DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

Problem with my new Hard Disk...

11 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/problem-with-my-new-hard-disk.46155/

A
anilthomas26 Original post #1
Jan 11, 2007 at 7:36 PM
Hi,
I bought a new hard disk Samsung 200 GB SATA (7200 RPM).My old hard disk was Samsung 40 GB PATA.My problem is that I am not getting good speed.I tried a software "Hard Drive Inspector"(Link),it shows that "Work Mode : PIO mode 4(16.7 MB/s)".My motherboard is
MSI K8N NEO 4 PLATINUM.It supports SATA II.

When I tried this software in my friend's PC(SATA I),the software
shows that "Work Mode : DMA mode 4(133 MB/s)".Is there any changes that I should make in my BIOS(Raid Controller).


Thnx in advance
D
Jan 11, 2007 at 9:29 PM
Your HDD is so slow because it's working in PIO mode. To speed it up enable DMA mode.
A
Jan 11, 2007 at 10:44 PM
how will i enable the DMA mode?
ajayashish
Jan 11, 2007 at 11:04 PM
what are Those modes... and what is the functions of that
Arsenal_Gunners
Jan 11, 2007 at 11:25 PM
to enable dma mode go to>
1.start menu
2.control panel.(classic view here)
3.administrative tools
4.computer management
5.In the left pane select device manager.Then in the right pane
double-click IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers to display the list of controllers and channels.
6.Right-click the icon for the channel to which the device is connected, select Properties, and then click the Advanced Settings tab.
7.In the Current Transfer Mode drop-down box, select DMA if Available if the current setting is "PIO Only."
8.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.

For information on these modes go here-
pio
*en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmed_input/output
dma
*en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_memory_access

please rep me if this helps:)
A
Jan 11, 2007 at 11:41 PM
But when I double clicked on "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" i find only 3 options
"Nvidia nForce4 ADMA Controller
Nvidia nForce4 ADMA Controller
Nvidia nForce4 Parallel ATA Controller "

Then I double clicked on the first option,but i couldnt find any "Advanced tab"
The only tabs are.. General,Primary Channel,Secondary Channel,Resources,Detail and Driver and my hard disk is shown in the Secondary Channel
Arsenal_Gunners
Jan 11, 2007 at 11:51 PM
enable dma wherever you find it.
A
Jan 12, 2007 at 12:03 AM
The transfer mode is shown as "SerialATA Generation 2 -3G".But i cant change it

*img178.imageshack.us/img178/3356/dmagv3.jpg
Arsenal_Gunners
Jan 12, 2007 at 12:06 AM
no.no you have selected the wrong option from ide ata\atapi drop down.if this is the first try the other two
A
Jan 12, 2007 at 12:17 AM
I have told u that i have only 3 optoons when I doubled click the ATA/ATAPI controllers
"Nvidia nForce4 ADMA Controller
Nvidia nForce4 ADMA Controller
Nvidia nForce4 Parallel ATA Controller "


I unchecked the "Let BIOS Select the Transfer mode" then i got 3 options in
Transfer mode

"SerialATA Generation 2 -3G"
"SerialATA Generation 1 -1.5G"
"PIO Mode"

the first option is selected by default

Then where is the DMA mode?
Arsenal_Gunners
Jan 12, 2007 at 12:28 AM
I see,you dont have options like primary IDE channel,secondary IDE channel under ide ata\atapi.I have got them and dma settings are in them.
As you have got a raid configuration,it seems the settings are different then mine as I have only 1 hard disk and no experience with raid.(it seems you got to do something in bios)
Please reset the settings you have changed and wait for more experienced members to help.
well sorry as I am unable to help you in this case.You may try googling this problem,may be you will find something:)