Questions on DMA

[snagel]

Boy, talk about a pain trying to post. It accepted my username and password but would not give me a page to post. I think it'll work now.

I have a question concerning DMA. I have followed the information given above by Jmet. I am still confused as hell about something. When I select the secondary IDE channel
in device 0 is says
transfer mode : DMA if available
current transfer mode: Ulra DMA Mode 2

in device 1 it says
transfer mode : DMA if available
currrent transfer mode: PIO only


Question?
In device 0 and in device 1 is this referring to individual DVD +- R/RW / CD
drives. I have two installed my master is a NEC ND 3550a and my slave is a HP 640i. In the Secondary IDE channel is device 0 referring to my master DVD drive and is the device 1 referring to my slave DVD drive? please explain.
thanks snagel

[blutach]

Device 0 = master
Device 1 = slave

Fix the slave. See "Fix your DMA" in my signature.

Regards

[snagel]

still no DMA on device 1

I have uninstalled the secondary channel, and both the master and the slave DVD / CD 's. Shut down the PC. Upon starting the PC up again it recognized the new hardware. I rechecked the secondary channel. Now both devices read PIO only. I rechecked DMA if available and then O.K. closed the Device manager . Opened it up again and it still said PIO only.

I again removed the same items. now I'm back to Ultra 2 on device 0 master and still on PIO on the secondary. What did I do wrong. I have uninstalled this several times over the last year and never have been able to get the slave to read Ultra 2 mode.

I don't understand why device 1 will not go to Ultra DMA 2 I have not hardly even used this drive at all.
snagel

[blutach]

You on XP? If not, after selecting DMA if available, you need to reboot.

Also, check your BIOS settings for DMA on secondary slave.

Regards

[snagel]

Yes, I am on XP. I rebooted each time anyway. blu, how do I check my BIOS settings for DMA on the secondary slave. I appreciate your patience with me. snagel

[blutach]

On reboot, you'll need to enter the BIOs - usually Del does this. Each BIOS is a bit different and you'll need to have a hunt around to see if it has the ability to set DMA in it (it may not).



Regards

[snagel]

How do I enter Bios? This is a DELL computer DELL Dimension 3000 with Windows XP home edition.. 3.0 with pentium 4 HT
When I first got the machine 1 1/2 years ago for Christmas, it had a NEC 3450 DVD/CD burner in it. A few months later I put the HP 640c in it, as the slave. I haven't hardly even used the HP burner since. Today, I just took out the NEC 3450 burner and replaced it with the NEC 3550a. I never have been able to set the DMA on the Device 1 in the Secondary channel, since day one over a year ago.

Oh, and by the way Blu, I have been reading this forum for about 2 years now and have only posted a handful of times. But I must say that I feel confident with the advise that you give to others. I appreciate your help with this.
I have uninstalled the secondary channel with the master and slave burners together at the same time.
I have uninstalled the secondary channel by itself.
Then uninstalled the device 0 and 1 by themselves, once each.
And uninstalled just the device 1 slave DVD burner.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me
snagel

[NightTran]

Push F2 when system start up to go to Bio, change one thing at a time and write down what you do if it is not work then change back, Bio is a dangerous thing it could mess up your whole computer

[snagel]

thanks NightTran

[Steve83]

Go to the Dell site, look up your system, dl & read the owner's manual, or read the online info about entering & adjusting the BIOS.

[Chewy]

pass the robitussin, dellhell, jumpers?
mixing cable select and master/slave settings on the same cable is not reccomended

about the fourth time I have seen this in the last year, always a dell

nobody reports back(maybe 1 guy) and confirms

if it's a bios setting please tell which one? should all be set to auto?

[snagel]

Chewy you may be on to something.
Chewy what do you mean? What is the difference between cable select and master settings on the drive. I know on the drive that I just took out the Nec 3450 the jumper settings were on cable select. Sooooooo , I just put the jumper on the new NEC 3550a the exact same way? Or should I have put the jumper on the master burner to the master position instead? Please advise
Should I take the burner back out and put the jumper onto the master?

[Chewy]

try using the nec 3550 solo on the cable in the master position(end of the cable)

check dma

put hp burner on as slave then retest

[snagel]

disconnected everything connected up the 3550 to master. dma on utra 2mode. connected the slave still reads dma if available current transfer mode is PIO only. it didn't work.

[Chewy]

put both drives on cable select setting, you may have a CS cable?

or try a good 80 conductor ide cable

You did remove the secondary controller from device manager(uninstall) and reboot?