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<Second HD running in PIO mode> problem

  • 16-11-2002 11:04pm
    #1
    sceptre
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,608 ✭✭✭✭


    Second HD on my PC has always run slow. Doesn't affect me that much as I usually just use it when I run out of space on the first one. Bit annoying though as it takes a second or two to get running when I access it (annoying when ripping DVDs - I need to use drive 2 for this as each drive is only 10GB). After living with it for 12 months it's annoying me now.

    So this evening (running win2ksp3 btw), clicked on Primary IDE Channel under IDE controllers in Device Manager just to see.

    Transfer mode is set to "DMA if available" for both drives.

    Main drive is running in Ultra DMA mode, second one is running in PIO mode. The two drives are exactly the same model (WD), they're on the same IDE channel (two CD drives on the other one - each of them is running in UltraDMA/DMA mode). No oddities in BIOS.

    So, any ideas on how I can correct this? Am I likely to be using a crappy cable on the primary IDE channel (my only idea)? If so what do I need to get?

    Any suggestions appreciated.

    Ta

    Seamus


Comments

  • #2
    SantaHoe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,488 ✭✭✭SantaHoe


    If you're going to replace the IDE cable, get a 40-pin (the usual) / 80-conductor cable... you can tell pretty easily by visual inspection which type you've got... the latter will have narrower wire strips and will have noticably more of them (80).
    The 80 conductor cables will reduce interferance and let the drives operate at their proper high speed.

    Other than that, check your jumper configs on both drives... not being patronising or anything, but sometimes both drives will co-exist more happily on cable select or a forced master/slave relationship... play around with the drive orders on the cable, and try the secondary IDE channel, just as a sort of trial and error thing.
    Try each drive on its own (if possible), just to make sure one isn't malfunctioning.

    Also check the drives for broken pins, my current IDE drive was running like a crippled old cow for months before I actually bothered to check the pins... all that time it was functioning with a missing pin :(
    Poor ikkle fella', I replaced it with a pin I ripped from an old cdrom and it was back in top form.

    Along another line....
    It's worth updating your mobo chipset drivers aswell, although some people say the XP ones are fine and that you should keep them... I still install the latest Via drivers, never did me any harm.
    Check for BIOS updates... just to be sure.
    Last resort stuff really IMO.


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