Drive Image 2002 with slow transfer rates...

[Michael Westphal]

Hello folks,

My Drive Image needs 1,5 hours to create an image on my 2nd harddrive. The
transfer rate is only appr. 170 MB/minute.

A friend of mine has a similar system and here Drive Image only needs 15
minutes for the same work (Image-file is about 6 GB in seize).
Here the transfer rate is about 580 MB/minute.

Why is that?

I have read in this group a thread form May this year and it seemed very
interesting.

http://www.google.de/[email protected]&rnum=10

It was about putting the parameter /ide=ON after the PQDI command.


I have all done this like recommended, but the increase in speed was only
from 170 to 215 MB/minute.
And the total time is still 1,5 hours for 6 GB.

In this thread it was spoken of appr. 1200 MB/minute.


My System:

Windows XP, NTFS two HDD 80 GB each. the 2nd HDD is only used for storing
the image file.

partitions (all on HDD one)

c: (10 GB)

dswap, is not included in making an image)

e: (15 GB)

f: (3 GB)

 

[Lil' Dave]

Well, I can't see the hardware differences between your system and the one
you're comparing it to. Nor was it noted on either system how its setup to
the do the imaging. such as options. In the final analysis, the confidence
factor in restoration is what's important, not how fast the backup is.
Dave

 

[Michael Westphal]

Hello Lil' Dave,

what system parameters would be significant to watch or compare? What
hardware the
transfer rate depends on?

I have just exported the Systeminfo to a textfile. But it is huge: 320 kb.
What section do you want a look at. I would paste it in the next posting.

My friend's system is actually a little older. It has an AMD 1800+, my
computer has an AMD 2100+ cpu.
We both have the same compression selected for DI to operate.


I think speed is an important factor for the quality of a backup-software.
It is a huge difference whether I need 90 Minutes or 15 Minutes. And the
amount of data will increase soon on my system.


Michael

 

[Rod Speed]

My Drive Image needs 1,5 hours to create an image on my
2nd harddrive. The transfer rate is only appr. 170 MB/minute.

Thats pathetic with the two hard drives in the same system.

A friend of mine has a similar system and here Drive Image only
needs 15 minutes for the same work (Image-file is about 6 GB
in seize). Here the transfer rate is about 580 MB/minute.

Thats much more reasonable and some get quite a bit more
than that transfer rate too with a decent modern system.

Why is that?

Basically its DI having a massive brain fart
about what the hard drive subsystem can do.

I have read in this group a thread form May
this year and it seemed very interesting.
http://www.google.de/[email protected]&rnum=10

It was about putting the parameter /ide=ON after the PQDI command.

Yep, thats the problem.

I have all done this like recommended, but the increase
in speed was only from 170 to 215 MB/minute.
And the total time is still 1,5 hours for 6 GB.

You sure the /ide=ON switch was actually used ?
That may just be the variation from try to try.

Safest to apply the switch to the rescue floppy.
Easier to be sure you have got it being used with
the floppys. Editing the virtual boot isnt as easy
and easier to think you've changed it when you havent.

In this thread it was spoken of appr. 1200 MB/minute.

Yeah, seen that myself.

My System:

Windows XP, NTFS two HDD 80 GB each.

Thats a relatively decent system from your other post.
Should do the decent thruput rates. Most likely you
just havent managed to get it to use the /IDE switch.

the 2nd HDD is only used for storing the image file.

partitions (all on HDD one)

c: (10 GB)

dswap, is not included in making an image)

e: (15 GB)

f: (3 GB)

Thats all fine and isnt the problem.

what system parameters would be significant to watch or compare?

Just make sure that the /IDE switch is actually being used.

What hardware the transfer rate depends on?

Basically what the hard drive subsystem
can do. Your system is fine for that.

I have just exported the Systeminfo to a textfile. But it is huge: 320 kb.
What section do you want a look at. I would paste it in the next posting.

Dont worry about it, check that the /IDE has been done properly.

My friend's system is actually a little older. It has
an AMD 1800+, my computer has an AMD 2100+ cpu.

Thats fine, plenty capable of a decent thruput.

We both have the same compression selected for DI to operate.

I think speed is an important factor for the quality of a backup-software.
It is a huge difference whether I need 90 Minutes or 15 Minutes. And the
amount of data will increase soon on my system.

Yep, bet you just havent got it to see the /IDE switch.

 

[Michael Westphal]

Dear Rod,


thanks for your help!

I have applied the switch to the rescue floppy!
(by editing the autoexec.bat's last row on both disks: pqdi /ide=on)

But my transfer rate was at the end of the process at only 214 MB/minute.
I'm quite frustrated!

Is there an option in the BIOS or something I can change?
(Up to now I haven't done such changes!!!)

Why is it that the speed at other computers is so much higher?

I'm worried of the fact, that my data will grow soon having started with
digital photographing and mp3-saving of my best audio-cd's. What time will
it take DI to image e.g. 80 GB to my 2nd hdd?


Many thanks for your help!

best wishes!


Michael

 

[Bishoop]

| Dear Rod,
|
|
| thanks for your help!
|
| I have applied the switch to the rescue floppy!
| (by editing the autoexec.bat's last row on both disks: pqdi /ide=on)
|
| But my transfer rate was at the end of the process at only 214 MB/minute.
| I'm quite frustrated!
|
| Is there an option in the BIOS or something I can change?
| (Up to now I haven't done such changes!!!)
|
| Why is it that the speed at other computers is so much higher?
|
| I'm worried of the fact, that my data will grow soon having started with
| digital photographing and mp3-saving of my best audio-cd's. What time will
| it take DI to image e.g. 80 GB to my 2nd hdd?
|
|
| Many thanks for your help!
|
| best wishes!
|
|
| Michael
|
|
| | >
| >

Open your autoexec.bat file that you modified. Do a copy and past into a
new posting here and let's take a look at it.

 

[Mark M]

My Drive Image needs 1,5 hours to create an image on my 2nd
harddrive. The transfer rate is only appr. 170 MB/minute.

A friend of mine has a similar system and here Drive Image only
needs 15 minutes for the same work (Image-file is about 6 GB in
seize). Here the transfer rate is about 580 MB/minute.

Getting slightly off topic - it's been a while since I saw Drive
Image. ISTR that it had a Windows interface and then, presumably, it
saved various parameters to carry out the user's requests and then it
did these in DOS.

Is this correct or am I presuming too much about the way Drive Image
works?

Even if it is correct for an older version of Drive Image as I saw,
is it true now? In other words, can the current Drive Image copy and
generally manage partitions from within Windows without having to
boot to DOS (including copying the system partition which it is
actually running from)?

 

[Rod Speed]

Dear Rod,

thanks for your help!

I have applied the switch to the rescue floppy!
(by editing the autoexec.bat's last row on both disks: pqdi /ide=on)

But my transfer rate was at the end of the process
at only 214 MB/minute. I'm quite frustrated!

Yeah, I would be too.

Is there an option in the BIOS or something I can change?
(Up to now I haven't done such changes!!!)

How do the drives show up on the black bios screen at boot time ?

You may not have use an 80 wire cable to the drives and
so you arent getting whats usually called ATA100 or UDMA5
etc shown on the black bios screen next to the drives.

Why is it that the speed at other computers is so much higher?

It may be as basic as the ribbon cable used.

If it isnt that, say something about the actual motherboard
being used and the actual drives being used.

You may have disabled DMA in the bios, but thats not common.

I'm worried of the fact, that my data will grow soon having started
with digital photographing and mp3-saving of my best audio-cd's.
What time will it take DI to image e.g. 80 GB to my 2nd hdd?

The speed seen with the other older PC
is pretty typical for that vintage of system.

 

[Rod Speed]

Getting slightly off topic - it's been a while since I saw
Drive Image. ISTR that it had a Windows interface and
then, presumably, it saved various parameters to carry
out the user's requests and then it did these in DOS.

Is this correct

Yes. Tho it is possible to just boot the DOS rescue floppys and
do the imaging manually from there. Still a crude GUI, but on DOS.

And with 2002, if you arent imaging the boot partition, it
wont bother with DOS, it will do the imaging at the Win level.

or am I presuming too much about the way Drive Image works?
Nope.

Even if it is correct for an older version of Drive Image as I saw, is it true now?

Yes, you can use it that way with 2002.

In other words, can the current Drive Image copy and generally manage
partitions from within Windows without having to boot to DOS (including
copying the system partition which it is actually running from)?

You need Drive Image 7 to be able to image the boot
partition at the Win level. And it only runs on XP and 2K.

V2i Protector, also from powerquest, will also
do incremental image files and image in the
background while the system is still being used too.

 

[Michael Westphal]

Hello Bishoop,


here is the autoexec.bat on my first disk (DriveImage Disk 1/2, bootable):


@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $P$G


REM -------------------------------------------------------
REM -- Put keyboard codes (xx) and --
REM -- code page variables (yyy) here. --
REM -------------------------------------------------------

REM MODE CON CP PREP=((yyy) EGA.CPI)
REM MODE CON CP SEL=yyy
REM KEYB xx,yyy


REM -------------------------------------------------------
REM -- Put network or CD-ROM drivers here. --
REM -------------------------------------------------------

REM Windows DOS:
REM MSCDEX.EXE /D:driver_name [/L:drive_letter] [/M:buffers]

REM Caldera DOS:
REM NWCDEX.EXE /D:driver_name [/L:drive_letter] [/M:buffers]

MOUSE

SET TZ=WN-1WS-2,M3.5.0/02:00,M10.5.0/03:00

ECHO.
ECHO Insert Drive Image Disk 2 (Program)
ECHO.
ECHO.
ECHO *** Press Any Key to Continue ***
ECHO.
PAUSE >NUL


ECHO Drive Image 2002
ECHO Copyright 1994-2002, PowerQuest Corporation.
ECHO All rights reserved.
ECHO.
ECHO Loading. Please wait...
ECHO.

PQDI /IDE=ON




and this one is on my 2nd disk (DriveImage Disk 2/2):

@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $P$G


REM -------------------------------------------------------
REM -- Put keyboard codes (xx) and --
REM -- code page variables (yyy) here. --
REM -------------------------------------------------------

REM MODE CON CP PREP=((yyy) EGA.CPI)
REM MODE CON CP SEL=yyy
REM KEYB xx,yyy


REM -------------------------------------------------------
REM -- Put network or CD-ROM drivers here. --
REM -------------------------------------------------------

REM Windows DOS:
REM MSCDEX.EXE /D:driver_name [/L:drive_letter] [/M:buffers]

REM Caldera DOS:
REM NWCDEX.EXE /D:driver_name [/L:drive_letter] [/M:buffers]

MOUSE

SET TZ=WN-1WS-2,M3.5.0/02:00,M10.5.0/03:00

ECHO.
ECHO Insert Drive Image Disk 2 (Program)
ECHO.
ECHO.
ECHO *** Press Any Key to Continue ***
ECHO.
PAUSE >NUL


ECHO Drive Image 2002
ECHO Copyright 1994-2002, PowerQuest Corporation.
ECHO All rights reserved.
ECHO.
ECHO Loading. Please wait...
ECHO.

PQDI /IDE=ON


Many thanks for your help!!!

 

[Frank Pyatt]

This is amazing: I applied the autoexec.bat mods as described below and I
went from 88MB/min to 785MB/min. Still not near the speeds other people are
reporting but damn, what an improvement!!

Thanks guys,
FRP

 

[Michael Westphal]

Hello Rod,

How do the drives show up on the black bios screen at boot time ?

Pri. Master Disk: LBA, ATA 133 80 GB
Pri. Slave Disk: LBA, ATA 100 82 GB
Sec. Master Disk: CD-RW, ATA 33
Sec. Slave Disk: DVD, ATA 33

And in BIOS Setup:

Primary Master UDMA [AUTO]
Primary Slave UDMA [AUTO]
Secondary Master UDMA [AUTO]
Secondary Slave UDMA [AUTO]

You may not have use an 80 wire cable to the drives and
so you arent getting whats usually called ATA100 or UDMA5
etc shown on the black bios screen next to the drives.


It may be as basic as the ribbon cable used.

If it isnt that, say something about the actual motherboard
being used and the actual drives being used.

You may have disabled DMA in the bios, but thats not common.

It doesn't seen so, does it?

The speed seen with the other older PC
is pretty typical for that vintage of system.

Many thanks for your help!

Michael

 

[Michael Westphal]

Here are some further information about my system:


This is the overwiew of my systeminformation
(sorry, it is in German)


Betriebssystemname Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 1 Build 2600
Betriebssystemhersteller Microsoft Corporation
Systemname ARBEITSZIMMER
Systemhersteller VIA Technologies, Inc.
Systemmodell VT8367-8233
Systemtyp X86-basierter PC
Prozessor x86 Family 6 Model 6 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1737 Mhz
BIOS-Version/-Datum Award Software International, Inc. 6.00 PG, 12.03.2002
SMBIOS-Version 2.2
Windows-Verzeichnis C:\WINDOWS
Systemverzeichnis C:\WINDOWS\System32
Startgerät \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Gebietsschema Deutschland
Hardwareabstraktionsebene Version = "5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)"
Benutzername ARBEITSZIMMER\Michael
Zeitzone Westeuropäische Sommerzeit
Gesamter realer Speicher 512,00 MB
Verfügbarer realer Speicher 322,73 MB
Gesamter virtueller Speicher 1,72 GB
Verfügbarer virtueller Speicher 1,42 GB
Größe der Auslagerungsdatei 1,22 GB
Auslagerungsdatei D:\pagefile.sys


Both my friend and I have an AWAD BIOS

I have a EPOX 8K3A DDR333 board, he has a MSI board.

DI 2002 kompression is the same ("high")


Many thanks for your help!

 

[Rod Speed]

Pri. Master Disk: LBA, ATA 133 80 GB
Pri. Slave Disk: LBA, ATA 100 82 GB

Thats fine.

Sec. Master Disk: CD-RW, ATA 33
Sec. Slave Disk: DVD, ATA 33

And in BIOS Setup:

Primary Master UDMA [AUTO]
Primary Slave UDMA [AUTO]

That too.

Secondary Master UDMA [AUTO]
Secondary Slave UDMA [AUTO]

You may not have use an 80 wire cable to the drives and
so you arent getting whats usually called ATA100 or UDMA5
etc shown on the black bios screen next to the drives.
It may be as basic as the ribbon cable used.
If it isnt that, say something about the actual motherboard
being used and the actual drives being used.

You didnt say what motherboard you are using.

It doesn't seen so, does it?

Yeah, looks fine. Tho that may just be a quirk of how
the bios reports the drives. There should be a setting
in the bios for DMA too, usually in the advanced section.

You could try asking powerquest, but you'd need to know
what your motherboard is and the drive model numbers.

Many thanks for your help!

No problem, thats what these technical newsgroups are for.

 

[Rod Speed]

Here are some further information about my system:


This is the overwiew of my systeminformation
(sorry, it is in German)


Betriebssystemname Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 1 Build 2600
Betriebssystemhersteller Microsoft Corporation
Systemname ARBEITSZIMMER
Systemhersteller VIA Technologies, Inc.
Systemmodell VT8367-8233
Systemtyp X86-basierter PC
Prozessor x86 Family 6 Model 6 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1737 Mhz
BIOS-Version/-Datum Award Software International, Inc. 6.00 PG, 12.03.2002
SMBIOS-Version 2.2
Windows-Verzeichnis C:\WINDOWS
Systemverzeichnis C:\WINDOWS\System32
Startgerät \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Gebietsschema Deutschland
Hardwareabstraktionsebene Version = "5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)"
Benutzername ARBEITSZIMMER\Michael
Zeitzone Westeuropäische Sommerzeit
Gesamter realer Speicher 512,00 MB
Verfügbarer realer Speicher 322,73 MB
Gesamter virtueller Speicher 1,72 GB
Verfügbarer virtueller Speicher 1,42 GB
Größe der Auslagerungsdatei 1,22 GB
Auslagerungsdatei D:\pagefile.sys

Both my friend and I have an AWAD BIOS

I have a EPOX 8K3A DDR333 board, he has a MSI board.

What have you done about the VIA 4 in 1 chipset drivers ?
Try the latest from the Epox site.

If that doesnt fix it, try asking powerquest about it.

 

[Bishoop]

| This is amazing: I applied the autoexec.bat mods as described below and I
| went from 88MB/min to 785MB/min. Still not near the speeds other people
are
| reporting but damn, what an improvement!!
|
| Thanks guys,
| FRP

Are you using high compression and the other option is called something like
error checking or disk checking?

Try turning these off and see if you "average" transfer speed doesn't
improve.

 

[Michael Westphal]

.......

What have you done about the VIA 4 in 1 chipset drivers ?
Try the latest from the Epox site.

Hello Rod,

you do mean I should download a newer driver for my system?

What is "VIA 4 in 1 chipset"?

Is that what I have?

Many thanks!


Michael

 

[Mike Tomlinson]

It was about putting the parameter /ide=ON after the PQDI command.

/ide:yes worked for me with DI2002. Made a huge difference.

 

[Mike Tomlinson]

Here are some further information about my system:

Systemhersteller VIA Technologies, Inc.
Systemmodell VT8367-8233

You have a VIA chipset *spit*. It's possible that high-speed DMA
transfers won't happen until the (Windows) 4-in-1 drivers have loaded.
Because PQDI runs under DOS, it may be assuming a 'standard' IDE chipset
when the /ide:yes parameter is invoked, and if it doesn't recognise the
chipset, doesn't apply any speed-up tweaks to preserve data security.

 

[Michael Westphal]

/ide:yes worked for me with DI2002. Made a huge difference.

What is the correct syntax: "/ide=on" or "/ide:yes"

Or doesn't it matter?

Greetings,

Michael