Can XP-Pro's delayed disk write feature be disabled?

  • Thread starter Thread starter HenriK
  • Start date Start date
H

HenriK

Although I previously posted this query to the 'XP General' list, no one
seems to have responded. Can anyone who reads this list assist?

I find that on an XP-Pro SP2 system, what I understand to be a delayed
disk write feature has some significant disadvantages in certain
circumstances.

Can the delayed disk write feature be defeated and, if so, what is the
process to do it. What are the disadvantages of defeating the delayed
disk write feature?

Thanks in advance for comments, suggestions, or pointers to information
where this issue has already been dealt with.
 
The term means that writes to the disk are cached and actually written
later. This allows you to return to the system faster. Were the writes
not cached, but written in real time, you might have to wait until the
writes completed before regaining access to the computer. So delayed
disk writing is a way to help speed your computer's performance.

If you defeat disk caching, probably nothing terrible will happen. You
might have to wait a few seconds for a write to complete before being
able to access Windows. But there's no real pressing reason to defeat
it...it's there for your benefit.

With disk caching defeated you will be able to remove an external drive
without invoking Safely Remove Hardware. With disk caching enabled, you
need SRH to be sure the cache is empty before you remove the drive,
otherwise delayed writes will be lost.

In any case, I advocate a conservative approach to computing, so I
always use SRH.
 
Leonard Grey said:
The term means that writes to the disk are cached and actually written
later. This allows you to return to the system faster. Were the writes not
cached, but written in real time, you might have to wait until the writes
completed before regaining access to the computer. So delayed disk writing
is a way to help speed your computer's performance.

If you defeat disk caching, probably nothing terrible will happen. You
might have to wait a few seconds for a write to complete before being able
to access Windows. But there's no real pressing reason to defeat it...it's
there for your benefit.

With disk caching defeated you will be able to remove an external drive
without invoking Safely Remove Hardware. With disk caching enabled, you
need SRH to be sure the cache is empty before you remove the drive,
otherwise delayed writes will be lost.

In any case, I advocate a conservative approach to computing, so I always
use SRH.
Click to expand...


HenriK:
Leonard is assuming - as I normally would - that you're referring to this
issue as it involves a USB-connected storage device, e.g., a flash drive or
external HDD. Is that the case, or are you referring to the write caching
feature with reference to an internally-installed HDD? If the latter, take a
look at...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330174
to see if the info there sheds any light on your query.
Anna
 
Actually, I was referring to all drives. 'Safely Remove Hardware'
applies only to removable drives.
 
Leonard Grey said:
Actually, I was referring to all drives. 'Safely Remove Hardware' applies
only to removable drives.
Click to expand...


Leonard:
OK. Since you referred to the Safely Remove Hardware process I assumed
(apparently incorrectly) that you were referring to the SRH icon in the
Taskbar's Notification area that triggers the "safe to remove hardware"
process which generally involves a USB-connected external device.
Anna
 
Anna said:
HenriK:
Leonard is assuming - as I normally would - that you're referring to this
issue as it involves a USB-connected storage device, e.g., a flash drive or
external HDD. Is that the case, or are you referring to the write caching
feature with reference to an internally-installed HDD? If the latter, take a
look at...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330174
to see if the info there sheds any light on your query.
Anna
Click to expand...
Thanks to Leonard and Anna for the comments. While I now better
understand what the delayed disk write is supposed to do, I'd still like
to know how to turn it off - if that is possible - for internal Zip
discs and external USB connected drives (my assumption being that if I
find the cure is worse than the disease, I can turn the delayed feature
back on).

Thanks again for your comments.
 
Thanks to Leonard and Anna for the comments. While I now better
understand what the delayed disk write is supposed to do, I'd still like
to know how to turn it off - if that is possible - for internal Zip discs
and external USB connected drives (my assumption being that if I find the
cure is worse than the disease, I can turn the delayed feature back on).

Thanks again for your comments.
Click to expand...


HenriK:
In the "Disk drives" section of Device Manager right-click on the device in
question and click on Properties.

Click on the "Policies" tab. Selecting the "Optimize for quick removal"
option will disable write caching re that device. The "Optimize for
performance" option enables write caching.
Anna
 
HenriK said:
Although I previously posted this query to the 'XP General' list,
no one seems to have responded. Can anyone who reads this list
assist?
I find that on an XP-Pro SP2 system, what I understand to be a
delayed disk write feature has some significant disadvantages in
certain circumstances.

Can the delayed disk write feature be defeated and, if so, what is
the process to do it. What are the disadvantages of defeating the
delayed disk write feature?

Thanks in advance for comments, suggestions, or pointers to
information where this issue has already been dealt with.
Click to expand...

Leonard said:
The term means that writes to the disk are cached and actually
written later. This allows you to return to the system faster. Were
the writes not cached, but written in real time, you might have to
wait until the writes completed before regaining access to the
computer. So delayed disk writing is a way to help speed your
computer's performance.
If you defeat disk caching, probably nothing terrible will happen.
You might have to wait a few seconds for a write to complete before
being able to access Windows. But there's no real pressing reason
to defeat it...it's there for your benefit.

With disk caching defeated you will be able to remove an external
drive without invoking Safely Remove Hardware. With disk caching
enabled, you need SRH to be sure the cache is empty before you
remove the drive, otherwise delayed writes will be lost.

In any case, I advocate a conservative approach to computing, so I
always use SRH.
Click to expand...
HenriK:
Leonard is assuming - as I normally would - that you're referring
to this issue as it involves a USB-connected storage device, e.g.,
a flash drive or external HDD. Is that the case, or are you
referring to the write caching feature with reference to an
internally-installed HDD? If the latter, take a look at...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330174
to see if the info there sheds any light on your query.
Click to expand...
Thanks to Leonard and Anna for the comments. While I now better
understand what the delayed disk write is supposed to do, I'd still
like to know how to turn it off - if that is possible - for
internal Zip discs and external USB connected drives (my assumption
being that if I find the cure is worse than the disease, I can turn
the delayed feature back on).

Thanks again for your comments.
Click to expand...

Leonard said:
Device Manager. Go to the Properties sheet for each device.
Click to expand...
Aha! Thank you.
Click to expand...

For future reference...

Now is a great time to point you to one of the easiest ways to find
information on problems you may be having and solutions others have found:

Search using Google!
http://www.google.com/
(How-to: http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/basics.html )

Using words from your subject and body (perhaps expanding them to their
non-abbreviated form and posing it as a query):

how to disable Windows XP delayed write
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=how+to+disable+Windows+XP+delayed+write

Hit from the first page:

Disabling Delayed-Write in Windows
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1819756,00.asp
 
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