Enabling DMA for a DVD-RW drive (Windows XP Pro).

[Reigning]

Whenever I use my DVD-RW drive to install games or do anything else with it, my CPU usage averages at around 90% constantly, and I can't do anything else until it finished (my mouse stutters, apps are slow to load etc etc). From this alone, I'm assuming the DVD-RW drive is in PIO mode but I can't figure out for the life of me how to enable DMA for this drive. Using another drive is not an option as this drive is in a brand new laptop.

I remember knowing how to switch this quite awhile ago, but It's been awhile and I completely forget. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I am about to install The Battle for Middle Earth 2 and it spans 6(!) cd's and I would rather surf the web and do something else while it installs.

<rant> God damnit, ship more games on DVD's! If you dont have a freakin DVD drive, upgrade you cheap mofo's. You can buy one for the price of a normal game. It's you people with ancient CD drives that hold back the production of more DVD based games. </rant>

[ravendark]

from microsoft found here (http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/IDE-DMA.mspx)

To enable DMA mode using the Device Manager

1.Open Device Manager.

2.Double-click IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers to display the list of controllers and channels.

3.Right-click the icon for the channel to which the device is connected, select Properties, and then click the Advanced Settings tab.

4.In the Current Transfer Mode drop-down box, select DMA if Available if the current setting is "PIO Only."
If the drop-down box already shows "DMA if Available" but the current transfer mode is PIO, then the user must toggle the settings. That is:
•Change the selection from "DMA if available" to PIO only, and click OK.
•Then repeat the steps above to change the selection to DMA if Available.

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/3450.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&tm=33&id=3450)

[Reigning]

Hmm, odd. The DVD-RW drive is on the secondary channel. "DMA if available" is the option selected, but the current transfer type is PIO. Does this drive not support DMA? I'll pull out the DVD drive unit and check the model number...I know it's a Sony, however. It's kind of lame for any newer drive to not support DMA. It also crushes your CPU cycles whenever you use it, which sucks big time.

[djnes]

Got your chipset drivers loaded?

[Reigning]

Hmm...good question. I'll download the latest version and install them just to be on the safe side, lol.

[Fark_Maniac]

what is it in the BIOS?

[Reigning]

There is nothing in the BIOS that even lists my DVD drive...or my hard drive for that matter...its a dell M170, their BIOS's are a lot different than a standard BIOS.

I checked and I indeed do have the correct chipset drivers installed. I guess I'll check Sony's website and see if I can get a firmware upgrade for the drive itself.

[CpuMan]

This is a copy and paste, can't remember from where. Worked for me.

Windows XP will often get confused and report that a drive IS running in DMA mode when in reality, it's not. To fix this, Uninstall the IDE/ATA Controller (NOT the Channels!!!) from under the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers branch (again in Device Manager) and reboot your PC. Windows will 'find' it again when it boots back up. DMA will be enabled by default.

You should also check that DMA is enabled and active within the system BIOS screen. That's the screen you access by pressing DEL, F2 etc when the machine first boots up. You normally have to enable it for each device connected to the IDE bus - it's not a single setting to enable / disable it.
Setting it to 'Auto' is the best bet - rather than DMA 5, 4... 1, PIO 4, 3...1 etc.

[Langford]

I read Starforce can cause a drive to go to PIO mode, but I don't have any Starforce games so I havn't seen it first hand. It may be myth or fact?
If your device settings are good, and your bios is good, there isn't much left, so it may be hardware related. You may need to check to see if the cables are plugged in snug. You may want to try some other cables, if you have any spares.

[Reigning]

To avoid any confusion, this is a laptop. Sorry I forgot to mention that. It's my Dell M170 and the DVD-RW drive that came with it is having the DMA issues. I'll try what CpuMan suggested and see if that works. I don't exactly have any cables to mess around with. :D

EDIT: Voila, the little fix that CpuMan suggested worked. The Sony DVD drive is now in Ultra DMA 2, working perfectly. Thanks a ton! :D :D :D