Sorry to put another computer question up on the board, but I know you guys are a clever bunch...

Ive recently installed a 200Gb hard drive in my computer to run 'piggy-backed' off my existing 160Gb drive (Master with a slave)

Now its working fine in so much as accessing each drive. But when I use my computer in a day-to-day manner i've noticed that it is considerably slower.

Now i've checked on [url]www.pcpitstop.com[/url] (which I use for dignostic checks) and it's saying that my ORIGINAL drive C: (which is obviously my boot drive) is running at 3MB per second, instead of the 38MB per second that it should be!

Has anybody had the same problem and/or do you know what settings I need to be looking at in which to pick up the speed back to it's normall rate? Or put another way how can I see what is causing this?

Many thanks for your time. David.

Re: Computer help needed...

Sound like you are running 2 hard drives on the same cable.

You should really have you hard drives twinned with your CD players.

My set up is

Primary H/D twinned with my DVD ROM (secondary)

Secondary H/D slaved to my CD Burner (primary)

Hope this helps.

Yes they are running on the same cable, but I have also just ran the dignostic check with the second HD disconected and I got the same result.

Re: Computer help needed...

I see, well maybe your HD is fcuked.

Or maybe you have an older cable, there is another type of cable used to connect H/Ds which is stupidy fast maybe you have the older type of cable.

Sorry i?m a bit out of the loop recently.

Hmm well its a pretty newish Sony desktop, and it was also running fine (speed wise) up till when I put the new drive in.

Thanks for your help though, keep it coming if you have any other thoughts on the matter.

Re: Computer help needed...

Maybe you should check your DMA-settings...

Windows: DeviceManager->IDE/Atapi-Controller-> primary/secondary Channel DMA should be selected, the window also shows what DMA-mode is beeing used currently.

BIOS: DMA-mode should be "auto" -> Used DMA-mode is shown while booting, press [pause] to view

Newer harddrives use Ultra-DMA-mode#5

By the way, it is no problem to use 2 harddiscs on one cable. The speed is only slower when copying files from one harddisc to another. And yes, a 80-pole connection-cable should be used for UDMA5-hard- drives, otherwise UDMA cannot be used (BIOS restriction).

Re: Computer help needed...

If your around for a few mins i'm going to show you a screenshot of the DeviceManager settings. If you dont mind that is.

Re: Computer help needed...

bring it on...

Re: Computer help needed...

Thanks alot for this bud...

Primary

[img]http://img44.exs.cx/img44/1672/pri.jpg[/img]

Secondary

[img]http://img44.exs.cx/img44/6095/sec.jpg[/img]

Ive checked the bios and it is on auto. And is also using the Ultra DMA mode 5

Can you tell anything from this?

(sorry about this, my knowledge in this department is quite limited)

Re: Computer help needed...

That?s weird. Settings are correct, but primary-device is in PIO-mode (the slowest mode).

First I would check if the cables are plugged correctly.

Then you can try to switch the mode manually to PIO, then restart the system and switch it again to "dma if available" (all in device-manager)

Cheers mate will do.

Shall I change the settings on

primary - device 0 and device 1?

and secondary, device 0 and device 1?

Or in other words all of them?

Re: Computer help needed...

Primary device #0

It?s the only one saying "currentl transfer-mode: "PIO-mode"...

;)

Re: Computer help needed...

Ive done what you said, and it's still looking the same as the pic I posted. Is there anything else I can try? :MadNow:

Is this definatly why the Drive is running at such a low speed then?

Re: Computer help needed...

It?s definitely the problem.

You can try:

• check connection-slots (maybe a pin is broken/bent?)
• check device-manager when 2nd harddisc is unplugged->PIO again?
• check Master/Slave-Jumpers on backside of harddiscs Device0->Master Device1->Slave
• change cable (option: change master/slave-connection, maybe the master-connector is damaged?
• update Windows-chipset-driver

Since the problem appeared after installing the 2nd harddisc, I?m assuming a connection or Master/Slave problem then...

very simple ... disconnect the working hard drive and see if the system will recognize the drive (1 drive only on the cable) ... go backwards ... =P

Re: Computer help needed...

• check connection-slots (maybe a pin is broken/bent?) [color=#ff0078]done that, they're fine[/color]
• check device-manager when 2nd harddisc is unplugged->PIO again? [color=#ff0078]done that, it's the same[/color]
• check Master/Slave-Jumpers on backside of harddiscs Device0->Master Device1->Slave [color=#ff0078]If the slave connection was the wrong way round would it not just effect the slave. Its the master drive that is slow[/color]
• change cable (option: change master/slave-connection, maybe the master-connector is damaged? [color=#ff0078]Seems fine[/color]
• update Windows-chipset-driver [color=#ff0078]How do I do this?[/color]

Re: Computer help needed...

[quote]- update Windows-chipset-driver How do I do this?[/quote]

good question.

Must be written in the mainboard?s manual. Dunno if one can find it out w/ the device-manager?

for a "VIA"-chipset go to [url]http://www.viatech.com.tw[/url] (Via4in1-driver) for Intel-chipset go to [url]www.intel.com[/url]

Maybe you should contact the harddisc-manufacturer via e-mail? Eventually they know about this issue...

Sorry, dude, don?t know any further hints now.

You've been a great help mate, I really appreciate all youve done!

cheers

David. :D