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New 160Gb drive slowing the machine?

  • 20-02-2004 12:53am
    #1
    Oriel
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,154 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks,
    I just got a new 160Gb drive for storage, to support my 80Gb primary drive.
    Now, I'm going to install XP etc when I get the chance, but I just installed the drive about 3 hours ago, but I've noticed a very sharp decrease in performance on the machine, when trying to read from the disks. Especially when trying to go to "My Computer" etc.
    Both drives (on the same primary IDE channel) are working off Ultra DMA.


    I'm currently in the process of backing-up my stuff onto the new drive, so it's getting a bit of work ok, but I've (had to - Windows Explorer kept hanging) restarted the machine quite a few times now. I even got a "Windows Explorer has performed an illegal operation and has to be shut down" error on one occasion.

    3 main questions:
    Is this common? Can you think of what might be causing the problem? Will a reinstall help things a bit?

    Thanks,
    Sinecure.


Comments

  • #2
    Ryaner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,714 ✭✭✭Ryaner


    Firstly are they both NTFS? If not your prob lies there as both disks are on the same channel. Them both being on the same channel will drop performance a bit but it shouldnt be noticeable.
    Does you mobo fully support drives that big? Alot of older one's stopped at 120Gb. I'd suggest you check that.
    A reinstall might help but I kinda doubt it.


  • #3
    joePC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,637 ✭✭✭joePC


    Thats true, Update your BIOS if supported & make sure there the same file system,

    I would recommend installing your OS on the new Hdd,

    Thanks joePC....


  • #4
    Stephen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,484 ✭✭✭✭Stephen


    Is the drive running in PIO mode by any chance? That would certainly cause the performance problems you're experiencing. Check the properties of your IDE controller in device manager to see if its in PIO mode or not. If possible change it to one of the UDMA modes.


  • #5
    Oriel
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,154 ✭✭✭Oriel


    Stephen, no I mentioned that both of the drives are on UltraDMA5. So everything's ok in that respect.

    Ryaner, all drives on the machine are NTFS. The motherboard appears to be picking everything up ok. It appeared as 152Gb or thereabouts in DOS as soon as I plugged it in. Btw, forgot to mention, I split the drive into 3 50Gb partitions, on average.

    JoePC, why install the OS on the new drive? It's not as if the performance will be greater, seeing as both are 7200s. I'm going to keep the new drive as the storage drive, less likey to fail (in theory and all that) and just the fact that's the larger drive.

    S.


  • #6
    Ryaner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,714 ✭✭✭Ryaner


    Ok well that both are in NTFS is a good start.
    The drive being picked up as 152Gb is normal. It's to do with actual drive size and how the OS will pick it up. (ie physical size 1Kb = 1000Bytes / OS size 1KB = 1024Bytes - Not much difference but it adds up)
    Three partions on one disk and then the other drive will slow performance as they all on the same channel. Actually three partions on the one disk will be slower a bit neway. How much a performance drop have you noticed? And what mobo have you got?


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