Slow writer...

Slow writer...

[DervishD]

    Hi all :))

    I've installed a PlexWriter Premium (52x) in my system, and the
highest speed I can achieve with it is 24x with data and 15x with
audio (the speed difference is quite strange :??). The hard disk is
UDMA5, so it should provide the data at 52x. This is the info for the
hard disk:

/dev/root:

 Model=ST340016A, FwRev=3.05, SerialNo=3HS040AC
 Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec Fixed DTR>10Mbs RotSpdTol>.5% }
 RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=4
 BuffType=unknown, BuffSize=2048kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16
 CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=78165360
 IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:240,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
 PIO modes:  pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
 DMA modes:  mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 
 UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5 
 AdvancedPM=no WriteCache=enabled
 Drive conforms to: device does not report version:  1 2 3 4 5

    As you can see, the udma5 mode is active, and this is a test from
hdparm on the same disk:

/dev/root:
 Timing buffered disk reads:  64 MB in  1.58 seconds = 40.51 MB/sec

    Am I doing something wrong, like not tuning correctly something
in the disk? I am using a DIY box with Linux 2.4.21, CPU Duron 850,
and no processes are running while burning in order to not disturb
the writing process. I'm afraid that DMA is not working properly or
maybe the motherboard is damaged or something like that :??

    Thanks in advance :)

    Raúl Núñez de Arenas Coronado

-- 
Linux Registered User 88736
http://www.pleyades.net & http://raul.pleyades.net/

Re: Slow writer...

[Jens Axboe]

On Tue, Jul 01 2003, DervishD wrote:
>     Hi all :))
> 
>     I've installed a PlexWriter Premium (52x) in my system, and the
> highest speed I can achieve with it is 24x with data and 15x with
> audio (the speed difference is quite strange :??). The hard disk is
> UDMA5, so it should provide the data at 52x. This is the info for the
> hard disk:
> 
> /dev/root:
> 
>  Model=ST340016A, FwRev=3.05, SerialNo=3HS040AC
>  Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec Fixed DTR>10Mbs RotSpdTol>.5% }
>  RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=4
>  BuffType=unknown, BuffSize=2048kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16
>  CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=78165360
>  IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:240,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
>  PIO modes:  pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
>  DMA modes:  mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 
>  UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5 
>  AdvancedPM=no WriteCache=enabled
>  Drive conforms to: device does not report version:  1 2 3 4 5
> 
>     As you can see, the udma5 mode is active, and this is a test from
> hdparm on the same disk:
> 
> /dev/root:
>  Timing buffered disk reads:  64 MB in  1.58 seconds = 40.51 MB/sec
> 
>     Am I doing something wrong, like not tuning correctly something
> in the disk? I am using a DIY box with Linux 2.4.21, CPU Duron 850,
> and no processes are running while burning in order to not disturb
> the writing process. I'm afraid that DMA is not working properly or
> maybe the motherboard is damaged or something like that :??

Questions:

- Is the cd writer on a different channel?
- What ide adapter are you using?
- Is dma enabled on the cd writer?
- What cdrecord version are you using?

You should try 2.5.73 as well and see if it makes any difference. Make
sure to use -dev=/dev/hdc (or whatever your cd-rw drive is) and _don't_
use ide-scsi (just ide-cd)

-- 
Jens Axboe

Re: Slow writer...

[DervishD]

    Hi Jens, and thanks a lot for answering :)

 * Jens Axboe <axboe@suse.de> dixit:
> - Is the cd writer on a different channel?

    Yes, the hard disk is primary master, the writer secondary
master.

> - What ide adapter are you using?

    The VP_IDE, with a VIA 82c686b chipset.

> - Is dma enabled on the cd writer?

    Yes, if I use the IDE-CD driver, hdparm reports that the writer
is UDMA2 capable

cd:

 Model=PLEXTOR CD-R PREMIUM, FwRev=1.00, SerialNo=013347
 Config={ Fixed Removeable DTR<=5Mbs DTR>10Mbs nonMagnetic }
 RawCHS=0/0/0, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=0
 BuffType=unknown, BuffSize=0kB, MaxMultSect=0
 (maybe): CurCHS=0/0/0, CurSects=0, LBA=yes, LBAsects=0
 IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:180,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
 PIO modes:  pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
 DMA modes:  sdma0 sdma1 sdma2 mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 
 UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 *udma2 
 AdvancedPM=no

> - What cdrecord version are you using?

    2.00. Latest is 2.00.3, although I don't know if it is stable,
I've seen it this morning.
 
> You should try 2.5.73 as well and see if it makes any difference. Make
> sure to use -dev=/dev/hdc (or whatever your cd-rw drive is) and _don't_
> use ide-scsi (just ide-cd)

    Currently I have a DIY linux box, and I'm not sure if I can test
a 2.5 kernel without updating lots of software. I've tested with
2.4.18 (which AFAIK has another IDE driver) and the same happens. I
think that maybe the motherboard is damaged :((

    I'll try the newer cdrecord (if it is stable) and, if that
doesn't work, I may consider testing 2.5

    Thanks for your answer :)

    Raúl Núñez de Arenas Coronado

-- 
Linux Registered User 88736
http://www.pleyades.net & http://raul.pleyades.net/

Re: Slow writer...

[Margit Schubert-While]

Please read this :
http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=185&page=Features

It could be that "POWEREC" is biting you.

Margit

Re: Slow writer...

[DervishD]

    Hi Margit :)

 * Margit Schubert-While <margitsw@t-online.de> dixit:
> http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=185&page=Features
> It could be that "POWEREC" is biting you.

    Oh, I thought that the only thing that affected speed was the
VariRec (is that one that makes writing at 4x), and that must be
enabled explicitly. Thanks a lot, I will try to see if POWEREC is
giving me hell ;)) How can I get rid of POWEREC with cdrecord,
without needing to install the recorder on a WinDOS?

    BTW, the POWEREC issue makes sense, since the writer will stop at
20x/16x (depending on what's being written, data/audio), but I'm
afraid that the only solution is using better quality media
(currently I'm using Traxdata, 40x capable, and a Plextor disk that
is supposed to be capable of 48x, maybe Plextor gives low quality
sample disks ;)))?) or disabling POWEREC (Windows only Plextools, I'm
afraid...) and take the risk...

    Thanks a lot for pointing this :))

    Raúl Núñez de Arenas Coronado

-- 
Linux Registered User 88736
http://www.pleyades.net & http://raul.pleyades.net/

Slow writer...

[DervishD]

    Hi Margit :)

    Finally was PoweRec! Today I used another pack of discs (same
brand, same kind) that, I don't know why, seemed to be of higher
quality and I was able to burn at 48x with no problem. The PoweRec
thought that the media was of very high quality, and it was,
certainly, because the disc was perfectly written :)) It can even be
read on my old CD-ROM drive!!!

    Another problem is the audio. No matter the media quality, I can
only write at 16x and the system slows to a crawl. I'll keep
investigating the issue and if I discover anything, I'll tell you.

    Thanks for all your help and for solving this mistery to me ;)

    Raúl Núñez de Arenas Coronado

-- 
Linux Registered User 88736
http://www.pleyades.net & http://raul.pleyades.net/