WD3200 test questions

[NozzaC]

Hi

Could you guys possibly help me interpret my HD Tach results? My system comprises a E2160 @ 3Ghz and P35-DS3L mobo.

HD Tune Pro: WDC WD3200AAKS-00SBA Benchmark

Read transfer rate
Transfer Rate Minimum : 7.2 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 81.9 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 64.0 MB/sec
Access Time : 12.7 ms
Burst Rate : 122.8 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 51.1%

Does look right? Seems to me the CPU usage is very high. I'm also wondering why there is a big speed drop for an instant (down to 7.2MB/s) at the same point in every test - about 4 seconds in. I have no other apps running. I've turned off virus checking etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rpstewart]

The CPU is very high but the transfer rates are OK so the drive isn't running in PIO mode. Have you looked at the CPU load during the test using Task Manager? Is it constant or just at certain times?

If the big drop is happening at the same time on a number of tests then it's worth checking the disk out further. Go get a copy of WD's on diagnostics from their site and run those.

 

[NozzaC]

I think it might be an issue with HDTune (which was what I used rather than HD Tach as I said in my first post). I noticed that when I'd used HD Tune it was still taking up 50% CPU even when the test was finished and had to kill the process manually.

HD Tach results indicate a 3% CPU usage. I tried the WD tools and they gave my drive a clean bill of health. The only issue raised was that on starting the tools it said that Windows was not set up to use a drive over 137GB and would I like it to alter the registry and reboot. I said no since this sounds like the sort of thing which could mess up my boot. Any ideas on that?