ATA100 vs. ATA133

[De Moni]

My mainboard (ASrock K7VT4APro/VIA KT400A) supports ATA133 and so does
my hard drive (160Gt Samsung). Currently HDD is running in UDMA5
(ATA100) mode because HDTach displayed about 10mb/s lower performance
with UDMA6 (ATA133). Why?

 

[Frodo]

http://www.samsung.com/Products/HardDiskDrive/support/faqs/faqs_20050422_0000115202.htm
From Samsung website







Home > Products > Storage Products > Hard Disk Drive > FAQ

Hard Disk Drive


Date Subject
Apr 22,2005 UDMA-6(UDMA133) not support

Question
My drive is recognized as UDMA 100 while it is
UDMA 133.


Answer
* Syptom
The drive is recognized as UDMA 100 while it
is UDMA 133.

* Cause
Because some motherboards have a problem for
supporting UDMA-6(133), we set UDMA mode as
UDMA-5(100) during the production.

* Solution
Please use the HUTIL for confirming or
switching the UDMA mode on the drive if your motherboard supports UDMA-6.
Because some motherboards have a problem for
supporting UDMA-6(133), we set UDMA mode as UDMA-5(100) during the
production.
You can switch the drive's UDMA modes with the
udma6.exe or HUTIL. (HUTIL has been uploaded on Utilities page) Switching
UDMA modes with the HUTIL does not effect the data on the drive.
However we strongly recommend that you back
your data up prior to executing these tools.
After switching the drive's UDMA modes, you
should also confirm whether your systems's chipset driver is the latest
version or not.
And Win-XP is the only OS that you can see the
UMDA mode as 'UDMA mode-6', other OSs just display something like that 'DMA
mode enabled'.

 

[De Moni]

http://www.samsung.com/Products/HardDiskDrive/support/faqs/faqs_20050422_0000115202.htm
From Samsung website

So? I have the latest drivers etc. and have enabled UDMA6 with HUTIL,
but performance is worse than UDMA5. Why do they say ATA133 is supported
if it doesn't work fully?

 

[Rod Speed]

Frodo wrote

So? I have the latest drivers etc. and have enabled UDMA6 with HUTIL, but performance is worse
than UDMA5.

And Samsung is saying that some motherboards have a problem supporting ATA133 properly.

Presumably you get that result because yours is one of those motherboards.

Why do they say ATA133 is supported if it doesn't work fully?

Ask your motherboard manufacturer.

 

[Frodo]

All manufacturuers want to put the best light on their product
and sell it as much as they can.

 

[Arno Wagner]

My mainboard (ASrock K7VT4APro/VIA KT400A) supports ATA133 and so does
my hard drive (160Gt Samsung). Currently HDD is running in UDMA5
(ATA100) mode because HDTach displayed about 10mb/s lower performance
with UDMA6 (ATA133). Why?

Probably some synchronisation issue. E.g. with ATD133 some
buffer gets full ans there has to be a costly stop-restart
operation somewere along the data-path or the like.

Arno

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

Probably some synchronisation issue. E.g. with ATD133 some
buffer gets full ans there has to be a costly stop-restart
operation somewere along the data-path or the like.

Another brainfart, Arnie?

 

[robotron -x-]

Are you using an ata133 cable running from your MB to your hard drive?

 

[De Moni]

Are you using an ata133 cable running from your MB to your hard drive?

Oh, well. So ATA133 needs a special cable also? Then I guess it's not
worth it to rush buying one... Or has someone noticed ATA133 MASSIVELY
faster than ATA100? Shortening BF2 verifying times was my primary goal

 

[Arno Wagner]

Oh, well. So ATA133 needs a special cable also? Then I guess it's not
worth it to rush buying one... Or has someone noticed ATA133 MASSIVELY
faster than ATA100? Shortening BF2 verifying times was my primary goal

What nonsense is that? ATA133 uses the normal ATA66 cable. And no,
even if it wirks perfectly, it is not really faster than ATA100.

Arno

 

[Rod Speed]

robotron -x- wrote:

Oh, well. So ATA133 needs a special cable also?

It needs the same 80 wire cable that ATA100 needs.

Then I guess it's not worth it to rush buying one...

Its possibly the problem if you have one of those
stupid round cables that flout the ATA standard.

Or has someone noticed ATA133 MASSIVELY faster than ATA100?

Nope, ATA100 is plenty fast enough for that drive.

Shortening BF2 verifying times was my primary goal

Wont make any difference at all to that.