I think I need to enable DMA, how do I do that?

[optimistic]

I'm running an ECS K7SEM w/ DURON 800mhz. I bought a new AOPEN CD950E 50X CDROM, but it taking an long time to transfer from CD to hardrive during the installation of all my programs, after a clean format. Do I need to DMA? Hmm....not really a big problem, but I want to know how to enable DMA.

 

[zzzz]

what OS are you using?
Go to ide controller properties in the device manager and check "DMA if available"

 

[jodokast5300]

*points up*

what he said. Say, what kind of improvements do you actually see with DMA enabled anyways?

 

[shathal]

General routes to enabling DMA

Win 9X / ME:
============
1. Go to DEVICE MANAGER (can do that via right-click on "MY COMPUTER" & selecting "PROPERTIES&quot.
2. Go to your "Device of choice" (i.e.: CD-ROM , HD) in the Device-list.
3. Right-click the Device (i.e.: your CD-writer) & select PROPERTIES:
4. Go to the "SETTINGS" tab, Enable the DMA-tickbox & click on "OK".
5. You will need to reboot to apply changes & voila - done.

Win 2000
========
Similar to above, except:

1. Right-click "My Computer" & select MANAGE from the options. This will start an MMC console up - go (on the left-half) to DEVICE MANAGER.
2. As above, fight your way down to the device of your choice(s) & enable DMA via "properties/settings" of said device.
3. Reboot.

That's about it.

Need more help with anything, just ask .

Hope this is of some use to you ;D.

 

[shathal]

Re: DMA improvements.

DMA is good for various reasons. In essence, it summarizes to Faster.

It doesn't require (as much) CPU-involvement with data-transfers from/to HD to/from memory/other device.

"It makes access faster & less CPU intensive" is about as simple as I can keep it without boring you too much. Think "bypassing the CPU" for data-transfers. Saves CPU-time for more necessary things (like high framerates), & is faster.

The only "drawback" as such is that some REALLY ancient HD's (my 386's 520 MB drive does DMA quite happily) or some crap/cheapo CD-ROM's/CD-writers don't like DMA too much. Stick to quality & it shan't be a problem. But "problems with DMA" are a rare thing nowadays ...

Hope this make sense .

 

[Shudder]

Cheapo drives.. Raite DVD rom.. blehbleh

A word of advice perhaps..

Maybe this is just a via chipset thing in windows 2000? But going to the individual device itself does nothing. To enable DMA I have to go to the IDE Controller itself and use the combo box to set it to "DMA if available", not go to the cdrom or HDD and do it.

 

[optimistic]

what OS are you using?

Win98se. Thanks Quadruple "Z" and thanks Shathal!!!
I'll try that out when I go home tonight.

~optimistic!

 

[shathal]

Sure - no probs .

 

[NelsonMuntz]

The other thing that will speed up your CD-ROM to HD transfers is having them on two separate IDE channels. Just a thought.

 

[optimistic]

The other thing that will speed up your CD-ROM to HD transfers is having them on two separate IDE channels. Just a thought.

hmm... i do have them in one channel...


-------------------------
The darn thing

 

[shathal]

Generally good "IDE"-etiquette:

IDE-Channel 0:
Master: <Primary HD>
Slave: <if available - 2nd HD>

IDE-Channel 1:
Master: <CD-ROM/DVD-ROM>
Slave: <if available - CD-Writer / LS-120 / Zip-drive>

Should help you out a bit .

 

[WhatWasIThinking]

I ran the sandra disk benchmark on the system I just built (with a Maxtor Diamondmax plus 60 60 gb hd) and got ~6000Q). Then it dawned on me I had to actually turn DMA on. The result? 24000 or thereabouts.

Also, not to horn in on this thread, but what is the max dma level your average cd will run at? I've heard 33, but I don't know if this is true. I hate wasting one of my built in ata100 channels on a cd, and I wonder if it's worth it to pick up an old ata33 controller.