Disable DMA

[Guest]

I want to be able to disable DMA. My problem is that I don't have an "Advanced Settings" tab in my Device Manager->IDE ATA/ATAPI Controller.

Does anybody know why I don't have an "Advanced Settings" tab?
Does anybody know how else I can disable the DMA?

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Kelly Cotter]

I want to be able to disable DMA. My problem is that I don't have an
"Advanced Settings" tab in my Device Manager->IDE ATA/ATAPI
Controller.

Does anybody know why I don't have an "Advanced Settings" tab?
Does anybody know how else I can disable the DMA?

Thanks,
Andrew

why do you want to disable dma ?

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

If you have an Intel based Mobo, uninstall the Intell Application
Accelerator. Then change the Drives for DMA to PIO. Reboot. The only
reason I can think of that might require you to do this is a firmware flash.

Bobby

 

[Guest]

That was it! Once I uninstalled the accelerator the Advanced Settings tab re-appeared. I needed to disable the DMA so that I could update the firmware on my DVD burner.

Thanks again.
Andrew

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

Glad to have helped!!

Bobby

That was it! Once I uninstalled the accelerator the Advanced Settings tab
re-appeared. I needed to disable the DMA so that I could update the
firmware on my DVD burner.

Thanks again.
Andrew

 

[Ted]

If you have an Intel based Mobo, uninstall the Intell Application
Accelerator. Then change the Drives for DMA to PIO. Reboot. The
only reason I can think of that might require you to do this is a
firmware flash.

Bobby

I have a different problem: I can't enable DMA and do not have the
advanced tab. Uninstalling the accelerator did not create the tab. My
Mobo is DFI NB730-EA with an intel 845E chipset. It only came to my
attention when I reinstalled my ATI all-in-Wonder graphics card software
and was advised that some performance may be compromised because of the
lack of enabled DMA on my hard drives. I have researched MS knowledge-
base docs and am aware of the degrading of drive I/O thru crc and other
errors, but that does not seem to be my problem. The advanced tab under
device manager for ide controlers just does not exist. Any suggestions?

 

[Anna]

(Snip): I can't enable DMA and do not have the
advanced tab. Uninstalling the accelerator did not create the tab. My
Mobo is DFI NB730-EA with an intel 845E chipset. It only came to my
attention when I reinstalled my ATI all-in-Wonder graphics card software
and was advised that some performance may be compromised because of the
lack of enabled DMA on my hard drives. I have researched MS knowledge-
base docs and am aware of the degrading of drive I/O thru crc and other
errors, but that does not seem to be my problem. The advanced tab under
device manager for ide controlers just does not exist. Any suggestions?

Ted:
I take it from what you've stated that you disabled your Intel Application
Accelerator. Am I correct about this and if so, can you tell me *why* you
did so?

Ordinarily one uses the IAA with the Intel 845E Chipset. When the IAA is
installed it modifies Device Manager's IDE Properties sheet for the IDE
controllers by eliminating the DMA/PIO info & settings. Info & settings re
this item can be found in Program Files > Intel > Intel Application
Accelerator >intelata.exe file. Access that file and you will see the
"Current Transfer Mode" of the device connected to the IDE channel in which
you're interested. Ordinarily, the IAA automatically configures your
IDE/ATAPI devices for the *maximum* transfer mode possible. Assuming we're
dealing with a relatively modern drive capable of UDMA-5 or 6, the "Transfer
Mode Limit" item should show "No Limit" and the "Current Transfer Mode"
should reflect the device is working at that maximum mode. If it's not,
theoretically you can change the "Transfer Mode Limit" to that maximum mode,
but if there's a problem with the device - it's defective in some way,
mechanically/electrically, incorrect connection/configuration, operating
system file corruption, etc - the change won't stick. You've got to find the
underlying reason for the reason why the device is not operating at its full
UDMA potential.
Anna

 

[Ted]

Ted:
I take it from what you've stated that you disabled your Intel
Application Accelerator. Am I correct about this and if so, can you
tell me *why* you did so?

Yes, I disabled the Intel Application Accelerator as an extrapolation of
the discussion initiated in this thread (suggestion of "NoNoBadDog!").
Subsequently I have reinstalled the IAA.

Ordinarily one uses the IAA with the Intel 845E Chipset. When the IAA
is installed it modifies Device Manager's IDE Properties sheet for
the IDE controllers by eliminating the DMA/PIO info & settings. Info &
settings re this item can be found in Program Files > Intel > Intel
Application Accelerator >intelata.exe file. Access that file and you
will see the "Current Transfer Mode" of the device connected to the
IDE channel in which you're interested. Ordinarily, the IAA
automatically configures your IDE/ATAPI devices for the *maximum*
transfer mode possible. Assuming we're dealing with a relatively
modern drive capable of UDMA-5 or 6, the "Transfer Mode Limit" item
should show "No Limit" and the "Current Transfer Mode" should reflect
the device is working at that maximum mode. If it's not, theoretically
you can change the "Transfer Mode Limit" to that maximum mode, but if
there's a problem with the device - it's defective in some way,
mechanically/electrically, incorrect connection/configuration,
operating system file corruption, etc - the change won't stick. You've
got to find the underlying reason for the reason why the device is not
operating at its full UDMA potential.
Anna

Access to the IAA .exe file did indeed identify the Transfer Mode Limit
as "No Limit" and the Current Transfer Rate as UDMA-5 for the hard
drives and UDMA-2 for the DVD writer drive. So I guess things are as
they should be. Thanks for the assistance.
Ted

 

[Guest]

I had no idea I even had something called DMA on my computer until I
installed an external dvd drive and tried to open a program, it told me I
needed to turn DMA on to use it?

If I uninstall the program that needed it, will this turn DMA off again? If
not, how do I change it back to the original settings before the program was
installed?

Louise

 

[Jim]

I had no idea I even had something called DMA on my computer until I
installed an external dvd drive and tried to open a program, it told me I
needed to turn DMA on to use it?

If I uninstall the program that needed it, will this turn DMA off again?
If
not, how do I change it back to the original settings before the program
was
installed?

Louise

Louise:

DMA is the acronym for Direct Memory Access. It is an access mode. When a
drive is acting in DMA mode, the drive electronics reads and writes directly
to a memory buffer.
PIO is the acronym for Programmed Input Output. It is an access mode. When
a drive is acting in PIO mode, the drive electroniis reads and writes
dirctly to a cpu register.

DMA mode is by far the faster one. PIO, however, may be more reliable.

If you really want your computer to grind to a halt, just set the system
disk to PIO mode, and go for a loooong walk.

Jim