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Hard drive DMA problem. Please help.

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  • Hard drive DMA problem. Please help.

    Hi,
    I am a Marvel G400 user, working with some amateur video editing. Until now I used this system hardware:
    AMD k6-2/400,
    FIC PA-2013 mb (supports UDMA33)
    VIA MVP3 chipset,
    Award BIOS V 4.60 PGA, ver 1.15JI33 (1999 FEB 26)
    3,5 Gb Fujitsu system hd, DMA mode(UDMA33 ?)5400 rpm
    6,4 Gb Fujitsu video hd, DMA mode 5400 rpm
    Windows 98 SEd.
    etc.
    For a couple of days ago I came over a cheap EIDE hard drive, a 15.3 Gb "WD Caviar 153 BA" 7200 rps and transfer mode UDMA 66. (Complete new, original package,date 14 may 2000)
    I tried to install the drive in different configurations, together with one of my older Fujitsu 6.4 Gb MPC3064AT drive.
    Well, I would be satisfied only with 33 mbps transfer mode, but I am unable to set the WD to work in DMA (by setting the mark via the Controlpenel/System...) The BIOS settings are Type:Auto, Mode: Auto.
    It was no problem to set the 6.4 Gb Fujitsu to DMA. The best of my test results show:

    -Fujitsu as C:\ DMA Read Burst 21.6 mb/s, CPU-utiliz. 2.4% (!)
    -WD as D:\ no-DMA Read Burst 9.1 mb/s CPU-utiliz. 82.6% which means no DMA.

    Yes, I know, the lowest 5400 rpm determines the highest transfer rate, BUT I tested the WD drive alone as a single 15.3 Gb drive and also as 2 virtual drives, 7.1 and 8.2 Gb. Both less than the magic 8.4 Gb limit. The system recognized the whole 15.3 Gb, but in neither of cases I was able to get the Western Digital drive to work with DMA. I'm using a 40pin /40line cable, not the UDMA 66 40pin/80line cable.
    Western Digital tells about Backward Compatibility. They says that: "...Hard drives that support Ultra ATA/66 also support Ultra ATA/33 and multi-word DMA, and can be used with existing multi-word DMA chipsets..."
    Reading this I am affraid that I make some mistake somewhere. Now, becouse my son-in-low bought an identical HD, I am waiting to see if he has more luck with his Celeron 500 based computer.
    I am not prepared, yet, to purchase some Ultra ATA/66 PCI adapter, but a good 33 and 15.3 dedicated drive should satisfie my video editing requirements.
    Until that I would appreciate any HELP to resolv my problem.
    Thanks, Fred H.
    It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings...
    ------------------------------------------------

  • #2
    This is a problem that can arise with many motherboards.
    The solution is to upgrade the bios on the motherboard or go to Western Digital's website and under downloads or utilities,look for a program that will disable udma66(it's reversible) and sets the drive as a udma33.
    Once this is done dma can be enabled.
    You should see a boost in performance if this drive is set up as master.(Due to it's faster speed/rpms)

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    • #3
      Thanks, Alfie.
      The WD LifeGuard disk (seting udma33) solved my problem, but at the beginning I found its instructions some confusing.
      It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings...
      ------------------------------------------------

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