What's going on here?

[V00D00]

I've got this hitachi 73gb scsi drive hooked to an adaptec pci card in my computer, and it's only transfering at 9.2mb/sec according to HDTach. My crappy 20gb maxtor drive is faster...what's the deal?

I'm currently using a 160mb/sec scsi card, but I've tried it in an older 40mb/sec card (both adaptec) and I get the same results. I've tried different PCI slots too.

I'm about to update the drivers, but I don't think that's going to matter.

Anyone ever see this before??

 

[V00D00]

bump

 

[Tostada]

Are you experience with SCSI?

When your system POSTs, does the Adaptec card list the drive at 160MB sync?

Are you using a properly terminated LVD cable?

Is this a real 68-pin Ultra-160 LVD drive, or did you get a cheap 80-pin SCA drive and put an 80 -> 68-pin adaptor on it? If so, does the adaptor specifically say it is Ultra-160 rated?

 

[V00D00]

I haven't worked with SCSI too much, so I would say I am NOT experienced with it.

This is the drive:
Hitachi DK32DJ-72

It says on there:
Ultra 320-320 MB/s, Ultra 160 SCSI-160.0 MB/s/Fibre Channel 200.0 MB/s

On the actual connector of the drive it says Ultra 160/LVD/SE

As far as I know it's an Ultra 320 cable, the terminator says ultra 320 on it.

I'm thinking it might be some jumper settings.

 

[Tostada]

Originally posted by: Tostada
When your system POSTs, does the Adaptec card list the drive at 160MB sync?

 

[V00D00]

sorry, missed that.. YES, it does.

I think it might be a power issue. This drive draws a lot of current, I don't know if my crappy antec can handle it.

 

[V00D00]

Tried a different cable, that didn't do it.

I think it might be the power supply. It's a long shot, but I don't know what else to try.

This drive draws about 6 times as much power as the other hard drives in my system, and my psu acts goofy sometimes (turns back on a second after I power down the pc).

With regard to your 160MB sync question... that shouldn't matter. i would accept 40MB at this time. The transfer rate is 9MB/sec!

 

[bluestrobe]

Use an old AT power supply to power drive while you are running everything in your normal system.

Also, what type of PS are your currently running?

 

[alimoalem]

if you think it's your psu, why don't you take out a few components (have the SCSI as your only hdd unless it's not your OS drive) and operate on 1 stick of ram. any fans you can take out for a few minutes? take those out. drop about 30w worth of equipments and retest to check to see if it is the psu

 

[V00D00]

Originally posted by: bluestrobe
Use an old AT power supply to power drive while you are running everything in your normal system.

Also, what type of PS are your currently running?

Currently, it's an Antec "true" 430watt. I don't really think it's the power supply, but I just hate to say that it's probably the drive. I got it from dude who bought it off ebay. He didn't know what scsi was, so he didn't want it. It came out of a hot swap unit that was made for a Sony transcoding/ethernet broadcase unit. It looks brand new.

I have another PSU I'm going to try, but I bet it won't fix this issue.

Btw, how can you trick a power supply into powering a hard drive without anything else attached to it? I know there is a way, maybe shorting some certain pins or something, but I'm not going to try that unless I know exactly what pins I need to short.

 

[bluestrobe]

You can short out the ATX power pins on the 20pin atx connector although I would shy from doing that. I would run the factory hard drive utility before going any further. I've heard more bad stories than good on eBay hard drives.

 

[mechBgon]

Is your SCSI bus terminated? SCSI drives with terminators beyond the drive's plug on the cable

edit: n/m, you said it has a terminator that says Ultra320 on it. Try enabling terminator power if it happens to not be jumpered for that already. If trouble persists, post full specs including all other PCI cards, the motherboard itself, and what slots the cards are in.