New Machine Problem(s)

onelifecrisis · 10-08-09, 04:21 PM

My new machine arrived today. I've assembled it and installed Vista 64bit Home Basic, no problems in so far as that everything seems to work. The problem is that it is hideously slow. I've not done anything except install drivers, but installing them is taking forever (on my 5YO machine installing drivers - after reformatting/reinstalling windows - was way faster than this).

Maybe I did something wrong during the installation? According to TweakGuides.com, I was supposed to load SATA drivers (using the Load Drivers button) during Windows Setup, but I didn't know that at the time so I didn't do it. Not loading the drivers didn't seem to stop it from working, but now I'm worried that maybe my HDD is not working properly.

How do I check that my SATA2 HDD is in fact operating in "SATA2 mode" or whatever you call it? What else should I check? Thanks.

onelifecrisis · 10-08-09, 04:38 PM

I see that Write Caching is disabled. Could that be it? I'll enable it after WU has finished running and see if that helps.

onelifecrisis · 10-08-09, 06:00 PM

After letting WU run its course and enabling write caching on the disc, it's now running nice and fast like it should.

I'd still like some advice on checking that I have the right drivers, though. The device manager just says my HDD is an ATA device. It doesn't say whether it's SATA, SATA2, or PATA, or whatever, and from what I gather these discs can run in any of those modes...? So how do I know which one it's in?

CaptainHaplo · 10-08-09, 06:14 PM

Device Manager really gives little to no troubleshooting ability.

Vista supported Sata drives right out of the box, so you got through the install using default drivers. No issue there.

Your actual sata controller is built into the board - so the easiest way to make sure your using the right drivers would be check with the MB manufacturer and see if they have any available for DL. If so, its run setup.exe and your golden. If they DON'T have drivers - then they are saying your good with the windows default ones.

If your looking to get the most out of the box - check www.blackviper.com for a great list of tweaks and such you can use. Stopping unnecessary processes in the background is a real boost.

If your not very confident in additional tweaks, remember the golden rule of fixing things..... If it ain't broke - don't mess with it.

Reece · 10-09-09, 03:13 AM

PATA is simply the old IDE Parallel connection I think, if the HDD cable is a small red one I'd say SATA/SATA2.

Congrats on the purchase of the new system, hope it give trouble free service for years!

onelifecrisis · 10-13-09, 07:52 AM

I finally fixed it. In the BIOS I changed the "SATAII Operation Mode" from IDE to AHCI and now the disc is FAF!

Arclight · 10-15-09, 08:04 AM

Good, was just going to say that.

Though normally you need to reinstall OS after switching the control mode for the HD controller... at least on XP.

onelifecrisis · 10-15-09, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arclight

Good, was just going to say that.

Though normally you need to reinstall OS after switching the control mode for the HD controller... at least on XP.

Yeah, I was mistaken, I had actually changed the eSATAII (and IDE) operation mode from IDE to AHCI, which only altered my DVD-ROM/CR-RW drive (which is an old IDE drive, but seems to work now on ACHI mode, apparently).

When I realised my mistake and tried to set the SATAII mode to ACHI I got a BSOD.

However, when I changed the eSATAII/IDE mode I also changed the SATAII IDE mode from "compatible" to "enhanced" (whatever that means) which didn't require any software changes and did seem to boost my HDD speed. I ran tool called Tune HD (or something like that) and it said that my average read speed was 120Mb/s which I googled and it seems to be a pretty good speed. At any rate the main thing is that the disc is no longer chugging like it was when I first installed Vista+drivers.

10-08-09, 04:21 PM	#1
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	New Machine Problem(s) My new machine arrived today. I've assembled it and installed Vista 64bit Home Basic, no problems in so far as that everything seems to work. The problem is that it is hideously slow. I've not done anything except install drivers, but installing them is taking forever (on my 5YO machine installing drivers - after reformatting/reinstalling windows - was way faster than this). Maybe I did something wrong during the installation? According to TweakGuides.com, I was supposed to load SATA drivers (using the Load Drivers button) during Windows Setup, but I didn't know that at the time so I didn't do it. Not loading the drivers didn't seem to stop it from working, but now I'm worried that maybe my HDD is not working properly. How do I check that my SATA2 HDD is in fact operating in "SATA2 mode" or whatever you call it? What else should I check? Thanks. __________________ Freedom of speech - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

10-08-09, 04:38 PM	#2
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	I see that Write Caching is disabled. Could that be it? I'll enable it after WU has finished running and see if that helps. __________________ Freedom of speech - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

10-08-09, 06:00 PM	#3
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	After letting WU run its course and enabling write caching on the disc, it's now running nice and fast like it should. I'd still like some advice on checking that I have the right drivers, though. The device manager just says my HDD is an ATA device. It doesn't say whether it's SATA, SATA2, or PATA, or whatever, and from what I gather these discs can run in any of those modes...? So how do I know which one it's in? __________________ Freedom of speech - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

10-08-09, 06:14 PM	#4
CaptainHaplo Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,404 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	Device Manager really gives little to no troubleshooting ability. Vista supported Sata drives right out of the box, so you got through the install using default drivers. No issue there. Your actual sata controller is built into the board - so the easiest way to make sure your using the right drivers would be check with the MB manufacturer and see if they have any available for DL. If so, its run setup.exe and your golden. If they DON'T have drivers - then they are saying your good with the windows default ones. If your looking to get the most out of the box - check www.blackviper.com for a great list of tweaks and such you can use. Stopping unnecessary processes in the background is a real boost. If your not very confident in additional tweaks, remember the golden rule of fixing things..... If it ain't broke - don't mess with it. __________________ Good Hunting! Captain Haplo

10-09-09, 03:13 AM	#5
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 34,688 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	PATA is simply the old IDE Parallel connection I think, if the HDD cable is a small red one I'd say SATA/SATA2. Congrats on the purchase of the new system, hope it give trouble free service for years! __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

10-13-09, 07:52 AM	#6
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	I finally fixed it. In the BIOS I changed the "SATAII Operation Mode" from IDE to AHCI and now the disc is FAF! __________________ Freedom of speech - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

10-15-09, 08:04 AM	#7
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	Good, was just going to say that. Though normally you need to reinstall OS after switching the control mode for the HD controller... at least on XP. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.