Can't change HD from PIO to UDMA

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: Nick Zaglanikis (nzag1971_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 12/22/04


Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 21:52:00 +0200

Hello everyone.

You guys and gals are my last hope.

One fine day my PC started responding very slow. Even menus would take
seconds before poping up. Soon I realised that it was my hard drive.

I have checked the IDE ATA/ATAPI controler and it's correctly stating that
it's using the Intel's appropriate driver which I installed myself when I
assembled the PC.

When checking the Primary and IDE channels I see that device 0 (which is my
primary HD) is set to "DMA if available" yet the current mode is "PIO Mode".
Device 1 (my DVD Drive) is also set to "DMA if available" and its current
mode is "UDMA 2".

The Secondary IDE Channels are also set to "DMA if available" and device 0
(my DVD Recorder) uses PIO Mode while device 1 (my old HD) uses "UDMA 4".

I have checked my BIOS setup and everything is set to auto and according to
its manual it should use UDMA if available.

I have bought brand new cables and I replaced the old ones but my main hard
disk is still very slow.
I have downloaded all kinds of checking utilities including those from the
HD vendor and they are reporting that both my HDs are in good working
condition.

I am getting a little dissappointed because I have tried everything I could
think off. I have even uninstalled almost everything I could, cleaned the
registry, defragmented the HDs and ran Scandisk. I have checked for viri and
malware (dialers/cookies/younameit). Nothing.

>From a vendor's site (I believe it was MS knowledge base but I honestly
dont' remember) I remember reading that if there is over a number of CRC
errors (6 I think) Windows will downgrade the HD mode. Whatever the case my
main HD is running in PIO mode when DMA is available.

Any ideas why is that? What can I do make my main HD run in UDMA mode as it
should?

Best Regards
Nick

PS
  I have also checked the jumper settings (slave/master etc etc)

PS2
  Are there any programs which check what transfer modes are available to a
PCs devices?



Relevant Pages

  • Cant change HD from PIO to UDMA
    ... When checking the Primary and IDE channels I see that device 0 (which is my ... primary HD) is set to "DMA if available" yet the current mode is "PIO Mode". ... its manual it should use UDMA if available. ... HD vendor and they are reporting that both my HDs are in good working ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Choppy video
    ... from news websites ... PIO is the slowest, DMA is the fastest. ... Expand the IDE/ATA controller section to see your IDE channels. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Choppy video
    ... If you have any real time malicious software installed/running what is ... PIO is the slowest, DMA is the fastest. ... Expand the IDE/ATA controller section to see your IDE channels. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Choppy video
    ... If you have any real time malicious software installed/running what is ... PIO is the slowest, DMA is the fastest. ... Expand the IDE/ATA controller section to see your IDE channels. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • (u)dma/hdparm question
    ... using mword2 dma mode for the disk. ... Before, I was using udma mode4, but my system suffered from random ... Is it safe to use a "normal" dma mode ... My BIOS does only offer udma or non-udma, but no setting for simple dma! ...
    (comp.os.linux.hardware)