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Slow HDD speed on Microclient Jr with 80GB 5400 Laptop drive

Hi

I have just gotten this small device, and trying to fine tune it, of course baring in mind its capabilities.
http://www.norhtec.com/products/mcjr/index.html

Its a 200MHz mini thin-client like device into which I installed a 80GB Samsung HM080HC that does 5400RPM with 8MB Cache and is Ultra ATA100.

http://www.samsung.com/me/products/h...Specifications

The problem I am having is the HDD speed. When I measure it with

Code:

hdparm -tT /dev/hda

I get the following

Code:

 junior:/home/bfrank# hdparm -tT /dev/hda



/dev/hda:

 Timing cached reads:    70 MB in  2.03 seconds =  34.46 MB/sec

 Timing buffered disk reads:  28 MB in  3.01 seconds =  9.31 MB/sec

This is after some fine tuning, although the speed was not affected at all with all my parameters that I passed for hdparm

Code:

hdparm -X69 -u1 -c1 -m16

I did all these one by one, and measured the speed right after each change, but non affected it at all.

This is what

Code:

hdparm -i /dev/hda

shows now.

Code:



junior:/home/bfrank# hdparm /dev/hda



/dev/hda:

 multcount    = 16 (on)

 IO_support  =  1 (32-bit)

 unmaskirq    =  1 (on)

 using_dma    =  1 (on)

 keepsettings =  0 (off)

 readonly    =  0 (off)

 readahead    = 256 (on)

 geometry    = 16383/255/63, sectors = 156301488, start = 0

junior:/home/bfrank# hdparm -i /dev/hda



/dev/hda:



 Model=SAMSUNG HM080HC, FwRev=AM100-16, SerialNo=S0CCJ10P323849

 Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec Fixed DTR>10Mbs }

 RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=34902, SectSize=554, ECCbytes=4

 BuffType=DualPortCache, BuffSize=8192kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16

 CurCHS=4047/16/255, CurSects=16511760, LBA=yes, LBAsects=156301488

 IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:120,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 udma3 udma4 udma5 

 AdvancedPM=yes: disabled (255) WriteCache=enabled

 Drive conforms to: ATA/ATAPI-7 T13 1532D revision 0:  ATA/ATAPI-1 ATA/ATAPI-2 ATA/ATAPI-3 ATA/ATAPI-4 ATA/ATAPI-5 ATA/ATAPI-6 ATA/ATAPI-7



 * signifies the current active mode

Any help would be appreciated. I am sure the HDD should do more than 9MBit per sec.

This by the way cripples the speed of SAMBA copy speeds a lot of course. I have another server which does 30MBit/sec without any tuning, and SAMBA is very much useable on that speed.

Thanks

Ben

Hmmm..........

Quote:

UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 *udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 udma3 udma4 udma5

Consider replacing the cable (use an 88 wire cable) on this system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lenard (Post 3004940)

Hmmm..........

Consider replacing the cable (use an 88 wire cable) on this system.

Hi

How did you know I was using a 44 wire cable from the quote you pasted above?

i did a quick googling, and found no 88 pin cables. I am sure I overlooked it, or didnt use the right keywords. Could you provide a link with an example cable?

Also, will there be a significant increase in speed?

Thanks

Ben

Experience, the fact that you seem to be stuck at the udma2 level as shown by the quote and your comments
(Been there Done that myself). And sorry my mistake what your looking for is an 80-conductor ribbon cable.

They look nearly identical to the a standard 40-conductor cable.

A link: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...2732&CatId=410

Sorry I cannot answer the part about the speed increase, this also depends on the IDE support of the motherboard. You should see at least a doubling of transfer speeds if ATA/66 or better is supported by the motherboard, the NorhTec hardware specification page is not clear on this.

Hi

Thanks again for the replies. As for the 88way you said, I think you were right about it, we just cannot get it as its non existing perhaps. The Machine and HDD (2,5") I have are both of the Laptop standards, and they have the thinner cables and it also fetches the power through that, so it has by standard 44 pins. 40 for data, 4 for power. Maybe the cable is not possible to get?

Cheers

Ben

Then try adjusting the systems BIOS IDE settings, this may resolve the issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lenard (Post 3005724)

Then try adjusting the systems BIOS IDE settings, this may resolve the issue.

I don't have a Monitor at home, but the device is nice and small, so I carry it to work, and check the BIOS on it next week when work resumes.

Thanks for your help as always,

Ben