Slow hard drive access times, gets slower with time!

[ssabripo]

does anyone know if I have to install some special driver or something for the WD Sata drives?

 

[ssabripo]

here is a video of the problem:

YouTube - Windows Vista Hard Drive performance issue

 

[ssabripo]

did anyone watch the video? did it help?

 

[NormCameron]

Hi ssabipro,

Watched the video. It is a really odd one. You say you have reinstalled Vista 3 times but the problem remains? Were these fresh installs? What software, codecs have you installed?

 

[Fumz]

Wow... that is very strange... it's almost as if your cpu is running at half speed or something, except that it's snappy on another account.

 

[NormCameron]

Just to get some things clear for me - You had this problem BEFORE you updated your system -BEFORE you got the new CPU, MOBO and Drives? - and BEFORE you reinstalled Vista 3 times. If this is so you could prety well discount Hardware AND Vista from the equation. What software do you have installed?

 

[ssabripo]

Just to get some things clear for me - You had this problem BEFORE you updated your system -BEFORE you got the new CPU, MOBO and Drives? - and BEFORE you reinstalled Vista 3 times. If this is so you could prety well discount Hardware AND Vista from the equation. What software do you have installed?

yes...it happened when I had VIsta32-bit installed on a P5B-deluxe + e6300 cpu.

then I upgraded to the current combo, replaced the HD's, replaced RAM, etc, and wanted to go 64bit, and same thing still happened.

no other software has been installed sans Firefox. I wanted to eliminate the possibility of software being the culprit here. As you saw in teh video, even if it was some software issue, why would it work perfectly fine on a new account, and not on this one?

btw, on another forum, a few people said they experienced something similar, and they either reverted back to XP or just live with it.

 

[ssabripo]

ps- the current copies of Vista I have are: a retail version of Vista32, and a MSDN version of Vista 64 ultimate (same as retail) with SP1.

 

[Fumz]

I've been thinking about this for 2 days man, lol... I hate being bothered like that. :D I know this sounds like it's coming from way out in left field, but humor me for a bit, at least so I can sleep tonight?

From the video, it looks to me like your cpu isn't running at full speed. Before it looked like your drives were spun down, but we removed that possibility when we set them to power off "never". Now while I doubt that your cpu isn't running slower than it should be, what's bugging me is that it's reacting as if it is. My thinking is that Speedstep is getting in your way.

So... to test my theory out... upon initial boot up we know that it takes forever and a day to access a drive; however, after that first initial wait period, does it also take just as long each time you access a drive/folder/file? For instance, if you click on Computer, wait for it, see Computer, then close Computer out, then immediately click Computer again, would it also take just as long? If not, what would happen if you waited 1 minute to click Computer again? How bout 15 minutes (given the default setting is 20 minutes)?

If (and this is the left field part) you can immediately access Computer with no wait on the second attempt, then that tells me (with my limited knowledge) that we're talking about a sleepy cpu (so to speak). It "works fine" switching users because switching users is cpu intensive... at least to the degree that it halts Speedstep.

There are a couple different things I'd like to try; although, I'm not quite sure in which order? First, I'd like to, in your bios' Advanced tab, set C1E Support to disable. Then, in the Vista Control Panel/System and Maintanence/Power Options/Change advanced power settings/processor power managment... set both fields to 100%.

We can change all that back later, but for now, I'm curious what would happen should you remove the Speedstep constraints?

 

[NormCameron]

Fumz, I think on his MOBO there is an option in BIOS to set Intel Speedstep to DISABLED.

 

[Fumz]

NormCameron,

Hi Norm,

You may be right? I looked at a few reviews of his board which displayed his bios settings; that's where I derived my information about disabling Speedstep for him from. If there is an easier way, by all means, let us know what it is. I don't own the board, and this is, afterall, just a theory (one I'm not married to)... so knock away, please.

I posted what I posted because Speedstep is a two step process (as far as I know); the first in the bios (C1E) and the second within the Operating System.

 

[NormCameron]

You're welcome Fumz. Just trying to help and learn. I get as much from these threads as the guys you are helping.

 

[NormCameron]

Asus P5 series MOBO. Pretty sure his is the same.


Advanced / CPU Configuration


Modify Ratio Support [Disabled] Default (change of CPU multiplier)
C1E Support [Enabled] Default,
Max CPUID Value Limit [Disabled] Default
Vanderpool Technology [Enabled] Default,
CPU TM function [Enabled] Default – don’t touch!
Execute Disable Bit [Enabled]Default – don’t touch!
Intel® Speedstep Tech. [Enabled] Default

 

[Fumz]

Like I said, I don't own the board, so I, of course, defer to you on these matters, since you do. What do you make of my theory? Is it plausible? That video just kills me every time I look at it.... because I've seen it before, and everytime I've seen some crap like that, it's always been the result of a cpu set with the wrong jumper.... of course, we're well beyond those days... but... the result is the same... so what say you?

 

[NormCameron]

Well, I'm no expert but I don't believe it is a Vista problem and Fumz' notion that is to do with the CPU or jumper seems to me to be a pretty shrewd analysis of your problem. I'd be starting there at least.

 

[Fumz]

But that's the thing... we stopped using jumpers to manipulate fsb about 7-10 years ago. If it were a "Vista' problem, well, then we'd all have it, right, so let's try my Speedstep idea? what could it hurt?

 

[NormCameron]

Sorry Fumz, I was agreeing with you. Speedstep has been a known problem on some Asus boards for quite a while. You are absolutely right.

 

[Fumz]

If there's a reluctance to test some setting, let me know what it is? I can't screw with my or my wife's machines, but I do have 2 test machihnes sets up right now (both nforce boards ) ready to completely screw up. Just gimme the word...

I'm old school though... measure twice, cut once... if we're going to **** the rig, then lets **** it right... right?

 

[ssabripo]

Hi Furmz/Norm,

yes, I thought about Speedstep, and it certainly is worth a try to double check, which I will when I get home tonite. By default, I believe the BIOS setting is enabled, but I can disable that in BIOS.

here is my thoughts though:
* as Furmz mentioned, if I clicked on "computer" and it takes forever, unfortunately the subsequent folders/drives are also slow! If you watch the video, towards the 2nd half of it, I come back to the bad account and you can see that happen. Also, I opened some pictures and you could see how long that took, and even longer to go to the next picture. So it is not like the CPU is just crawling at first and then it wakes up...it just stays slow.
* if the CPU was the culprit, even with speedstep engaged, we are talking about 1/2 the CPU speed, which in my case would be 1.8ghz (currently running at 3.6ghz). I would think that is still fast enough. And again, it would occurr on both new accounts and old accounts, no?


one comment from the youtube video I got, which someone at work also mentioned to me, was that it could be something to do with Vista Ultimate and my hardware. They mentioned that once they went to Vista Home Premium, this issue got resolved.
I don't know how that would make a difference, but I guess it is worth a try? what do you guys think?

 

[NormCameron]

I'd try Speedstep first. I think the Home Premium option is a phurphy, this isn't a problem I've encountered before. If all else fails do it but I'm not sure it will resolve the problem.