How do I make sure my SATA-II hard disk is being used to its full potential?

[TheDarkKnight]

I downloaded and used this hard disk utility called "HD Tune" and it's spitting out the results for my hard disk as shown in the images:

I guess I can't figure out how to link images but anyway...


The bottom right hand corner of the second picture shows:
Standard: .... SATA II
Supported: ATA 133
Active: ATA 100

Does this mean that my SATA-II hard disk is only capable of a maximum transfer speed of 100MB/sec? I know the burst rate shows a 120MB/sec rate so It must be faster than 100MB/sec. How do I make sure my hard disk isn't being bottle-necked by the drivers being assigned by my operating system(which is Window 7 Ultimate SP1)?

Shouldn't the software show "Active: SATA-II"?

 

[razel]

I haven't seen a single HDD go past 150MB/s yet so don't worry if you are running SATA I (150MB). The only thing to worry about with an HDD is if NCQ is working. You can find out via CrystalDiskMark. Run the 4k and 4k qd32 (threaded) benches. If NCQ is working, 4k qd32 should be minimum twice faster than 4k single.

 

[vss1980]

Not sure about HD Tune, but a lot of software still lists the UDMA transfer modes supported (I guess its a guaranteed legacy protocol thing), even some BIOS messages at POST drive detection still just list UDMA speeds regardless of the connection method.

You could use Sisoft Sandra which will list both the drives supported speeds and the actual in use transfer modes and if NCQ is active.

 

[Cerb]

No image is shown. So, based on the text...

I suspect you have your SATA ports set to legacy/IDE/compability/etc. mode, instead of some native mode. What is your motherboard and OS?

 

[vss1980]

No image is shown. So, based on the text...

I suspect you have your SATA ports set to legacy/IDE/compability/etc. mode, instead of some native mode. What is your motherboard and OS?

Good point, but even then, the device/controller/BIOS *should* still negotiate the best link speed regardless of the device being set to AHCI/ATA/Compatible modes - the only exception being if there is a setting which allows it to be limited (not common).

Looking at the website for HD Tune, unless you're using a trial version, the 'free' version is a few years old now - perhaps this is something they've improved.

Another thing to keep in mind is that different controllers / drivers, etc., may not report the configuration data back how the program expects.
At the very least, try another program to check to see what that says in comparison.

 

[Cerb]

Good point, but even then, the device/controller/BIOS *should* still negotiate the best link speed regardless of the device being set to AHCI/ATA/Compatible modes - the only exception being if there is a setting which allows it to be limited (not common).

No, the device will be seen as a PATA device, and its performance will also be limited because of it. Handy for old OSes, and early dives that were PATA w/ bridges, not handy for performance.

 

[vss1980]

I assume he means it shows something like this:

Personally I'd verify with another program - it may just be showing compatibility information that the drive may support.....

Although you stated it does list the standard as SATA so surely the SATA bandwidth and command set must be in use...???

 

[vss1980]

No, the device will be seen as a PATA device, and its performance will also be limited because of it. Handy for old OSes, and early dives that were PATA w/ bridges, not handy for performance.

I understand that, i.e. the command set will fall back to ATAPI 5/6 and of course that will inhibit performance, but whenever I've checked the drives are still listed as operating (at the hardware level) at SATA1/2 speeds and modes.

I've just tested it on an old PC set to Compatible IDE (controller device in Windows identified as Ultra ATA, not AHCI, on an Intel G41 chipset) and sure enough it still shows the operating mode as SATA2 in Sandra. Obviously it'll be missing out on NCQ, etc.

To be honest, the problem here is I think that ATAPI versions also tallied somewhat with improvements to the bus interface speed and signalling, i.e. Ultra ATA 33/66/100/133.
I see no reason why the same older command set wouldn't go faster if a quicker signalling method/bus was available like SATA. After all, there were negligible changes to the SCSI spec whilst it ramped from 40-320MB/s purely due to improvements to the controller and device signalling.
It is after all just a communication protocol, and surely if the commands and data are executed quicker, the data transfer will go up...

Please OP, try another program... it's free...
And of course, to make sure the full potential is being used check your BIOS settings. AHCI needs to be enabled to get all of the newer SATA command set improvements like NCQ, etc., but you may need to reinstall your OS (or driver hack before changing the setting).