DMA unhappiness

[CTho9305]

Here's the deal:
my burner (iomega 12x10x32) used to run in DMA (i'm 99% sure). now, it doesn't. the bios doesn't let me enable DMA for it, and if I force DMA, windows won't boot.

Linux, however, always detects that drive as being in DMA mode. WTF???

I tried switching drivers for my IDE controller from microsoft's via driver to microsoft's generic, still doesn't help.

I've also reset my CMOS. The drive also goes into DMA mode in my other KX-133 board, but that is running linux (which uses DMA in both boards).

I'm running XP, and was before too. Help!

 

[bacillus]

just checking the basics here but have you set the ide channel to use dma transfers if available under ide controllers in device manager?

 

[TheCollective]

I would suggest either a firmware update for the drive or a BIOS update for your mobo.

 

[CTho9305]

guess I could update the BIOS... iomega doesn't appear to have any firmware that I can find. why does it do DMA under linux thougH?

 

[CraigRT]

Well maybe since you are not 100% sure, it actually used to run in PIO mode.. that is definitely a possibility. Does it work fine? if it does, you are likely just worrying over nothing... if it's not working fine, then you have reason to ask.

 

[CTho9305]

well, without DMA, whenever i read/write using that drive, the system gets unusably slow, even for processes set at highest priority (e.g. winamp). i used to always listen to music while burning. maybe via has a new chipset driver I can try....