Help needed asap

retroandy · Sep 18, 2003, 06:45 PM

Right peeps.

I have a Xp1700 512mb pc wit two hard drives and two rom drives.

This pc up until recently was on xp pro. I used to be able to copy cd;s using nero with no problems wat so ever. But i have swapped to the second hard drive with a clean install of win 2k and i am having problems with the comp becoming unusable when its copying cd's.

All i do to switch is in bios change the ide cable and it boots of the second hard drive. Threason for this is i had to buy the second drive due to another one going down and i didnt want to lose my old install just in case.

I suspect that the problems are to do with the order of the devices on the ide cables but i am hoping you guys can point me in the right direction on how to fix this damm problem.

I am using the latest version of nero and i know the reason for the lack of performance is underrun just not to sure how to fix it.

Your help is appreciated

Andy

P.s Hope ya could understand me lol

Dyre Straits · Sep 18, 2003, 06:50 PM

Just about all CD Writers want to be the Master on whatever IDE channel you have it on.

You also need to make sure it's using DMA. With XP that should be the default, but you should check it anyway.

Judas · Sep 18, 2003, 08:02 PM

Yes, CD-RW's generally want to be master and will function much better when like that.... they sometimes.... don't like to be connected with a slave.... Are you running CURRENTLY just one hardrive.... a CD-RW? or do you more then that?.... what Mobo are you using btw?

retroandy · Sep 19, 2003, 02:13 AM

When i set the comp up originally the drive was deffo a master. I havn't changed the ordr of the ide cables but the order of the drives has changed in windows.

My motherboard is ECS M841lr.

I am trying to remember the order of th devices on the ide cable and i am sure i have both roms working as slaves to the hard drives. But this is how they have always worked so why is there a difference with Win 2k.

Andy

retroandy · Sep 19, 2003, 02:46 AM

I have been having a good think as to why i am having these problems. I think because i am now booting from a drive on the second ide cable rather than the first one this could have a bearing on the problem.

If this is correct can some one give me the best way to set up my devices and i will have a go at re arranging them.

Thanks again guys

Andy

Judas · Sep 19, 2003, 08:25 AM

This is how you should setup a computer with the folling devices:

1 Hardrive
2 CD-Roms

Primary IDE Cable: Master=Hardrive, make sure the hardrive's Jumpers are set to Master as well, also, make sure your connecting the IDE cable correctly, (setting master would be to connect at the END of the cable)

Secondary IDE Cable: CD-rom #1 set to Master, CD-ROM #2 set to slave.... the master CD-Rom #1 will be place at the end of the cable as well.... the slave should be connected to the center of the cable.....

If you have the same as above...only a CD-RW drive.... just substatute the CD-RW in for the CD-Rom #1.... (set as master and place)

If you running:

2 Hardrives
2 CD-Roms

Primary IDE Cable:The hardrive that you will use to store Windows itself on should be set to master..... and place at the end of the cable.... the other drive should be set to slave.... and connected to the center part of the cable......

Secondary: same as the above one

BTW, basically, in any situation that you can connect a device as a master... you should do so.... you shouldn't ever set a device to slave...and place it to the center part of a cable...when there isn't a master already connected.....(as this will cause problems sometimes)

ALSO, if you set a device to master..... and connect it to the slave position (connected to the center part of the cable).... this will cause some serious problems as well..... (and vice versa, setting a device to slave and connecting it to the end of the cable as a master.... will cause serious problems as well)....

If i didn't explain it well enough... i can do up some very quick pictures for you....

retroandy · Sep 19, 2003, 09:58 AM

Thanks i will try these suggestions when i get home. Am i right in thinking because the order of the drives has changed in windows but i haven't actually changed anything physically this is why i am having these problems. I just want to be sure before i take my pc to bits lol.

Also i have heard loads of ways to configure my drives on the ide cables so how do i know which ones right. For instance the set up i had with xp worked a treat. I am sure i have both roms and hd's on the same channel at the mo. But the hd i am booting off is not at the end of the cable because it was originally a slave drive to the other one.

Also do i need both cables to be udma. I think only one is at the mo.

Andy

retroandy · Sep 19, 2003, 04:00 PM

Right guys

I have tried it loads of ways and just cant get the sort of performance xp was giving to me. If i dont get this sorted i might have to go back to xp as i really need to have a fast write speed. It's not only the write speed that is pissing me off. Its the fact that the pc becomes really slow and unusable so not only am i waiting ages for the cd but i can t do owt till it burns.

Is there any technical reason why i am having this problems after switching from Xp to Win2k. Also the configuration was that i had one hd and rom on each ide cable even though this meant one of the hd's was on a standard ide cable when it should have been on a udma cable. And it worked fine.

Help i really am at my wits end with this.

Andy

mike2h · Sep 19, 2003, 05:14 PM

if you did noythave proeblems with xp then you should go back. imo it is a better os. judas gave you the right setup. if you have replacement ide cables try them. cables can & do go bad.