DVD/CD-RW combo very slow

Hello,

I have a problem with my Sony CRX-300A DVD/CD-RW combo drive...

It takes a lot of time to browse (or even read) the contents
of a CD or to copy it on the hard disk. I thought it might be
caused by OS drivers or its configuration (Windows XP), but
the same problem can be observed when I try to reinstall the
OS (the drive needs so much time to read the CD, that I can't
boot the OS installer from it).

The most strange thing is that when I connect this Sony drive
to *other PC* it works perfect. So the drive alone seems to be
OK.

Even more strange is that when I unplug the Sony, and connect
other CD-RW drive instead, it works perfect (the same PC, the same
IDE cable etc.). So the motherboard / IDE channel alone seems to
be OK.

After doing all of the above tests I thought it might be the BIOS
that causes these problems. So I started downgrading the BIOS.
Tested all BIOS versions available (Asus A7N8X motherboard).
It didn't help.

What can be wrong?

Any suggestions highly appreciated.

Greetings,
Tom.

"tomek" <> wrote in message
news:cmit2j$jc3$...
> It takes a lot of time to browse (or even read) the contents
> of a CD or to copy it on the hard disk. I thought it might be
> caused by OS drivers or its configuration (Windows XP), but
> the same problem can be observed when I try to reinstall the
> OS (the drive needs so much time to read the CD, that I can't
> boot the OS installer from it).

Is DMA enabled in Device Manager ?

U¿ytkownik "S.Heenan" <> napisa³ w wiadomo¶ci
news:e_6jd.134129$%k.29571@pd7tw2no...
>
> "tomek" <> wrote in message
> news:cmit2j$jc3$...
> > It takes a lot of time to browse (or even read) the contents
> > of a CD or to copy it on the hard disk. I thought it might be
> > caused by OS drivers or its configuration (Windows XP), but
> > the same problem can be observed when I try to reinstall the
> > OS (the drive needs so much time to read the CD, that I can't
> > boot the OS installer from it).
>
> Is DMA enabled in Device Manager ?

Yes, it is (Ultra DMA-2). I am sure it's not the problem on the OS-level
as the drive works very slowly also when I try to boot the system from
a CD (so in fact, at the time of booting, there is no operating system yet).

Greetings,
Tomek.

Uzytkownik "Pandora Xero" <> napisal w wiadomosci
news:CKadnTPobK351RDcRVn-...
> S.Heenan wrote:
> > "tomek" <> wrote in message
> > news:cmit2j$jc3$...
> >
> >>It takes a lot of time to browse (or even read) the contents
> >>of a CD or to copy it on the hard disk. I thought it might be
> >>caused by OS drivers or its configuration (Windows XP), but
> >>the same problem can be observed when I try to reinstall the
> >>OS (the drive needs so much time to read the CD, that I can't
> >>boot the OS installer from it).
> >
> >
> > Is DMA enabled in Device Manager ?

Yes, it is.

> Alternately, what kind of cable are you using, and how many watts is
> your power supply. using an old 40 conductor cable can cause speed
> problems, as can not having a power supply that supplies enough power.
> third, whats your DMA setting for the drive in BIOS, that can sometimes
> affect speed as well

I have tried 4 different cables (these cables, when used on my PC *with*
the Sony DVD/R-W, do not work, while when used on other PC - do work).
Also, the same cables when used on my PC with a *different* RW drive,
do work.

For the power supply, it is an old one, but the drive used to work with this
power supply in the past. The problems I described did not appear at the
time I first connected the drive after I had bought it. It was working fine
for a few months, then started to fail. The only thing I can remember
that has changed in the system was the BIOS (I installed the newest one),
and (possibly - not 100% sure here) the IDE cable (I *might* have given
away the one that was bundled with the drive ).

Access mode in BIOS is set to "auto", and the BIOS detects correctly
that it is Ultra DMA -2.

Greetings,
Tomek.

S.Heenan wrote:
> "tomek" <> wrote in message
> news:cmit2j$jc3$...
>
>>It takes a lot of time to browse (or even read) the contents
>>of a CD or to copy it on the hard disk. I thought it might be
>>caused by OS drivers or its configuration (Windows XP), but
>>the same problem can be observed when I try to reinstall the
>>OS (the drive needs so much time to read the CD, that I can't
>>boot the OS installer from it).
>
>
> Is DMA enabled in Device Manager ?
>
>

Alternately, what kind of cable are you using, and how many watts is
your power supply. using an old 40 conductor cable can cause speed
problems, as can not having a power supply that supplies enough power.
third, whats your DMA setting for the drive in BIOS, that can sometimes
affect speed as well

--Xero

--
if all else fails: go fsck yourself!

the email address is not real (leading numbers are an obvious
indication) to get the real address, take each individual part
and flip it around so would be

tomek wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have a problem with my Sony CRX-300A DVD/CD-RW combo drive...
>
> It takes a lot of time to browse (or even read) the contents
> of a CD or to copy it on the hard disk. I thought it might be
> caused by OS drivers or its configuration (Windows XP), but
> the same problem can be observed when I try to reinstall the
> OS (the drive needs so much time to read the CD, that I can't
> boot the OS installer from it).
>
> The most strange thing is that when I connect this Sony drive
> to *other PC* it works perfect. So the drive alone seems to be
> OK.
>
> Even more strange is that when I unplug the Sony, and connect
> other CD-RW drive instead, it works perfect (the same PC, the same
> IDE cable etc.). So the motherboard / IDE channel alone seems to
> be OK.
>
> After doing all of the above tests I thought it might be the BIOS
> that causes these problems. So I started downgrading the BIOS.
> Tested all BIOS versions available (Asus A7N8X motherboard).
> It didn't help.
>
> What can be wrong?
>
> Any suggestions highly appreciated.
>
> Greetings,
> Tom.
>
10 d0 1 żę pochodzisz z mojego pięknego kraju.

"tomek" <> wrote in message news:<cmji89$d9i$>...
> Uzytkownik "Pandora Xero" <> napisal w wiadomosci
> news:CKadnTPobK351RDcRVn-...
> > S.Heenan wrote:
> > > "tomek" <> wrote in message
> > > news:cmit2j$jc3$...
> > >
> > >>It takes a lot of time to browse (or even read) the contents
> > >>of a CD or to copy it on the hard disk. I thought it might be
> > >>caused by OS drivers or its configuration (Windows XP), but
> > >>the same problem can be observed when I try to reinstall the
> > >>OS (the drive needs so much time to read the CD, that I can't
> > >>boot the OS installer from it).
> > >
> > >
> > > Is DMA enabled in Device Manager ?
>
> Yes, it is.
>
> > Alternately, what kind of cable are you using, and how many watts is
> > your power supply. using an old 40 conductor cable can cause speed
> > problems, as can not having a power supply that supplies enough power.
> > third, whats your DMA setting for the drive in BIOS, that can sometimes
> > affect speed as well
>
> I have tried 4 different cables (these cables, when used on my PC *with*
> the Sony DVD/R-W, do not work, while when used on other PC - do work).
> Also, the same cables when used on my PC with a *different* RW drive,
> do work.
>
> For the power supply, it is an old one, but the drive used to work with this
> power supply in the past. The problems I described did not appear at the
> time I first connected the drive after I had bought it. It was working fine
> for a few months, then started to fail. The only thing I can remember
> that has changed in the system was the BIOS (I installed the newest one),
> and (possibly - not 100% sure here) the IDE cable (I *might* have given
> away the one that was bundled with the drive ).
>
> Access mode in BIOS is set to "auto", and the BIOS detects correctly
> that it is Ultra DMA -2.
>
> Greetings,
> Tomek.


Hallo aus Bern!

Try adding more memory to your computer. or upgradeing to a faster kind of
memory
"tomek" <> wrote in message
news:cmit2j$jc3$...
> Hello,
>
> I have a problem with my Sony CRX-300A DVD/CD-RW combo drive...
>
> It takes a lot of time to browse (or even read) the contents
> of a CD or to copy it on the hard disk. I thought it might be
> caused by OS drivers or its configuration (Windows XP), but
> the same problem can be observed when I try to reinstall the
> OS (the drive needs so much time to read the CD, that I can't
> boot the OS installer from it).
>
> The most strange thing is that when I connect this Sony drive
> to *other PC* it works perfect. So the drive alone seems to be
> OK.
>
> Even more strange is that when I unplug the Sony, and connect
> other CD-RW drive instead, it works perfect (the same PC, the same
> IDE cable etc.). So the motherboard / IDE channel alone seems to
> be OK.
>
> After doing all of the above tests I thought it might be the BIOS
> that causes these problems. So I started downgrading the BIOS.
> Tested all BIOS versions available (Asus A7N8X motherboard).
> It didn't help.
>
> What can be wrong?
>
> Any suggestions highly appreciated.
>
> Greetings,
> Tom.
>