Problems with newly installed slave drive

Bugsupstairs wrote on 7/8/2003, 6:27 PM
Ok, I Have installed a new hard drive(Western Digital 80gig IDE internal) into my computer( windows XP). I have designated it as a slave drive and it is listed as healthy. At first I could render directly to the slave drive [ currently labeled as BLACKHOLE (F:)] and everything seemed smooth. I can move audio files to the BLACKHOLE and they are fine, so I think it is a video issue.
Here are the problems:

1)All of the video files from the main drive will not properly transfer to the slave drive. When I move them there are more dropped frames than active frames.
2)Some of the video files were (accidentally) moved from the slave drive to the main hard drive. When I moved them back to the slave drive the audio and video were tragically glitchy.
3)Now, when I attempt to capture directly to the slave drive (F:) It freaks out and drops, at least, half of the frames. It just won't work correctly.

I ran a scandisk and the drive is fine.
I opened the video in microsoft media player and the problem was still
present.

I'm fairly sure this is a simple oversight, let's say, I hope it is.

If you need more info to help, let me know. I'll tell you what I can.

If you can help I would be in debt to you for all of life. And yes, you can even use my car if you need it.

Thanks a lot,
Sir confused

Comments

Paradox wrote on 7/8/2003, 6:34 PM
if you have a computer that has been manufactured in the past 3 years, you might set the jumpers on the drive to auto-select rather than as a slave.
TomG wrote on 7/8/2003, 7:25 PM
I agree with BigTSonic. When I added a 100GB WD drive and pinned it as a slave to my Maxtor 40GB, I had all kinds of problems with audio/video files. When they were both pinned as cable select, the problems went away.

Good luck,

TomG
Bugsupstairs wrote on 7/8/2003, 7:38 PM
ok, placing the jumpers in the autoselect position helped, but I still can't capture directly to the second drive. I actually had a file play from the second drive so I feel some progress. any other ideas?

Thanks again,
Captain Hopeful
swampler wrote on 7/8/2003, 8:05 PM
I didn't see this mentioned before, so I'll ask the obvious question. Did you enable DMA in Windows for the new drive? Windows defaults to PIO mode.
musicvid10 wrote on 7/8/2003, 8:06 PM
Here are a couple of suggestions:

Use the utility disk that came with the new drive to check the udma status. They should both be at ATA100.

Try a different 80-wire IDE cable.

Be sure that DMA is enabled for both drives (VERY Important). It may have defaulted to off when you installed it.

Check the power connectors and pinch the female ends a bit for a tight fit. Of course, the computer must be unplugged!

Let the new drive run for 10 hours or so. It might just be tight.

Run the defragmenter.

If everything is connected and configured well, it should run just fine with the jumpers in their respective master/slave positions.
clearvu wrote on 7/8/2003, 8:13 PM
In order to eliminate the possibility that the drive is not defective, try using another hard drive and set IT as a slave to see if the problem goes away.

That's what I would try if other suggestions don't correct matters.
BillyBoy wrote on 7/8/2003, 8:18 PM
The question is a slave to what type/age drive? Installing a new monster drive to a older much slower drive can result in the new driver running no faster than the older drive which may account for the dropped frames. If you have a 2nd IDE channel, try installing the new drive as master on it and see if that solves the problem. Another issue may be the BIOS isn't configured properly resulted in the drive not running at its rated speed.
Bugsupstairs wrote on 7/8/2003, 8:50 PM
Ciao!
The secondary drive is set in PIO and the primary is set in ultra DMA mode 2. Are you saying I should have both drives set to the same type (DMA)? That sounds more than logical.

How do you change from PIO to DMA in windows XP?

oh, by the way. I have a pentium 4- 2 gig processor, 256mb ram, and it is about 6 months old. So I don't think it is a speed issue. The CPU crests at 100% everytime I capture and playback.

I can't wait to find an answer and feel stupid about the whole thing. While I finish my project of course. Hehe..............

Grazie Mille!
Macchina Blu
swampler wrote on 7/8/2003, 9:05 PM
There's a drop down box in device manager that you change from PIO to DMA if available. The DMA type will auto select once you do that. I think the selection is under the IDE controller instead of the hard drive like in earlier Windows.

Maverick wrote on 7/8/2003, 9:28 PM
While we are on the subject of IDE cables I, too, am having serious problems but with ATAPI devices. I had a CD-RW na d DVD-ROM and added a DVD+-RW.

I have enough IDE ports (3 - 2Highpoint not suitable for ATAPI). Each drive was tested on it's own after none of the otheres would work in any combo (master/slave) with the DVD RW.Now, occasionally when I connect a device it works then it won't -= change ends of cable works addd obe of the others won't work. The frive light stys on as does the HDD light and the drive door won't ipen.

Due to upgrdig a fair bit over the last few months it is tight in there and the cables have become a bit twisted. Could this be the problem or should I be looking fo something else.

Cheers
swampler wrote on 7/8/2003, 10:20 PM
I think my CD-RW had to be either stand alone or slave. Maybe you have the same situation. Generally if the ide cable is backward, the light will be on all the time, but it's almost impossible to put them on backward now-a-days.
Bugsupstairs wrote on 7/8/2003, 11:19 PM
OK.....thanks again to everyone who is helping.
I've tried to switch from PIO to DMA in the device manager by switching to "DMA when available". I tried to toggle it, but no change. It stays in "PIO only".
I guess a big question is, should I change a setting in the BIOS?
This situation is kind of funny. I'm working on a documetary and have one of those silly deadlines coming up.I've never had such a problem before.

^$$#%@@%$#%!!! rrrrrrrggggg!! :)
-Hopeful
musicvid10 wrote on 7/8/2003, 11:59 PM
You need to set UDMA to "Auto" in BIOS for all your IDE controllers.

If the primary drive is running UDMA 2, that is 33mhz and that is the fastest any slave can run on that bus.

Since your primary drive is old, your best bet now is to set your new drive as the master on the other IDE channel with NO SLAVE device and with DMA enabled in Windows. You must use an 80-wire blue cable.

You can put your CD as a slave on the primary port since it couldn't slow it down much more ...

Strongly consider getting another ATA100 to replace your system drive.
Dwuane wrote on 7/9/2003, 6:21 AM
Is your second drive 7200 rpm?

Dwuane
sdmoore wrote on 7/9/2003, 7:16 AM
>1)All of the video files from the main drive will not properly transfer to the slave drive. >When I move them there are more dropped frames than active frames.

When I first saw this I thought "frames get removed when merely copying video files from one drive to the other!! YIKES That's a serious problem" But, I realised that Bugsupstairs was only seeing 'choppy' video.

Bugupstairs, don't worry about copying files between hard drives - you're not dropping frames, they are all still there. It's only the fact that one of your hard drives (the slave at the moment) is too slow to play the video in real-time. Once, you've sorted out your PIO / DMA / whatever problems it should play smoother.

Cheers,

Scott
Bugsupstairs wrote on 7/9/2003, 12:40 PM
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks again to everyone that helped.

how it was corrected:

I went into BIOS and lit up num, caps, and scroll lock. alt E together, and then
alt F (to disconnect all of the hardware). rebooted to windows and both drives were then in DMA mode. basically, let the computer reconfigure the hardware. I don't suggest that anyone do this unless you know about BIOS.

Alright, Now I can get some work done, and then take a long nap.

CIAO!!
consumerite