32bit data transfer

[end user]

I have a P4P800dlx MB with 2 - 80 gig WD HD's. I noticed that the 32
bit data transfer in the bios has been disabled for both HD's . Should
it be enabled? If so would it be faster at opening programs?

Thanks

locust

 

[Ben Pope]

I have a P4P800dlx MB with 2 - 80 gig WD HD's. I noticed that the 32
bit data transfer in the bios has been disabled for both HD's . Should
it be enabled? If so would it be faster at opening programs?

I would have said that they should be enabled and that it would provide a
boost in performance.

Ben

 

[jaeger]

I have a P4P800dlx MB with 2 - 80 gig WD HD's. I noticed that the 32
bit data transfer in the bios has been disabled for both HD's . Should
it be enabled? If so would it be faster at opening programs?

A small boost at most, but there's no downside to enabling it.

 

[Cliff]

Just dug up my notes when I checked this setting out...

http://www.asusboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=c018d290d1c4222a9a763f18e1e551ec&threadid=49814



http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/modes_DMA.htm

- discusses 16 bit and 32 bit access

- IDE always transfer data at 16 bits (the cable has 16 wires for data
transfer)

- the PCI bus is 32 bits wide

- Enabling 32-bit access in the BIOS (if available) causes the PCI hard disk
interface controller to bundle together two 16-bit chunks of data from the
drive into a 32-bit group, which is then transmitted to the processor or
memory. This results in a small performance increase.

 

[end user]

Thanks to all for responding. I will try it out.

Locust