Why is my DVD drive reading so slowly and taking up so much memory?

[MrDingleDangle]

when trying to figure out this thread- http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=33&threadid=1334652&enterthread=y

I did a test on my DVD drive using Performance Test program I found on www.download.com

well the DVD drive that came with my Dell 5100 Inspiron had stats of 2.2-2.3 Mbs per second while taking up 75-80% of the CPU

so I tried my once internal now external Sony DRU-500a which is connected via a USB port and it had stats of 2.6 Mbs per sec but only taking up 2.5-5% of the CPU

so the Sony external read faster while taking up 75% less CPU...

anyone have any idea why? or have other programs that they use that I could make sure this is accurate?


im testing with nero right now, see what that gets me

 

[MrDingleDangle]

update i used nero and got this on reading 7.9 gig dvd

average read speed .92x, started at 1.71 and ended at 1.74x
cpu usage at 1x was 87%
seek times...random 111ms, 1/30 128ms...full 217ms
inreface burst rate = 1MB/s

 

[Budman]

looks to me like you dont have DMA enabled on that drive,make sure that DMA is enabled.

Enabling DMA on hard drives and CDROMs

 

[MrDingleDangle]

Originally posted by: Budman
looks to me like you dont have DMA enabled on that drive,make sure that DMA is enabled.

Enabling DMA on hard drives and CDROMs

each device is set for DMA if available

 

[MrDingleDangle]

bump

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Unfortunately I can't offer any product specific advice not having used it, but I can offer generic advice and have this double as a bump 🙂

I'd flash the drive to the latest firmware and use the latest IAA and see if that helps.