IBM DTLA Feature Tool is amazing !

[MK]

Hi,

read an article on X-Bit Labs about the IBM DTLA series:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/storage/hdd-roundup-2.html

They test a new tool by IBM that makes the DTLA drives completely silent. I´ve done it, my HD is inaudible now !

This is (as Steve Jobs would say ) amazing !

MK

------------------
EPoX BX7+100, Celeron II 566@859 MHz, Golden Orb, 256 MB PC133 Crucial (2-2-2), G400 16MB (Bios 1.9-33, PD 5.52, TGL V1.3), Highpoint U-ATA100 RAID, IBM DPTA 20,0GB U-ATA100, SB PCI128, Mitsumi CR-4801TE, Pioneer 36x slot-in, ZIP100, Iiyama Vision Master Pro 400, Plustek 9636T, HP 930C, Win`98 SE

[This message has been edited by MK (edited 25 February 2001).]

[DosFreak]

Actually the tool is kinda old....

[MK]

DosFreak - yep I know, but version 1.10 is from February 1st, 2001

Rik - sometimes I even catch myself being scared for a second ...

MK

[Rik]

Tried it too, its great!
Its a bit disconcerting getting used to the lack of hard-drive chattering at first. Makes you think there is no disk access at all...just a few short pauses.

[Rik]

LOL! You will have to drink less coffee!

[Technoid]

This also makes the HDD somewhat slover!

[MK]

Technoid - yep, but just a tad.

Rik -

MK

[impact]

According to the article, the disk slows down about 2% - 3%. Big deal.

[MK]

IMHO the trade-off in speed is worth the silence.

MK

[Galvin]

2 to 3% doubtfull my win2K took 3 times longer to boot, went from like 40seconds to like 1 min 30 seconds. That's a hell of a lot slower. I think it depends on how fast your system is, I am using a 1gig cpu, slower system probably won't notice the performance hit. Nice utility. But what I don't get is why all IBM disk utilities have to run in DOS. when I owned a WD drive their utilites ran in windows.

[Helevitia]

Just in case anyone wants to know, Maxtor has this built into there diamondmax drives. it is on by default. You can turn it off by going to there web page and downloading the utility.

Dave

[Galvin]

Just to point out an IBM deskstar drive is more quiet than a Maxtor Diamond Max. That's wht no sound management turned on in the deskstar. I tried both out last year. deskstar rules

[MK]

Galvin - did you set it to 128 or 191 ? I chose the 191 setting.

My system is equipped with 860 MHz, U-DMA 100 and CL2 RAM. Should not be that much of a difference ... Go defrag your disc !

MK

------------------
Celeron II 860 MHz + Golden Orb
256 MB PC133 Crucial (2-2-2)
G400 16MB @ PD 5.52 + TGL
20 GB IBM on HPT U-ATA100 RAID
Iiyama Vision Master Pro 400

[This message has been edited by MK (edited 28 February 2001).]

[Technoid]

What is this "Silence" Obsession anyway?
I can't hear my Twin IBM DTLA drives over my PSU and HS fan!
And if i spend to long time in front of my Computer (as i mostly do) in complete silence i would go nuts!!
Now listening to Winamp - Guaranteed to drown out the sounds from your computer, neghboor's using industrial sawing machines (living near a sawmill running 24 hours despite laws and regulations is "fun"), low flying JAS 39 Gripen planes, a pyrotechnics factory that testes how much noise the fireworks do, etc etc !

[Gurm]

Well, tried it. Didn't like it.

Why?

Two reasons:

1. IBM drives are dead silent anyhow. I _like_ being able to "almost" hear them working. The only noise making it out of my case right now is a slight oscillating whine because the 7200rpm IBM's don't sync up 100%. Nothing this tool takes care of.

2. Cutting the access time on the drive from 8ms to 20ms is a BIG FRIGGIN DEAL. Maybe it only means 2%-5% in transfer rates on synchronous reads, but on random seeks it is murder!

- Gurm

------------------
Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.