Problem with DMA

[CurrentPeak]

Since I've installed DT4.06HE on my laptop, I've got problem with transfer mode of my DVDRW mechanic. It's running in PIO Mode instead of Ultra DMA Mode 2.
[img]c:\DMA.jpg[/img]
I found out, because of 100% CPU usage during CD/DVD reading, copying etc. When I launched DVD Region+CSS Free, it asked me to turn on the DMA - I did so and after restart everything seemed to be OK, but after couple of minutes (I was copying something from the DVD to HDD) the speed fell suddenly from 8-9000 to 1000 kbytes/s = DVDRW mechanic worked again in PIO mode.
I've never had this problem on my desktop. But my friend on his notebook did have it, too.
Is there any possibility to set the DMA Mode for DVDRW mechanic "hard" (in registry)? Or is there any other (better) solution?

OS: MS Windows XP MCE SP2
AV: NOD 32
DT: Daemon Tools v4.06HE x86
I use Acer Empowering Technology utils on my Acer Aspire 5100 series notebook with PHILIPS DVD-RAM SDVD8821.

Thanks in advance for help!

Comrade

[hellwich]

Hi CurrentPeak,

try this:
goto "Device Manager -> IDA ATA/ATAPI Controllers -> Secondary IDE Channel -> Advanced Settings -> Transfer Mode"
(set transfer mode to: DMA if available)

You could also try to change the speed in the BIOS.

/offtopic
btw, refering to a pic on your C-drive isn't going to work

[CurrentPeak]

Hi hellwich,
thanks for help, your advice is the first thing I tried (and if that pic did work, it could be seen that the "Transfer Mode" is set to "DMA if available"). Unfortunately, if I launch DT it resets "Current Transfer Mode" of DVDRW mechanic to PIO mode...

[Jito463]

I've never heard of this happening. Do you happen to have any Starforce protected games? Have you checked for the presence of Starforce drivers? These have been known to cause this issue.

[CurrentPeak]

In fact, I haven't had installed any game since I had my note. So, Starforce couldn't have caused my problem.
I remember that my friend had the same problem on his note, too. He made a fresh install of the winxp (and formatted whole hdd - including backup partition with all drivers and soft...). Then he installed DT and since he has never had any problem with it.
It makes me wonder if it's caused by SPTD driver.

Btw. my burning soft is NTI CD&DVD-Maker 7 Gold

[Sir Camehan]

What I always do is delete the IDE channel in which the CD/DVD drive is situated on, in Device Manager. Of course, this assumes that it is on a seperate channel to the HDD. This method forces the system to reset the DMA/PIO setting to Ultra DMA. Normally, Windows XP has a set limit (around 6 times) on how many times a drive returns a error, before it forces it into PIO mode. However, by changing the channel the drive is set on OR by deleting the controller, it resets the lock (Windows always resets IDE channels on next startup, after this method is performed).