rd IDE controller I notice that is labled VIA Bus Master IDE controller which has no options for DMA <==could this be the prob?

 

[mechBgon]

Hmmm, interesting Next things I'd think about trying:

1) try reinstalling the latest VIA 4-in-1 driver package

2) try "uninstalling" all of the IDE controllers listed, then rebooting and letting Windows find them again.

 

[JoeKing]

thanks mechBgon!

After an update of that VIA IDE controller the throughput is where is should be.

 

[mechBgon]

Ideas about fixing the seek time? Ohhhh yes, I do have ideas... abandon hope, all ye who enter here... :evil: