Very slow hard drive...

[Gabor]

Hello,

I have built a PC for audio recently (see system spec below) and have some problems with the (2nd) audio hard drive... it's slow!

The audio disk is 17% full and defragmented. When opening a project just with a stereo track, and going back and forth to the beginning and end of this track (using numeric pad keys 1 & 2), the VST performance window shows peak for the audio hard drive. Weird. Also, when loading a VST instrument, it takes a looong time (it would stops for a sec, then continue loading, then stops again).

I just tested both hard drives with Roadkil's Disk Speed Version 1.1. Here are the results:

For the system drive:
MB's Read: 407.1875
Elapsed Time: 5
Speed: 81.433
MB's Read: 17.7813
Elapsed Time: 5.002
Speed: 3.5545
Accesses: 623
Elapsed Time: 5.003
Access Time: 8.03
Overall Score: 10625

For the audio drive:
MB's Read: 11.000
Elapsed Time: 5.002
Speed: 2.1991
MB's Read: 6.5313
Elapsed Time: 5.008
Speed: 1.3042
Accesses: 615
Elapsed Time: 5.001
Access Time: 8.13
Overall score: 393

So, there's clearly a problem. The motherboard (Asus P5K) has 4 SATA connectors, and I used #1 & #3 (master & slave) for the system and audio drives respectively, and #2 for the DVD drive.

Does anyone has a clue to help me?!? The BIOS is set up fine, and the two hard drives (both system and audio) have the same settings.

Sound: RME FireFace 400
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6750
Board: Asus P5K
RAM: Kingston DDR2 PC2-6400 Low Latency 4Gb
Graphics: Foxconn GF 8800GTS
Drives: Samsung HD501LJ 500 GB x2
OS: Windows XP Home
DVD: ASUS 1814BLT,SATA
PSU: 520W Corsair HX520W
CASE: Thermaltake Matrix

Thank you. This is driving me nuts!

 

[roadrunner197069]

Look at both drives in device manager and make sure everything is set the same on them. Other then that the one drive might be bad.

 

[Shadow703793]

I recommend you use AusLogic Disk defrag because it is faster and better than the built in Windows one.

 

[g-paw]

Try running the hdd mfg's diagnostic/repair software. Could also try another hdd if you have one around

 

[Gabor]

Thanks for the replies.

I just found out that although the same settings are applied in the BIOS, when going:

My Computer->Properties->Device Manager->IDE ATA/ATAPI

the settings are different, and I cannot change them. The primary IDE channel is on Ultra DMA 5 (for both entries), while the secondary IDE channel is on Ultra DMA 4 for one entry, and on "Not applicable" in the second entry.

I'll try to change the jumper settings, and change the connection on the mobo...

 

[g-paw]

Also, check one drive at a time, i.e., hookup the one with the OS, if it works go to the next one.

 

[Gabor]

SOLVED:

I moved the SATA cable of the audio drive on the mobo from position SATA #2 to SATA #4, and unistalled the IDE drivers (which re-installed themselves at boot). And everything is fine now!

Thanks! Back to music!

 

[g-paw]

Glad you got it. Gotta have the music

 

[kolix]

SOLVED:

I moved the SATA cable of the audio drive on the mobo from position SATA #2 to SATA #4, and unistalled the IDE drivers (which re-installed themselves at boot). And everything is fine now!

Thanks! Back to music!

me thinks the SATA #2 connector is connected to _that_ JMicron chip
just a thought

 

[Gabor]

Just curious... what is that JMicron chip you are referring to? Is there known problems with it?

 

[kolix]

not as good as intel, obviously
not saying they are garbage but I prefer not to use their chips nor any ports connected to their chips as for now