slow drag and drop to CD

[JH]

I do limited backups by dragging and dropping a few key folders to a CD in
Windows Explorer (or My Computer), then writing to the CD with the Windows CD
Writing Wizard. Recently the time to copy each folder to the temporary
folder Windows uses prior to the CD burning process (Documents and
settings/"User name"\local settings\application data\microsoft\CD
burning....) has lengthened from seconds to minutes for each folder. When
the Copying window is open the file names used to blur by. Now I have time
to read each one. The time span of the subsequent writing to the CD is
unchanged.
I can't figure out what has changed. The number and size of the files has
not changed significantly. I have run Spy Bot and Ad Aware and found no
spyware. I have disabled my virus scanning program and the process is still
slow. Task Manager shows no other process hogging the CPU and there is
plenty of available memory. I've looked in the Event Viewer and find no hard
disk errors. I defragmened my hard drive without any change. Any thoughts
as to what might be slowing the Copy process??
I am running XP SP2 on a laptop with a 1.4 gHz Celeron processor and 500 MB
of RAM.

 

[Vinod Chandramouli]

JH !

Try the following link

http://technodigits.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/is-your-hard-disk-cddvd-drives-too-slow-while-copying/

let us know if it works find

Vinod Chandramouli
http://169254.blogspot.com

 

[JH]

I reviewed my IDE channel settings per the suggested link and both are
already set to "DMA if available". So that's not the source of my slow down.

Let me clarify, since I think that link is addressing the actual physical CD
writing process. It is not the actual CD writing that has slowed. It is the
"Copying" of the files prior to the write process that is taking signifcantly
longer now.

What else can I try?

 

[Sam Hobbs]

I backup my system drive to a partition on another drive. It takes a couple
of hours but it is not excessive. Once it took a whole day, about 12 hours.
I did not know why so I let it run. Later I realized that I did not
disconnect the CD drive before doing the backup.

I am not sure about the newer technologies such as SATA, but older IDE
interfaces were dependent on the slowest speed of the two devices connected
to the interface. Each IDE interface has a primary and a secondary and if a
CD or DVD is connected to either then the other device, perhaps a fast hard
drive, can go only as fast as the CD or DVD.

Can that explain the problem?

 

[vinmike]

I have been trying to fix this EXACT problem for the last couple of months.
I hope ther is a solution, but I have not seen one.

I have gone so far as to replace cd drive, memory, and hard drive. Luckily
I can use the parts.

I am able to drag and drop on another computer on my wired network and
complete the process in close to the old faster time. I built and manage
both of the computers. The problem is looking very much like it is software
or OS related.

If you got it fixed I would appreciate the process.

 

[JH]

I'm back. My backup today was painfully slow. If I'm lucky these days a
100MB folder will copy in just under a minute and that's slower than it was
in the good ol' days. It took 10 minutes today despite trying a fresh start,
rebooting, etc. Task Manager says I've got memory to spare and System Idle
Process is using 98% of the CPU, so why is it slow? I thought I'd bring this
issue back to the top and see if anyone has ideas. Please reread my original
post for the details. While I was away I see that I'm not alone. Vinmike
has the same issue. The timing is odd. We both did backups quickly and
easily previously....then SOMTHING changed and now it's painfully slow.
What's the hold up?

 

[JH]

I'm back. My backup was painfully slow today, taking 10 times as long to
copy a 100MB folder than it took last week. So I thought I'd check and see
if any idea had been posted. All I find is that I'm not alone. Vinmike has
the same problem. Odd that we both noted a slow down in what was a quicker
process previously. SOMETHING changed, making the "copy" process of drag and
drop slow. What was it? Ideas, please. (You can reread my original post for
details of the issue.)

 

[Ed Covney]

For the heck of it, try turning OFF Windows indexing services.

Open Control Panel's Add or Remove Programs applet
(Programs and Features in Vista). In XP, click on the
Add/Remove Windows Components, and in Vista choose
"Turn Windows features on or off" (left pane.) In either
version, uncheck Indexing Service, and click OK.

Are you checking "Physical Memory" in TM? (on the
Performance tab).

On much space is on the source/target drives? What
b/u software do you use? What processes are running?

If nothing seems to work, boot in safe mode or turn
off all non-ms services and start-up items in msconfig.
If the back-up returns to normal, add back selected
startup & services til you find the culprit.

Ed

 

[JH]

I replied last week but it didn't post so I'll try again:

Windows indexing is not installed

I have checked Physical Memory and it is not low

My hard drive is 40 gb and only one third full. I use standard CD's which
may be empty or 3/4 full without any difference.

I am not using back up software. I am dragging and dropping. I have Sonic
DLA installed but the process is slow whether DLA is enabled or not.

I tried my back up routine in safe mode and the copy process was still slow.
The write process would not happen in safe mode, but that's not where the
problem is.

So Vinmike and I are still awaiting any other ideas.