UDMA question--setting modes in BIOS

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ken
  • Start date Start date
K

Ken

Hi.

I have done some reading but I am a bit confused about whether there is
anything I need to do to increase performance.

A few years ago I purchased a Sleekline computer (looks like a pizza
box) with an AOPen MX4GR min-ATX mb with 2 ATA100 IDE channels. Both
channels support an 80 wire cable, which are installed.

My question is whether I should change any BIOS settings to take
advantage of drive speed (her hdd is not a rip-roaring drive, just a
Western Digital 120GB 7200rpm drive).

When I looked at the BIOS settings, the hdd setting are as follows:

IDE Primary Master PIO AUTO
(set to auto with other options:
mode 0 3.3 MB/s
mode 1 5.2 MB/s
mode 2 8.3 MB/s
mode 3 11.1 MB/s
mode 4 16.6 MB/s

IDE Primary Slave AUTO

(same options as above)

IDE Secondary Master AUTO
(same options as above)

IDE Secondary Slave AUTO
(as above)

The IDE Primary Master UDMA (and the Slave,as well as the secondary
master and slave) has options of Auto or Disable. Auto is selected.
The description says "This item allows you to set the UltraDMA mode
supported by the hard disk drive connected to your IDE connection." One
problem--I have no idea where I can change the settings in the BIOS. It
is not obvious.

Anyway, I find this very confusing. Can anyone tell me if there is any
need to change anything or should I just accept all of the Autos that
are selected.
 
Ken said:
I have done some reading but I am a bit confused about whether there is anything I need to do to
increase performance.
Click to expand...
A few years ago I purchased a Sleekline computer (looks like a pizza
box) with an AOPen MX4GR min-ATX mb with 2 ATA100 IDE channels. Both channels support an 80 wire
cable, which are installed.
Click to expand...
My question is whether I should change any BIOS settings to take advantage of drive speed
Click to expand...

Nope, just check that the motherboard is using the drive in the best mode it can do.
(her hdd is not a rip-roaring drive, just a
Western Digital 120GB 7200rpm drive).
Click to expand...
When I looked at the BIOS settings, the hdd setting are as follows:
Click to expand...
IDE Primary Master PIO AUTO
(set to auto with other options:
mode 0 3.3 MB/s
mode 1 5.2 MB/s
mode 2 8.3 MB/s
mode 3 11.1 MB/s
mode 4 16.6 MB/s
Click to expand...
IDE Primary Slave AUTO
Click to expand...
(same options as above)
Click to expand...
IDE Secondary Master AUTO
(same options as above)
Click to expand...
IDE Secondary Slave AUTO
(as above)
Click to expand...
The IDE Primary Master UDMA (and the Slave,as well as the secondary
master and slave) has options of Auto or Disable. Auto is selected.
The description says "This item allows you to set the UltraDMA mode
supported by the hard disk drive connected to your IDE connection." One problem--I have no idea
where I can change the settings in the
BIOS. It is not obvious.
Click to expand...

You wont need to.
Anyway, I find this very confusing. Can anyone tell me if there is any need to change anything or
should I just accept all of the Autos that are selected.
Click to expand...

Just use the AUTOs and check that the motherboard
is using the best mode the drive can do.
 
Rod Speed said the following on 12/3/2006 9:48 PM:
Nope, just check that the motherboard is using the drive in the best mode it can do.









You wont need to.


Just use the AUTOs and check that the motherboard
is using the best mode the drive can do.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply, Rod.

How do I check that "the motherboard is using the best mode the drive
can do"?
 
Rod Speed said the following on 12/4/2006 11:20 AM:
Everest will tell you what mode is being used.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181
Click to expand...
Forgive me, but which parameter do I look in? I looked under Storage,
ATA, UDMA. For Maximumu, it says UDMA 5. For Active, it says UDMA 5.
If that is what I am supposed to be looking at, then things would appear
to be copacedak. Correct? If so, thanks for the help. If not, thanks
for the help, as well, but what should I be looking at?

Thanks
Ken K
 
Ken said:
Rod Speed said
Click to expand...
Forgive me, but which parameter do I look in? I looked under Storage,
ATA, UDMA. For Maximumu, it says UDMA 5. For Active, it says UDMA 5.
Click to expand...

Active is the one.
If that is what I am supposed to be looking at, then things would appear to be copacedak.
Correct?
Correct.

If so, thanks for the help. If not, thanks for the help, as well, but what should I be looking
at?
Click to expand...

Just that Active.
 
Anyway, I find this very confusing. Can anyone tell me if there is any
need to change anything or should I just accept all of the Autos that
are selected.
Click to expand...

Normally, you have nothing to do, since everthing try and use the best
performance. If you want to check, first look in the BIOS, then in the
Device Manager (Configuration Panel > System > Hardware > Device manager),
under ATA/ATAPI IDE controler/Primary (secondary) IDE channel, double click
and Advanced parameter tab.
 
Ken wrote:

Forgive me, but which parameter do I look in? I looked under Storage,
ATA, UDMA. For Maximumu, it says UDMA 5. For Active, it says UDMA 5.
If that is what I am supposed to be looking at, then things would appear
to be copacedak. Correct? If so, thanks for the help. If not, thanks
for the help, as well, but what should I be looking at?

Thanks
Ken K
Click to expand...


Hello, Ken:

I'm curious; what does "copacedak" mean, exactly? Is it a Polish word,
perhaps? <g>


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
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