DVD burn uses 100% CPU?

[Kate]

I have recently had to replace my DVD burner/reader and the one that
was supplied is a Sony DRU-190A with Nero 7 Essentials, OEM version.
Is it normal for such a drive to use 99-100% of the CPU. I can do
nothing else on the computer while it is burning a disk, and, as it is
achingly slow, it is very frustrating. My CPU is a Pentium 4,478 pin,
2.8GHZ, 533FSB, OS Win XP SP3, 1.5GB RAM.

Many thanks
Kate

 

[Bob I]

make sure the unit is set to Use DMA if available and is not using PIO mode.

Look in Device manager, IDE controllers, r-click Primary channel,
Properties, Advanced settings. If it has reverted to PIO, remove the
Primary channel and then click Action, Scan for hardware changes, to
reinstall it.

 

[Kate]

Bob, I did as you suggested, and it is set to Use DMA if available,
but Current Transfer Mode shows Not Applicable. Is that correct,
please? While I was in Device Manager, I rightclicked the DVD drive

Properties, and its location is shown as 1(1), which I think is

correct. I assume from your reply that using 100% of the CPU is not
usual, so if you can think of anything else I could investigate, I
would be very grateful. Incidentally, with Current Transfer Mode,
does Current mean an electricity current or does it mean "how things
are at the moment"?

Thank you for the reply.
Kate

 

[Paul]

Bob, I did as you suggested, and it is set to Use DMA if available,
but Current Transfer Mode shows Not Applicable. Is that correct,
please? While I was in Device Manager, I rightclicked the DVD drive
correct. I assume from your reply that using 100% of the CPU is not
usual, so if you can think of anything else I could investigate, I
would be very grateful. Incidentally, with Current Transfer Mode,
does Current mean an electricity current or does it mean "how things
are at the moment"?

Thank you for the reply.
Kate

See if you have a copy of Nero InfoTool. I have a copy (you can actually
download this one, without buying Nero), and my CDROM says "DMA off".
So you may be able to determine the transfer mode that way. (If doesn't
give much detail, but may give you more details than a rating of
"Not Applicable" )

The current transfer mode, is the mode being used at this instant
in time.

A reason for devices to change modes on their own, is described
in this article.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;817472

Paul

 

[Kate]

Paul, I used the Nero Info Tool, and, under Sony DVD RW it shows
"Supported DMA UDMA 0-4" and "Current DMA mode UDMA 2". As I said in
my earlier post to Bob, the location of this drive is shown as 1(1),
which I thought was the Primary IDE. Having had another look at
Device Manager, I now think it must be the Secondary IDE, as - unless
I am mistaken - Location 0 is the Primary IDE and is where my HDD and
CD-ROM drives are located. On the basis that location 1(1) *is* the
Secondary IDE, I checked in the Advanced tab and found that the
Transfer Mode was set at PIO only, which didn`t match what was showing
in the Nero Info Tool! I changed this to DMA if available, but
Current Transfer Mode remained at PIO only. However, when I rebooted
the computer this morning, it had changed to DMA if available. What I
shall have to do now is burn a disk to see if there is an improvement
in CPU usage. If I am wrong and location 1(1) *isn`t* the Secondary
IDE, and the change of Transfer Mode makes no difference, I guess I am
back to square one.

I apologise if I am flogging this subject to death, but if I have to
go back to the man who installed the drive and tell him something is
wrong, I want as much ammunition as possible to be able to argue my
case convincingly.

Thank you both for your input and patience.
Kate

 

[Kate]

Update :
Just burnt a DVD and it was MUCH better. CPU usage was only 2% and
burn and verify times were considerably shorter. In fact, the bit
that was the slowest was caching the files, but there were lots and
lots of them.

My thanks again to Bob and Paul for their help. I couldn`t have done
it without you.

Kate

 

[Bob I]

From your subsequent postings I see you have located and corrected the
DMA setting. You're welcome.