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Independent Device Timing

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by Christer, 2003/12/23.

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  1. 2003/12/27
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    I downloaded SiSoft Sandra and run the "File System Benchmark" which was the closest to the HDD I could find. I ran it for the system partition ( C: ). I don´t know if that is the correct test but You tell me what I actually tested and if it is good, decent or bad ...... :confused: ......

    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  2. 2003/12/27
    giles

    giles Inactive

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    Hi Chrtister.

    I would go back and reread this thread from way back at the beginning. I don't think IDT means what you think.

    I think IDT means you can run a VW and a Jaguar on the same race track and the posting board will list a VW and a Jaguar but they are chained together (plugged into the same IDE port) and will only run at the speed of the slowest car.

    There's nothing wrong with that. I've been saying that for years. If you're running at 16 or 33 million bytes per second rather than 100million per second and you load an executable that is 1 million then you wouldn't even know the difference since the time is in split second segments. These discussions are just for clarity.

    IDT allows you to run a Ultra DMA Mode 5 and a Multi-Word DMA Mode 2 on the same IDE port . The BIOS and the system will tell you the capability of each device but the data flow from that IDE port will be at the speed of the Multi-Word DMA Mode 2 (the slowest device).

    Giles
     
    giles,
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  4. 2003/12/27
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Okey, thanks for the comments!

    What did I test with SiSoft Sandra?
    Was it all internal transfer rates?

    Whatever it was, I´ll shuffle the connectors and re-do the test.
    Probably for nothing, though.

    The IDT issue is very ...... :confused: ...... !

    I would believe that the meaning of my quote, three posts up, is that the Jaguar will overtake the VW but that analogy is not correct since the parallel thing means that they aren´t on the track at the same time!?!?

    Christer
     
    Last edited: 2003/12/27
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  5. 2003/12/27
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    I re-read the thread from the beginnig and I quote from Your first post:

    The sentences in italics are confusing but actually support my interpretation of "modern" IDT!

    Christer
     
    Last edited: 2003/12/27
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  6. 2003/12/27
    giles

    giles Inactive

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    Well, all in all it appears the Cable Select worked great for you and gives you some added flexibility. As for the speed thing I would look around for a benchmarking program designed for the hdd and run it with both devices plugged in and with just the C drive just to see what it does.

    Very interesting exchange and thoroughly enjoyable.

    Giles
     
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  7. 2003/12/28
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Then I´ll have too read up on HDD testing because I really didn´t have a clue towards what I was testing using SiSoft Sandra. I don´t know if the transfer rates are internal only or if they include the IDE port. I would believe that they include the IDE port because I think that any other test would be of no interest regarding system performance.

    I have found Harddisk-Benchmark-Software and will read up and download at least one more to see what it says.
    Hopefully I´ll find a tutorial too somewhere ...... :confused: ...... !

    I´m enjoying this too but I feel like I´m in up to my neck ...... :eek: ...... at least.

    Christer
     
    Last edited: 2003/12/28
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  8. 2003/12/28
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    I wasn´t aware that there are benchmark plugins in AIDA32, which I already have installed but obviously not learned how to use. However, now I´m one step further on the way ......

    First I quote what AIDA32 says about the tests:

    The results for my HDD with optical Slave:
    Buffered Read 73.0 MB/s average, 73.9-59.2 MB/s
    Linear Read 31.1 MB/s average, 38.8-18.5 MB/s from front to rear

    The results for my HDD without optical Slave:
    Buffered Read 73.2 MB/s average, 74.2-60.7 MB/s
    Linear Read 31.1 MB/s average, 38.8-18.5 MB/s from front to rear

    There was some background activity that disturbed the tests, which is why the Buffered Reads don´t match exactly.

    My conclusion is that the HDD is in Ultra DMA Mode 5 both with and without optical Slave.

    However, no joy lasts forever. When I disconnected the optical Slave, I unplugged the DVD-ROM but on restart the HDD still had a Slave. The CD-R/RW had been connected as Slave to the HDD and not the DVD-ROM as I thought.

    When reconnecting the optical devices, I put the DVD-ROM as Slave to the HDD and the CD-R/RW as Slave to the empty rack. The optical devices had swapped positions.

    When starting the computer, it took quite a long time, approximately double the normal time. The HDD light never went out until I opened and closed the DVD-ROM tray.

    The HDD was still running in Ultra DMA Mode 5 (I tested) but I shuffled connectors again and have the HDD and rack together and the opticals together. I didn´t think of jumpering the DVD-ROM as Slave instead of Cable Select but I´ll try that later, maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow.

    Christer
     
    Last edited: 2003/12/28
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    #27
  9. 2003/12/28
    giles

    giles Inactive

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    HI.

    Yes, I would just discount those tests and try them again sometimes when the moment hits. You're right on the verge of proving everything to yourself one way or the other. Very interesting.

    Giles
     
    giles,
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  10. 2003/12/28
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Hi Giles,

    The way I understand "discount" is to reduce the significance of the tests.
    Am I right that You are still not convinced ...... :confused: ...... what does it take?

    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  11. 2003/12/28
    giles

    giles Inactive

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    Hi Christer.

    Sorry, I wasn't looking to be convenienced one way or the other. Just helping get your hdd rack up and running ok. Like I said, the cable select is working ok for you and you can obviously switch the drives around most any way you want without worrying about what will run and what won't. The gurus are at odds about the true meaning of IDT since there are many different write-ups. Time will tell.

    Giles
     
    giles,
    #30
  12. 2003/12/28
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Okey Giles,
    I understand what You mean!

    I have again shuffled connectors and jumpers but the HDD will not run with the DVD as Slave no matter what.

    It´s kind of unnerving when booting the computer delivers a message saying "harddisk failure" ...... :eek: ...... especially since it´s an IBM 60GXP!

    My thought was to be able to read from the main HDD on the Primary and write to either the backup HDD in the rack or the CD-R/RW on the Secondary. That requires the DVD to be Slave to the main HDD but since that appears to not be possible, then I will separate the HDDs from the opticals.

    I now have the HDD as PM and the rack as PS, the CD-R/RW as SM and the DVD as SS. It will probably stay that way because I don´t want to buy a new DVD since I almost never use it and it isn´t certain that it will work.

    I surrender to the circumstances ...... :D ...... !

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #31
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