Slower concurrent disk access with NCQ ?

[xerces8]

What are your experiences with the JMicron?

Bad.
The mentioned MyBook does not work at all on it. Or is works for a few minutes, then dies completely. The JMicron-MyBook combination is basically useless.

I want to try some non WD drives (on both ICH and JMB), but I don't have any at hand. Maybe I'll purchase a Samsung F1 640GB.

[|FAT|Punisher]

I want to try some non WD drives (on both ICH and JMB), but I don't have any at hand.

Same problem here, and I can't just buy one only for testing.

[|FAT|Punisher]

Western Digital has just admitted to me that there are problems with "some controllers". But the chipset manufacturers would be responsible for offering working drivers for the respective platforms.

I have ordered one more 6400AAKS. I wanted to make sure that it's not a faulty drive, and I wanted to try if it behaves different in a RAID 0. Some people say, I should not mix RAIDs with non-RAID drives. If I don't need the additional 6400AAKS, my brother will buy it, so it's no problem for me. And if it works in a RAID, I have 640 GB more and a lot faster system.

If it does not work, I'll try to buy a very cheap PCIe-SATA-controller card.

[|FAT|Punisher]

Western Digital wrote me that they're trying to get Intel to publish at least a patch to circumvent the bugs in the chipset for a long time now, but unfortunately for us customers, without success until now.

I do not know if it's really Intel's fault, but it seems very possible for me.

[xerces8]

Great news !
(somehow the forum did not notify me of new posts, that's why I reply only now)

I tried with a new HD (Samsung F1 640GB - HD642JJ). It seems a bit better (less slowdown in AHCI mode), but still noticeable difference compared to IDE mode.

I also saw Intel released a new version of their driver (Intel Matrix Storage ... v8.2), but it does not help.

PS: Anyone knows how to turn NCQ on and off ?

[|FAT|Punisher]

The second 6400AAKS I ordered was more or less defective and I had to return it. These days I should get a new one.
I already made a RAID 0 with the two 6400AAKS, and I had the impression that those delays were gone. But I'll test that more thoroughly during the next days.

During the weekend, I had my PC configured as an almighty server for a LAN party: DHCP, DNS, HTTP (Apache, MySQL, PHP, Wiki, Forum...), FTP, TeamSpeak, Windows Shares, IRC, and some Unreal Tournament 2004 servers. I used Windows Vista x64, which was installed to the 6400AAKS (that's the drive I experience those terrible delays with when using Windows XP!), together with all the servers, except UT 2004.

I had no delays whatsoever. Everything ran smooth, even when downloading and uploading bigger amounts of photos and stuff. But on the other hand, it was probably not enough to reach critical speeds. Or perhaps there's really a difference between Vista and XP, I can't tell for sure.

[xerces8]

If I did not mention yet : I also tried to set the mode to RAID in BIOS (still using only one drive) and installed the intel Matrix drivers. This setup had the same delays as regular AHCI.

[|FAT|Punisher]

Meanwhile I got my replacement 6400AAKS.
So I made a backup of my running 6400, added the new one and created a RAID 0, preserving the existing data.

Good thing I made the backup: a small number of small files got corrupted! Probably by creating the RAID 0.

The "hanging problem" seems to be still existent. But I have to verify that with Vista, just in case, if Vista behaves differently.

Seriously, I get p***** off by this Intel controller crap!
If I had the 300-400 bucks, I'd buy a serious SATA RAID controller...

[xerces8]

See my tests (at the bottom) in this thread.
It seems AHCI mode is a lot slower that IDE (in case of more than one concurrent disk access).

[Pablo1870]

xerces8,

I am in the same position as yourself, having purchased a WD6400AAKs, and learning afterwards that its advertised NCQ is basically not avalible to me as I have a ICH10R southbridge.

However, on of the posters over at storage review claims that in 64 bit lunix, he is getting decent throughputs - that clearly indicate that in lunix at least, ncq implementation is productive.

Enough should be enough.

I think you should continue your interaction with WD etc., and show them the posts over at storage review, as i can tell there are at least four pertaining to this issue.

We paid for it, now we want it. NCQ WD - tell us what to do, as most of us use windows OS's. If not, then forum users should be honest with other forum users and highlight this problem when newbies are asking which HD do I spend my money on.

Allready Seagate has a new 640gb HD on its way, which is a 7200.11 as well. On inital review it seems to beat the WD6400AAKs in all throughput, and is only slightly behind on the access times. If it has NCQ that works as advertised????????

WD needs to get a solution to this issue sorted, or clearly this new SG drive will be promoted on forums all over the net, above WD's current top spot leader. Those exisitng users of this model will not settle for 'too bad', or its someone else's fault. WD, You got my money, and you haven't provided what you proclaimed.

Thats the way forum users say it is.

Pablo1870.

[Pablo1870]

Western Digital has just admitted to me that there are problems with "some controllers". But the chipset manufacturers would be responsible for offering working drivers for the respective platforms.

I have ordered one more 6400AAKS. I wanted to make sure that it's not a faulty drive, and I wanted to try if it behaves different in a RAID 0. Some people say, I should not mix RAIDs with non-RAID drives. If I don't need the additional 6400AAKS, my brother will buy it, so it's no problem for me. And if it works in a RAID, I have 640 GB more and a lot faster system.

If it does not work, I'll try to buy a very cheap PCIe-SATA-controller card.

Hi FAT Punisher - Could yopu please contact me via pm. I would like to ask about what WD wrote to you about regarding the ICH controller and the WD6400AAKs. I allrady have 'xcese8' helping me put together a query directly to intel, with all the posts on all the forums relating to this issue.

What exactly did WD say to you and what did they say was the solution. Coul you provide me the email please.

Thanks,

Pablo.

[|FAT|Punisher]

Hi FAT Punisher - Could yopu please contact me via pm. I would like to ask about what WD wrote to you about regarding the ICH controller and the WD6400AAKs.

Hi,
see here.