Female needs help

[Egoli]

@GregiBoy, Maineman and AGJ: thanks for you help so far. I am about to lose my mind though :-)

To answer your questions: I run Vista 32bit, I have so far experienced the same problem with all DVDs and no, I have not ripped a DVD with a different program on this laptop. I have in the past noticed very slow speed on especially my hard drive (since I have not used the dvd drive much) and now I am noticing a slow speed on my DVD drive too. I have spent hours looking into the DMA thing as this seems to be the most logical explanation for me. I have googled lots and read a lot on this forum. I have treid reset DMA, looked for channels in my device manager as well as used the regedit command solution: nothing. What I have found out is that I have an Intel(R) ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI Controller and therefore no IDE channels which in return means I have not found a way to anywhere check or change my mode to DMA. I have found other users posting about the same issue but never found an answer for this.

I guess my question is if it possible to adjust the DMA mode when using an AHCI Controller? If so, I just need to find out where and how. :-( I also read something about checking the settings in the BIOS, but when entering the BIOS I don't know how to get to where I should check. I am a bit embarrassed but then again the Internet is all I have as far as knowledge resources go.

Looking forward to any suggestions!

Egoli

[maineman]

Jeepers, creepers...this could get dicey.

For starters, slimline burners (lappie burners) are problematic....poor performers for video archiving, expensive and subject to other issues such as excessive heat exposure, etc., etc.
I'm in no way criticizing you, it's just what comes in lappies.

The easiest way out of this is to go with an external burner (or an internal burner in an external enclosure).
This will connect via usb and thus avoid the whole AHCI controller issue since the burner will be "controlled" via the usb controller.

I have no idea what this would cost you (I peeked and looked at your locale), but in the U.S. probably about $50-60 for either set up I mentioned.

Like you, I've noticed that AHCI drivers cause problems for many users, but not others. Myself, I built a new win7, 64-bit rig and had nothing but problems trying to load the AHCI drivers. In disgust, I finally went IDE and my rig screams along with 4 hdds and 4 burners and no problems at all.

I'm very hesitant to recommend bios changes to folks since this could make a bad situation worse. However, you could try the following and if it doesn't work, just revert to the original settings.

Restart your system and as it powers up, press the delete key repeatedly and you should enter your bios (Set Up)
Sometimes it's the F2 key and both may work...you'll just have to try.

Once in the bios, you should see Advanced along the top.
Enter Advanced > IDE Config
SATA I (or SATA II) select Enhanced

Below this, you should see
Configure SATA I (or SATA II)
and your choices are : IDE; RAID; AHCI
Select IDE

Save and exit, windows will start.
Now there's a chance your hdd may not operate correctly.
If you have problems, just restart and enter your bios and revert to your original settings. (You can enter the bios even if your os does not boot properly).
There is also a load bios default key...probably F9.

You might also have success in updating your bios (other users have done this to resolve this issue), but I do not recommend this unless you're comfortable as you could render your rig inoperable.

If you could post some info on your laptop, it will help us out.
Here are two, free, very useful utilities.

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

If you use this one, please delete any license, serial #'s prior to posting.
The info will pop up in your web browser, but it's safe...nothing is sent out.

http://www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php

This one has lots of features such as benchmarking.

[maineman]

I am also realising this post is now in the wrong folder and should probably be in the DVD to DVD folder but I don't want to double-post.

Good idea. I'll move it. You're likely to receive more help there...

[Egoli]

Thanks for the response and yes, I agree that an external drive is better for many reasons but given I don't use it that often I do feel that my built-in drive should be able to handle the occasional task. Especially because it is not a total low-end laptop. I am not the kind of person who has tons of movies that I need to back up. I guess I could just keep the original DVD and buy a region free, PAL/NTSC multi-power DVD player, but that would be admitting that something isn't working that really should be working. Ripping a DVD is not an overly fancy task :-)

I will not change anything in the BIOS yet but first send my laptop info which the Belarc program spit out (see below). Is there anything else I should do, such as run a certain benchmark test? (Sorry, part of it is in German even though I set the program language to English.)


Operating System System Model
Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 (build 6001)
Install Language: Deutsch (Deutschland)
System Locale: Englisch (USA) Sony Corporation VGN-SR21M_S 75
Enclosure Type: Notebook
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
2,27 gigahertz Intel Core2 Duo P8400
64 kilobyte primary memory cache
3072 kilobyte secondary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (2 total)
Not hyper-threaded Board: Sony Corporation VAIO
Bus Clock: 266 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. R1110Y1 08/14/2008
Drives Memory Modules c,d
308,07 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
107,03 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

MATSHITA DVD-RAM UJ862AS [CD-ROM drive]

Ricoh Memory Stick Disk Device -- drive 2
Ricoh SD/MMC Disk Device -- drive 1
TOSHIBA MK3252GSX [Hard drive] (320,07 GB) -- drive 0, s/n 9 J8FKI7SN, SMART Status: Healthy 3040 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Slot 'SODIMM1' has 2048 MB
Slot 'SODIMM2' has 2048 MB
Local Drive Volumes

c: (NTFS on drive 0) 308,07 GB 107,03 GB free
Network Drives
None detected


Adobe PDF Converter on Desktop\*.pdf
Canon iP1800 series on USB001
Kyocera Mita KM-2050 KX on 192.168.1.100
Microsoft XPS Document Writer on XPSPort:
Controllers Display
Intel(R) ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI Controller
Ricoh Memory Stick Host Controller
Ricoh SD Bus Host Adapter [Controller] ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 [Display adapter]
PnP-Monitor (Standard) (19,7"vis)
Bus Adapters Multimedia
Microsoft iSCSI-Initiator
Intel(R) ICH9 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2934
Intel(R) ICH9 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2935
Intel(R) ICH9 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2936
Intel(R) ICH9 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2937
Intel(R) ICH9 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2938
Intel(R) ICH9 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2939
Intel(R) ICH9 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 293A
Intel(R) ICH9 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 293C ATI HDMI Audio
Bluetooth-Audio
Realtek High Definition Audio
Virus Protection [Back to Top] new Group Policies
avast! antivirus 4.8.1296 [VPS 081226-0] Version 4.8.1296
Virus Definitions Version Up To Date
Realtime File Scanning On

None discovered
Communications Other Devices
HDAUDIO SoftV92 Data Fax Modem with SmartCP

6TO4 Adapter
Anchorfree HSS Adapter
Dhcp Server: none responded
Bluetooth-Gerät (PAN)
Auto IP Address: 169.254.55.218 / 32
Dhcp Server: none responded
Bluetooth-Gerät (RFCOMM-Protokoll-TDI)
Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 5100
primary
Marvell Yukon 88E8040 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller
Dhcp Server: none responded
Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
TAP VPN Adapter
Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface

Networking Dns Server:
RICOH OHCI-konformer IEEE 1394-Hostcontroller
Microsoft ACPI-konforme Kontrollmethodenbatterie
Microsoft-Netzteil
ALPS-UGPZ9-BCM2046
Microsoft Bluetooth-Auflistung
Bluetooth L2CAP Interface
Bluetooth Remote Control
Bluetooth-HID-Gerät
HID-konformes Benutzersteuergerät (3x)
Sony Firmware Extension Parser Device
Sony Visual Communication Camera
Standardtastatur (PS/2) [Keyboard]
HID-konforme Maus [Mouse]
Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad [Mouse]
USB-Root-Hub (8x)
USB-Verbundgerät
Standard-Volumeschattenkopie
R5C592
R5C822

[maineman]

Hi again Egoli,

I appreciate all the info you posted.
I attempted to get a look at your motherboard, but I can't seem to navigate the Sony site and get anything in English that helps me.

If you just make the IDE change I mentioned above, you should be ok. Like I said, you can always change it back.
I think this is a reasonable troubleshooting step and is pretty easily accomplished.
I just have serious reservations about recommending flashing your bios as this may not be so easily "fixed" if it doesn't work.

I understand completely your thoughts re: an external burner.
And not to beat a dead horse, but Matshita drives are crappy (and seem to be installed in tons of laptops).
Fengtao calls them matSHITa drives for this very reason

[Egoli]

Hi Maineman,

I wanted to change the settings in the BIOS, but just like when I looked in there this morning, I couldn't figure out where to change anything. Turns out I don't have the Advanced tab in my BIOS, just Main, Security, Boot and Exit.

I must be cursed :-) Any idea why it's not there and what I can do instead?

Egoli

[maineman]

Yup, I suspect voodoo is at work here.
Too bad your bios is limited, unless you need a password to enter in the Security menu to give you more options, but I doubt that's it.
Bummer!

Any chance that you have access to free, live support from sony?...
either online or via telephone?

I know there's a bug with this laptop/burner, AHCI drivers and Linux.
I didn't see much else out there though...nothing specifically with windows
It sure doesn't help that I am very monolingual...

Your burner obviously is not performing adequately.
Is this laptop still within its warranty period?

I didn't see your motherboard listed...did I miss it?

[Egoli]

True, I also can't see the motherboard info on the Belarc Advisor results page. I googled my laptop specs and it says I have the following:

Motherboard
Chipset Intel PM45 Express
Bus Speed 1066 MHz

I am not sure it's still under warranty, I'll have to check tomorrow. What trying to make a teeny tiny copy of a DVD can turn into... Doesn't help either that most internet resources are in English, my laptop is in German and I currently live in a country where I don't speak or understand the language. Triple sigh.

I am very frustrated though with my 'fancy' Sony Vaio, that much I can say. One more question: I mentioned before that making backups onto say an external drive takes v-e-r-y long and now I am also having these issues with the DVD drive. I think I read somewhere that those two problems could possibly have the same source (e.g. DMA hick ups?). Do you think so too?

Thanks for your help :-)

Egoli

[GregiBoy]

Another suggestion is to download "VSO Inspector" and run it with one of the problem DVD's in the drive.

It may help with some further information to work with.

I really do suspect something is not right with this system !!!

I know it is a simple task that should be easy to achieve and understand your frustration.

That said, I would suggest that my colleagues would agree with me when I say that 80% of problems that we see here are on laptops and also the MatSHITa drives are a continual source of problems.

[GregiBoy]

How are your external drives connected? USB?

If so, that then wouldn't be a DMA problem.

[maineman]

Yes, I'm confused.
I don't recall you ripping with an external drive...or do you mean ripping to an external "flash drive"?

GregiBoy is spot on as usual.
DMA is not an issue with usb connected drives.

[Egoli]

Sorry if I confused you - I did not use an external drive when trying to rip the DVDs, only internal DVD drive to internal hard drive. But now that we've been talking about DMA/slowness issues I remembered that I have previously experienced my laptop being slow when trying to move (backup) general files to my external drive, connected via USB. But if you say it cannot be related I guess that makes 2 problems now :-(

It must be frustrating for you that 80% of issues are caused by users' own hardware. I really apprecaite your help though, this has been the best forum I've ever used. You guys are nice, knowledgeable and respond amazingly fast. Hats off!

One other thing: AGJ mentioned that NTSC DVDs maybe cannot be played on European (PAL) PS3s. I have a US DVD here that says on the cover it's region free (ALL) and NTSC. It plays in my laptop so it must indeed be region free and it also plays on my PS3, meaning that European PS3s apparently can play both NTSC and PAL. I think I read this somewhere too, but when googling for it now it I can't find it anymore - always says European PS3 PAL only. In any case, just an FYI...

What a waste of my weekend, and your time too. I am just left feeling upset. I don't get all these different standards, codes, outputs anyway (granted, in the end this turned out not to be an issue of different standards). Just moved from Africa back to Europe recently and probably moving to the US soon - preparing myself for lots more of this incompatibility nonsense.

@GregiBoy: I will run VSO Inspector again. I tried it yesterday and never finished ... it was too slow. Should have been an indication, shouldn't it?

Good night Gentlemen,

Egoli

[GregiBoy]

Yeah, if VSO Inspector doesn't finish, it would certainly suggest to me that there is something not right with your hardware and this will have to be identified & fixed before you will be able to proceed any further.

[Guest]

, You guys are nice, knowledgeable and respond amazingly fast.!
Egoli

Your forgot to mention.......... Handsome.

[maineman]

Your forgot to mention.......... Handsome.

Hahaha...speak for yourself there, "handsome"!
Although for 60...I'm told I'm "not bad"...