[GLLUG] Disk Drive Controller issue:

[Stanley C. Mortel]

Background:

1.	Using Acronis to copy a partition from one IDE drive (A) to another identical drive (B), both are 120 GB with a single 
partition.  Each drive is alone on its channel / cable, set to cable select, on the right connector, etc. 
2.	When A is connected to the on-board IDE controller and B is connected to a 3WARE RAID controller, it takes 
about 5 minutes.  (3ware is doing the writing)
3.	When B is connected to the on-board IDE controller and A is connected to a 3WARE RAID controller, it tells me it is 
going to take 2 hours. (3ware is doing the reading)

Eliminated:

cables:  disconnected at both ends and swapped.  No change.
UDMI:  Turned off, no change.  Turned back on.
PCI slot:  In case it was a bus mastering issue.  Moved 3ware card to 
slot 1 from slot 2.  No change.  Moved back.
IDE channel on 3 ware card:  Plugged cable into channel 2 socket.  No change

Degraded array issue:  Attached both drives to 3ware card.  Warned about 
a degraded array on empty drive (B).  Deleted the array.  Reset cables 
to original configuration.  No change.
3ware read problem:  Attached both drives again to 3ware card as JOBD.  
Partition copy time 5 minutes.

IDE write problem Primary channel:   Attached CD to 3ware card, A drive 
to 2ndary IDE channel, B drive to primary channel.  Won't boot to CD in 
this configuration.
                                                         Removed 3ware 
card.  CD slave on 2ndary IDE, A drive master on 2ndary IDE, B drive 
master on primary IDE.  No change.
                                                          Swapped cables 
so B drive is master on 2ndary IDE channel.  No Change.

After letting things run for awhile, the 2 hour estimate kept getting 
revised down, to just over an hour.

I guess I have to conclude that the 3ware card really is that much 
faster at writing than the on-board IDE controller.  I didn't replace 
the 3ware card with another one, but it isn't the problem anyway.  At 
least, if it is a 3ware read problem, then there is also an on-board IDE 
read problem....unlikely.  I have a vague recollection of running into 
something like this before.  I was using a Promise IDE controller to 
copy partitions.  Most of the time it went by in a few minutes, but 
every so often it would take over an hour.  I thought it was just 
something to do with the drives I was using, e.g., they weren't 
identical, but maybe this is a widespread phenomenon.  If anyone ever 
finds they can shed light on this matter, I would appreciate it.

I'm done.  Gonna just create the partition in the way that takes 5 
minutes and go make dinner.  Thanks to all for your feedback.

Stan