Hard Drive Showing as Ultra DMA Mode 3 instead of Ultra DMA Mode 4

[Guest]

I have a hard drive that is showing as Ultra DMA Mode 3 (other times it shows
as Multi-Word DMA Mode 2) in the Primary IDE Channel Properties . I believe
this should be showing as Ultra DMA Mode 4, which corresponds to 66.7 MB/s.

Here is what I have in my system:
Windows XP
ABIT KT7 Motherboard (Supports Ultra DMA 66)
Maxtor 52049U4 (Google - UDMA 66) - attached to end of cable.
80 Conductor Cable

I talked with maxtor technical support and they told me that it is very
unlikely that a faulty drive would go down to UDMA 3, then to Multi-Word DMA
Mode 2.

I did a "Pause Break" at at bootup and found the following information:
First Screen: Maxtor 52049U4 DAC10SC0
Second Screen: Prim. Master Disk: LBA, ATA66, 20491MB

So it looks like at bootup the drive is detected as ATA66 but once in
Windows XP, it is beeing detected as UDMA 3 OR Multi-Word DMA Mode 2.

I installed the VIA Hyperion 4in1 version 4.43 (VIA Bus Master IDE
Controller Date 7/1/2001, Driver Version 5.1.3597.0.)

The drive still go down to UDMA 3 or to Multi-Word DMA Mode 2.

Appreciate your suggestions, on what else I can look for so that this drive
could be Ultra DMA Mode 4.

THANKS

 

[R. McCarty]

When in BIOS setup, how is the drive detected ? ( Auto or Manual ).
Check the parameters shown for the drive, such as Access mode (LBA)
and if available it's operating mode. Usually, it will have an option that
reads Enabled UDMA.

In Windows make sure the other tap on the IDE controller is set =
None if the Maxtor is the only device on the channel. You may have
experienced the "Step-Down" operating mode issue. Whenever XP
counts a certain # of errors it automatically reduces the device's mode
to a slower speed to see if the error(s) stop. Unfortunately, it's a one
way process - once stepped down the optimal mode is lost. There is
a Registry edit that tells XP to reset the error counter on a successful
transfer. Most times you just have to uninstall the Pri/Sec controller &
reboot to allow XP to re-detect attached devices. Doing this, the disk
should have it's optimal performance setting.

One other suggestion is the swap the 80-pin cable for a new one and
also check the drive jumpering. Some models have a jumper setting
that clamps the operating mode.

 

[Rock]

I have a hard drive that is showing as Ultra DMA Mode 3 (other times it
shows
as Multi-Word DMA Mode 2) in the Primary IDE Channel Properties . I
believe
this should be showing as Ultra DMA Mode 4, which corresponds to 66.7
MB/s.

Here is what I have in my system:
Windows XP
ABIT KT7 Motherboard (Supports Ultra DMA 66)
Maxtor 52049U4 (Google - UDMA 66) - attached to end of cable.
80 Conductor Cable

I talked with maxtor technical support and they told me that it is very
unlikely that a faulty drive would go down to UDMA 3, then to Multi-Word
DMA
Mode 2.

I did a "Pause Break" at at bootup and found the following information:
First Screen: Maxtor 52049U4 DAC10SC0
Second Screen: Prim. Master Disk: LBA, ATA66, 20491MB

So it looks like at bootup the drive is detected as ATA66 but once in
Windows XP, it is beeing detected as UDMA 3 OR Multi-Word DMA Mode 2.

I installed the VIA Hyperion 4in1 version 4.43 (VIA Bus Master IDE
Controller Date 7/1/2001, Driver Version 5.1.3597.0.)

The drive still go down to UDMA 3 or to Multi-Word DMA Mode 2.

Appreciate your suggestions, on what else I can look for so that this
drive
could be Ultra DMA Mode 4.

http://www.michna.com/kb/WxDMA.htm

 

[Guest]

Here is some of the info I found:
1. In BIOS for Oboard IDE 1- Controler is "Enabled", Master Drive PIO Mode
"Auto", Select Drive PIO Mode "Auto", Master Drive Ultra DMA "Auto", Slave
Drive Ultra DMA "Auto"

2. In BIOS Access Mode "Auto"

3. In Device Manager in the Primary IDE Channel Properties, Device 0 is
"Auto Detection" and Device 1 is "Auto Detection." Do you think I should put
this to 'None" or is "Auto Detection" fine.

Appreciate your suggestions, and what else I might look into to solve this
problem.

THANKS

 

[Guest]

I just replaced the 80 conductor cable with another one, and the hard drive
on IDE 1 still shows as Ultra DMA Mode 3.

Do you guys know what else, can I do so that this drive shows as Ultra DMA
Mode 4?

THANKS