View Full Version : Slow Hard Drive Symptom?
NewMonster
07-29-2006, 12:52 AM
i got
- athlon64 3200+
- 160 hdd
- 512ram
- x700pro pci-e
- pentium4 3.0ghz HT
- 80 hdd
- 512ram
- x300se pci-e
my amd system seems to stutter and lagg and whenever i hear the sound of my hard drive thats when my system lagg.... also when i play games i get like 60fps..... but why does it still choppy? and when its choppy it has a loud noise seems to be the hard drive.
but my intel system seems fine...played the same game... got less fps but it seems smo0ther without sudden choppy-ness.... so is this a symthom of slow hard drive?
OldMX
07-29-2006, 01:04 AM
Its the symthom of make sure DMA is activated on that drive hehe
oldmx
NewMonster
07-29-2006, 01:07 AM
Its the symthom of make sure DMA is activated on that drive hehe
oldmx
uhhh i kno this might be a no0b question... but what is DMA?
OldMX
07-29-2006, 01:10 AM
http://www.blackmaxpc.com/Guides/Enable_DMA.htm
Scroll down to screenshots to get a clear sight of where is dma options
oldmx
NewMonster
07-29-2006, 08:38 AM
uhh... im pretty bad at directions.... is there a program that let me enable DMA automatically? and DMA doesnt enable in default?
walie
07-29-2006, 10:25 AM
how can you not understand those directions? they're as straight forward as you can get!!
dchrsf
07-29-2006, 10:41 AM
You need more ram. Your HD is "shuttering" because the system is using the virtual memory aka the HD as RAM in place of it because its running out. You get choppyness and a slow system because a HD is mechnical and RAM is a chip that is many times faster.
Go for at least a gig, but 2 if you can afford it if your a heavy multitasker (like me).
NewMonster
07-30-2006, 12:53 PM
You need more ram. Your HD is "shuttering" because the system is using the virtual memory aka the HD as RAM in place of it because its running out. You get choppyness and a slow system because a HD is mechnical and RAM is a chip that is many times faster.
Go for at least a gig, but 2 if you can afford it if your a heavy multitasker (like me).
....if its the ram y does my p4 machine is not happending? both have 512ram
dchrsf
07-30-2006, 04:56 PM
I dont know, it may be software, or it may be the hard drive. But, itd have to be really old to be that bad.
Can you list the RPM, Cache size, and Model ##s for both the 80 and 160gb? That will help.
TType85
07-30-2006, 07:43 PM
Looks like the DMA issue
I have 512mb in my workstation at work and had an issue that if I did anything disk intensive, the whole system would stutter. Got the DMA turned on now it's fine.
dchrsf
07-30-2006, 07:51 PM
I'd try to get someone to help you with those directions then :)
bugsoup
08-01-2006, 01:07 AM
When was Windows installed on each? About two years ago, I started playing FFXI but the system stuttered badly even on the loading screens. It was completely unplayable until I reinstalled Windows from scratch. With no hardware changes I was able to play with better framerates than everyone else in my party. (Windows XP SP2, 80 GB WD HDD, 2x512 MB PC2700, Athlon XP 2500+). I never figured out why, but my guess was that it was an older install of XP. Your systems both may benifit from a new OS install.
NewMonster
08-01-2006, 02:19 AM
I dont know, it may be software, or it may be the hard drive. But, itd have to be really old to be that bad.
Can you list the RPM, Cache size, and Model ##s for both the 80 and 160gb? That will help.
uhh... whats RPM mean? and where do i lo0k for cache size and model #? i kno its a no0b question but bear with me... i am a no0b
i check my primary IDE channel... it says DMA if avalible... so is that mean its already activated or still i have to edit the registry? i afraid to mess with the registry.... im jus a below or jus average user... but when i have time i will read that link over again
the windows was preinstalled when i bought it.. both came with sp2
edit = oh i jus did the defragment using o&o today....
protias
08-01-2006, 09:43 AM
uhh... whats RPM mean? and where do i lo0k for cache size and model #? i kno its a no0b question but bear with me... i am a no0b
i check my primary IDE channel... it says DMA if avalible... so is that mean its already activated or still i have to edit the registry? i afraid to mess with the registry.... im jus a below or jus average user... but when i have time i will read that link over again
the windows was preinstalled when i bought it.. both came with sp2
edit = oh i jus did the defragment using o&o today....
take out the drive and put down what it says on there. seagate, maxtor, western digital are the major brand names. cache sizes are 2mb, 8mb, and 16mb. rpm = revolutions per minute. most likely 7200rpm drive, but could also be 5400rpm.
hope this helps a bit :)
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