32-bit Disk Access is a misnomer because it doesn't really allow 32-bit
access to the hard disk. What it actually does is set the IDE controller
to combine two 16-bit reads from the hard disk into a single 32-bit
double word transfer to the processor. This makes more efficient use of
the PCI bus as fewer transactions are needed for the transfer of a
particular amount of data.
If disabled, data transfers from the IDE controller to the processor
will then occur only in 16-bits. This degrades performance, of course,
so you should enable it if possible.
Install IDE or.ATA drivers from your motherboard CD.
regards,
ssg MS-MVP
Jonathan Upright wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I recently installed Windows XP on a brand-new computer that I
> built. Specs are as follows:
>
> AMD Sempron 3100+
> ASUS K8S-MX Motherboard
> 1GB DDR (Kingston Brand)
> 250GB Western Digital Hard Drive (NOT Serial-ATA) Separated into 2
> equal-size partitions. Drive C: is 11% full, Drive D: is 73% full
> File System: NTFS
>
> I accidentally disabled 32-bit transfer mode in the BIOS before
> installing Windows XP. Now, this machine runs slower than an AMD Athlon
> 2400 with the same amount of memory. I re-enabled the 32-bit data
> transfer mode in the BIOS, but haven't seen any speed improvement. Will
> I have to format C: and reinstall WindowsXP to correct this problem?
>
> Please send your reply to: (E-Mail Removed)
>
> Thank you!
>
> Jonathan
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