100% use of CPU after Hard Disk Replacement

[avib]

Hi,
I replaced my hard disk to MAXTOR 40.0GB DiamondMax Plus 8 ULTRA ATA133 IDE 7200RPM. I use Pentium 4 1.6GB and Win2000. Since i replaced my hard disk my computer is very very slow. When I open the task manager I can see that the CPU is 100% used and the processes that uses it are software that usualy don't supposed to use more than 20-30% like Tetris game or Windows Update etc. I also see that the use of the memory is very low (almost 0%). Note that before the replacement the computer worked very good.
Please Help!!!

 

[franklin97355]

Before you get too much stuff on the hard drive I would try an fdisk to remove all partitions and a new clean install of windows.

 

[avib]

Well,
Before I installed my new hard drive I formatted the disk. do you think that I will need to format it again?

 

[franklin97355]

I would let Win2000 format it for you. Just create the partition and then start the 2000 install.

 

[cdogg]

I seriously doubt that you will need to format the disk again. Although you did format it in the first place, you didn't state the procedure you took to get your system running again. Did you use a utility to transfer data from the old hard drive to the new? Or did you just start from scratch and reinstall everything?

Either way, you'll also want to check the DMA settings for your hard drive. Sometimes you can find the settings in Device Manager under the IDE contoller. Make sure DMA is enabled. If you have an Intel chipset, you can download a utility off their website to help you out.




~cdogg

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- A. Einstein

 

[Bobg1]

What do you have for virtual memory settings?

 

[bcastner]

It is likely your motherboard only supports ATA100 drives, and that the new drive is in PIO mode. If I was you there are two things you should do:

1. purchase 80-pin IDE cables for the drive, you probably have the old-style IDE cables;

2. purchase an ATA133 controller board and run the drive from that. Make it cable select, and do not put a CD-Rom or non-ATA133 device on the same cable with it.

3. You might consider adding more ram. If you are going from a 10 gig drive to 40, 512 meg. of RAM would be advisable.

But in any case, it is very unlikely you need to reformat the drive. It is unlikely that it is even fragmented.

 

[cdogg]

Sorry bcastner, but I have to disagree. The ATA spec is backwards compatible. If you place an ATA/133 drive in an ATA/100 system, then it will run at ATA/100. Because there isn't much difference between 100 and 133 overall, running at 100 shouldn't hurt anything. So, your suggestion to "purchase an ATA133 controller board" is a bit overboard.

Also, if you used a 40-pin cable on an ATA/100 or ATA/133 drive, the drive would simply default to ATA/33 which is the max speed supported on those "old-style" cables. Yes, you would definitely want to make sure you are using an 80-pin cable, but to assume that it's forcing PIO mode isn't true.

I do agree, however, in making sure you have plenty of RAM. Win2K works well with large amounts. At the very least, make sure you have 256MB. 512MB or more is preferred.




~cdogg

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- A. Einstein

 

[avib]

Thank you all for your help!!!
Here's a little more info on my computer:
I use ASUS P4B266 with Intel's 1.6G P4 (100MHz external bus),and 256MB of RAM.
The Primary IDE, which connected only to the Hard drive supports and use UltraDMA
When I first started using this Hard Disk I formmatted it first and then I reinstall everything from scratch.
I think i'm using the "old-style" 40-pins cable which used to work very well with my old 10GB Disk. Do you think that a 80-Pins cable Or additional memory are the problem?

 

[cdogg]

Didn't an 80-pin cable come with your new drive? Definitely make sure you switch it if you haven't already. There's a chance that might be the problem.

256MB of memory would definitely be enough for any size hard drive. Upgrading to 512MB might be nice and speed up the system slightly, but it's not going to fix your current problem with the hard drive.

Since you have the Intel 845D chipset, I suggest going out to Intel's site and downloading the Application Accelerator tool which will show you your IDE devices and whether they're running in PIO or DMA mode.




~cdogg

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- A. Einstein

 

[bcastner]

cdogg,

The Maxtor drive avib began this thread with has the peculiarity that until it has gone through a number of start stop cycles (it is S.M.A.R.T. compliant) it does not adhere to any known ATA standards. My 80 gigabyte drive when installed was recognized by XP-SP1 and placed in PIO mode. I was able to force it to DMA1, and after the start/stop cycle limit was reached could go to DMA3, but no higher.

I bought the ATA133 board, problem solved.

I was addressing this drive, I really do not have the experience to comment on other ATA133 products.

 

[cdogg]

bcastner,

Fine, but from your previous post it seemed that you were suggesting an ATA/133 drive would ONLY run in PIO mode - hence my post!

I've been able to get other Maxtor DiamondMax ATA/133 drives to run in UDMA Mode 5 (ATA/100) in various systems without an add-in controller card. Of course, all were running either Win98 or Win2K. Not sure about XP...




~cdogg

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- A. Einstein

 

[bcastner]

cdogg,

I apologize then for the confusion.

The concern was that after replacing the drive his cpu utilization approached 100 percent.

It is possible with the use of the Intel chipset software upgrades, passing the required stop/start cycles and the use of proper cabling will allow him to reach UDMA5.

But until those conditions are met I doubt that he is going to see ATA100 much less ATA133. I paid $19 for my Maxtor ATA133 4-port board, and I think it can be part of a reasonable solution to reducing his cpu utilization.

Best.

 

[avib]

Well, I downloaded the Intel Application Accelerator as cdogg suggested and below you can see some details on my IDE controller and the MAXTOR Hard drive (I guess that the problem could be with the 40-Pins cable):

Controller Information
IDE Controller: Intel(R) 82801BA Ultra ATA Controller, ICH2
Storage Kit Build(s): 1.1.2.2084, 2.3.0.2164,
Storage Kit Installed: 2.3.0.2164
Driver Build: Intel Application Accelerator Driver
Driver Version: 2.3.0.2160
IDE Controller Tri-State: IDE Controller enabled
PIO Mode Support: 0 - 2 - 3 - 4
DMA SW Mode Support: 2
DMA MW Mode Support: 1 - 2
UDMA Mode Support: 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5
Disk Timeout Value: Default
CDROM Timeout Value: Default
CD Audio Timeout Value: Default
UDMA on 80 conductor cable only: Default, Disabled
Flush Enable: Default, Disabled
Ping Pong Enable: Enabled

Channel Information
Primary Channel
No Data
Secondary Channel
No Data

Device Information
Primary Master: Maxtor 6E040L0
Model: Maxtor 6E040L0
Firmware: NAR61590
Device Type: ATA - Fixed
PIO Mode Support: 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4
DMA SW Mode Support: No Support
DMA MW Mode Support: 0 - 1 - 2
UDMA Mode Support: 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5
LBA (28-bit maximum): 0x04C92D80
LBA (48-bit maximum): 0x000004C92D80
CHS: 3FFF x 0010 x 003F
CHS Sectors: 0x00FBFC10
Disk Size (28-bit maximum): 38.3 GB (41,110,142,976 bytes)
Disk Size: 38 GB (41,110,142,976 bytes)
Default Transfer Mode: UDMA-2
Current Transfer Mode: UDMA-2
Transfer Mode Limit: No Limit
Cable Type (Device): 40 Conductor
Cable Type (Host): 40 Conductor
PIO PPE: Enabled
UDMA Control Register: Ultra DMA Mode Enabled
UDMA Timing Register: CT = 2 CLK / RP = 4 CLK
Base Clock: Ultra DMA 33 Timings
Auto-Acoustic Management: Maximum Performance
Dynamic APM on AC: Disabled
Dynamic APM on Battery: Disabled

 

[squidman]

This is my two cents.
I've purchased the maxtor 6L040J2 (the same avib has) 1 year ago as my secondary data drive. I had a i815e (CUSL2), and boy, was it getting nasty! First, system crashed at boot. NEVER has this happened before (i also format, and clean install my OS (WinME at that time) once a month, with newest drivers)). I disconnected the new drive, let the windows boot. i used a WONDERULL proggie, called IBM DiskManager2000 - the util i used to format new drives for the pcs of my clients - all flawless before). I checked everything, it was fine. Also, both drives (the "system" drive is an IBM 7200/ATA100/15Gb) were "Cable Select", both were identified correctly in BIOS, an running in DMA5 (ATA100) mode. So, i turned off my pc, atached the drive yet again. OS booted succesfully, and i ran DiskManager 2000. It crashed (it worked flawlessly before, on all drive bands (MAXTOR inclusive)), so i had to restart. My computer has never crashed, nor lagged before, so I decided to clear CMOS. It helped. I formatted the drive succesfully. Now, i'vew upgraded to a7n8x, and my MAXTOR is finally running in ata 133.
This drive is REALLY fast. AND silent (both 100 and 133). The overwhelming CPU load might result in an outdated BIOS. AND the 40pin conductor. CPU is trying hopelessly to communicate with new drive, but lag is too great, so the data that was supposed to written, is now "stands in the line", and the new data just cramps it. Updated BIOS, drivers (for the south bridge), and 8- pin conductor are a must.
Good luck!

 

[avib]

I have a "stupid" question: how can i recognise a 40-Pin cable or in another words what is the visualy difference between the 40 and 80 pins cables?

 

[squidman]

Theres your PROBLEM son!!! Your drive runs in ATA33 because of 40 conductor (see the UDMA-2 mode in the specs you gave), or as FAST AS A CD-ROM DRIVE!!!!!!!!!! (exaggerated, but bandwidth is the same). 80-pin conductor has twice the wires, hence higher transport rate. I dont quite know all the engineering, but go and get yourself an 80 pin conductor, and swap them.

 

[avib]

Well, finally I,ve got a 80 pin conductor and now the HD is in UDMA-5 transfer mode. But... unfortunatly the problem continue as it was before The CPU is in 100 percent use. I'm a little hopeless because I think that the solution will be to reformat the hard drive again.

 

[bcastner]

Could you use Task Manager to post the process(es) that are creating this high CPU utlization?

If it is the idle process it is normal.

 

[avib]

Two examples: A Tetris game (TetriStation) and an installation of windows update. I stated these examples in purpose because they shouldn't use more than 20-30% of the CPU.
another thing that is weard is that even when the system is idle the CPU diagram in the task manager is full (shows 100% usage). I know that in normal computer it supposed to be almost empty.