# CD drive speed



## Michelangelo (Apr 24, 2005)

I just got a CD-RW drive and it came with a program used to test it's speed. The drive is a 52x, but the program reported it running at 4x; my question is...

What factors would make it run so much slower like that?
(by the way, My other computer has an 8x CD-RW that only goes 1x)


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## Sarkast (Sep 12, 2004)

What program did you test that with ?
Is that the reported read speed ?
Have you tried a diffrent CD for the read test ?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

if you have nero use the tools section cd/dvd speed


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## Michelangelo (Apr 24, 2005)

dai said:


> if you have nero use the tools section cd/dvd speed


 Yes, nero is the one I used


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

try clicking on options in drive speed and adding the speed to the box
check dma is anabled on the drive


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## Michelangelo (Apr 24, 2005)

Well, I found out that it was a nero problem, I went to thier site I got a update & it works a little better. (Instead of 4x it's going 14x)

I have another problem though....
I was trying to use a CD that was in my CD-RW drive but whenever I try to load that drive my computer loads my regular CD drive instead. 

Any thoughts?

(Example: Drive1 has D2LOD in it, Drive2 has MahJongg in it; I try to install MahJongg, but D2LOD loads everytime.)

Temporary workaround... Take the disc out of Drive1. (but I shouldn't have to.)


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

have you checked dma is enabled on your drives


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

Make sure you're using the correct hardware drivers. Generic ones might not let you reach maximum burning speed.


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## Michelangelo (Apr 24, 2005)

dai said:


> have you checked dma is enabled on your drives


 Where do I see that?


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## Sarkast (Sep 12, 2004)

Depending on where your CD drive is hooked up (primary IDE controller/ secondary - and if its master or slave):

Go to start, control panel, system, device manager, IDE ATA/ ATAPI, Primary IDE controller (or secondary), right click properties, advanced settings tab, what does it say under Device 0 (or 1 if its hooked up as slave) for:

Transfer mode:
Current Transfer Mode:


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## Michelangelo (Apr 24, 2005)

Transfer mode: DMA if available
Current mode: PIO mode.

btw, what does DMA, PIO, and MRW mean?


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## Sarkast (Sep 12, 2004)

This page explains PIO mode:

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/modes_PIO.htm

On the bottom is the link to the explanation of DMA, and on the next page to UDMA modes.

This page has helped numerous people already that we diagnosed with the PIO mode problem. Should help you too:

http://www.michna.com/kb/WxDMA.htm


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