Drive Buffering and Burning Speed Troubles???

[DavidEC]

The following is a cross post from the CDFreaks where I was not getting any replies.....

Now that CDSpeed 4.5 now shows:
* Added seperate Create Disc function with following improvements
- buffer level display, both graphically and numerically
- CPU usage display, both graphically and numerically

The question is (since this seems to effect both of my DVD Writers {NEC and a HP/LG drive}):

Why is it that when I create a 'data DVD disc' I get a really nice stair step burn up to 16X

The data disc's CPU cycles stays a steady 3% while the .ISO burn the CPU cycles jump between 1% and 39%???

Also when I try to burn an .ISO the buffer is jumping all over the place at about the .5gb point in the burn and the burn starts having varying speeds from a low of 2.5X but never tops 10X.

I have turned off all visible background programs, defragged the harddrives and even unplugged the computer from the network just to make sure...

Something is telling me that there must be some sort of setting in WindowsXP for harddrive or CD-Rom buffering that I must have set wrong but I don't have any ideas (or remember) what I or some speed tweek setting that changed and really slowed down my harddrive access and no idea as to where to start looking . ... . HELP!

[OneSickPup]

You may have already taken these steps - If so please ignore:

1. Verify that no drives - burners or hard drives - are running in PIO mode.

2. If everything is in DMA mode - Run a burst rate test on both burners to insure > 22-23 MBs

What media are you testing with? What specific drive models are you using?

[bevills1]

Are DVD writers on IDE channels separate from HDD? HDDs should be on one channel and other drives should be on another channel.

[DavidEC]

1. Verify that no drives - burners or hard drives - are running in PIO mode.

As far as I can tell DMA is turned on all drives.

2. If everything is in DMA mode - Run a burst rate test on both burners to insure > 22-23 MBs

What program can I use to test the burst rate? As when I run NERO and tell it to test speeds it reports back that I could be able to burn DVD's at 32X and CD-ROM at 62X

What media are you testing with? What specific drive models are you using?

IDE Channel "0"
The Harddrives are both: [both are less than a year old]
Seagate: ST3160023A

IDE Channel "1"
The DVD drives:
Master: HP 740i/b w/ HJ24 firmware
Slave: NEC 3540 w/1.04 Liggy firmware

It does not seem to mater as to which media I am using as I have tested with (all DVD+R)
Maxell 002 / 003 /004,
Verbatium 16X, 16X Printable, 8X Lightscribe MCC 03/04 based media,
HP 8X Lightscribe CMC MAG E01 based media.
TDK 8X printable CMC MAG E01 based

--David

[OneSickPup]

What program can I use to test the burst rate?

Nero CD-DVD Speed - Insert a non-blank DVD (anything you have burned is fine) - Then hit F6 function key - Will display burst rate in bottom right corner.

Do this for both burners.

[DavidEC]

What program can I use to test the burst rate?

Nero CD-DVD Speed - Insert a non-blank DVD (anything you have burned is fine) - Then hit F6 function key - Will display burst rate in bottom right corner.

Do this for both burners.

The NEC_3540 _Dive_F_ reports a burst rate of : 22mb


HD Tune: ST3160023A Benchmark _C_

Transfer Rate Minimum : 17.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 41.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 36.5 MB/sec
Access Time : 15.1 ms
Burst Rate : 44.6 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 4.8%

HD Tune: ST3160023A Benchmark _D_

Transfer Rate Minimum : 29.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 42.3 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 39.8 MB/sec
Access Time : 15.0 ms
Burst Rate : 44.5 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 5.7%

[OneSickPup]

The NEC_3540 _Dive_F_ reports a burst rate of : 22mb

HD Tune: ST3160023A Benchmark _C_

Transfer Rate Minimum : 17.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 41.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 36.5 MB/sec
Access Time : 15.1 ms
Burst Rate : 44.6 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 4.8%

HD Tune: ST3160023A Benchmark _D_

Transfer Rate Minimum : 29.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 42.3 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 39.8 MB/sec
Access Time : 15.0 ms
Burst Rate : 44.5 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 5.7%

22 MB/sec is sufficient for a 16x burn on that NEC 3540. Burst rate findings on the hard drives looks good so you can pretty much rule out the burner and any ide controller issues AFAIK. I am not aware of any XP setting that could effect this (again AFAIK). At this point I have no idea. Maybe if you post the pc's hardware configuration (CPU-Ram-Motherboard type-etc) it might ring a bell with somebody. Do any other processes you perform seem unusually slow lately (or anything that seems to have noticeably changed)