New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

[kapazza]

I just got a new harddrive to hold all of my music files. I can still use db power amp music converter to convert, but the conversion goes at about 6x compared to the 80-90x on my original harddrive(I still have the old harddrive on this computer, so 2 HDDs altogether). Why is it so slow...I even tried installing db on the new harddrive and my speed didn't get any faster? Please help...thanks,
Steve

[neothe0ne]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

Maybe dMC is converting the file to a temporary folder on the other hard drive, then copying the file over to the other hard drive. That would cause a long delay.. but as far as I remember, that's not the case, as it writes the file to the destination immediately.

[kapazza]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

Also, when is DOES convert(after a long wait) the files are wack. There are pops and cuts every 2-3 seconds and the file is completely ruined. What can I do?

[LtData]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

The temp file for dMC is on the main C:\ drive by default. As for the pops and cuts, what speed is your CPU and how much RAM do you have? What operating system are you using.

Edit: Also, make sure DMA is enabled on your drive. Go to Start --> run and type w/o quotes "devmgmt.msc". Go to your IDE/ATAPI controllers, check the primary and secondary channels to make sure they are set on "DMA if available" and not "PIO Mode".

[kapazza]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

I have a Pentium 4, with 1024 MB of RAM, 2.4 GHz processor. How would I go about putting the temp folder on the new HDD?

EDIT: They are both on "DMA if available".

[Spoon]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

To run tests (I am assuming you are ripping an audio cd), rip an audio CD track to wave, then try converting that wave to both drives, also set dbpoweramp's priority to below normal (if you have that option). Try also ripping an audio cd to 'Test Conversion' what speed is that?

[kapazza]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

Thanks for the response. No, I'm not ripping an audio CD. I downloaded .flac and .shn files and I need to convert them to .wav. I never had any problems until I installed this new HDD and now the the broken files being manipulated have to transfer to the C drive, then go back to the F drive(new HDD). All I need to know if how to put a temp folder on the new drive and designate it for dMC's use.

[xoas]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

All I need to know if how to put a temp folder on the new drive and designate it for dMC's use.

Start as to convert 1 or more files in dMC. When the dMC Window comes up (the one where you set the format and settings, click on the Power Pack rocket icon. In the window that opens (Power Pack Options) will be the spot for you to set a filepath to your temporary file folder, if you are using dsp effects (volume normalization, EQ, and so forth). If you are not using dsp effects, I don't believe you can change the path for any temporary files dMC may use.

Even though you are not ripping from cd, I think it would be helpful for you to create a wave file and then to try to convert it to both drives, with the priority setting for your conversion set to below normal in both cases and then to try a test conversion and to report the ripping speed for the test conversion and for the conversion to each of your drives. To do a test conversion, this is done the same way as a regular conversion except that where you choose the format for your converted file (such as shn or flac), choose Test Conversion. As Spoon has indicated, this is really for diagnostic purposes. The test conversion will give you an indication of how quickly dMC can read the file.

Best wishes,
Bill

[kapazza]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

I don't have the Powerpack(please don't tell me I have to buy something to do something this simple). I ran the test and got back 92x Real-time encoding on the C drive and got 16x Real-time encoding on the F drive. Anything else or am I going to have to buy something?

[xoas]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

am I going to have to buy something?

No

I don't have the Powerpack(please don't tell me I have to buy something to do something this simple).

I won't. The only temporary file path you can change is for the temporary files created when dsp effects are being applied. No power pack, no dsp effects.

I ran the test and got back 92x Real-time encoding on the C drive and got 16x Real-time encoding on the F drive.

The 92x time I assume was doing the Test Conversion (No Write) test. Was this what you also did when you got the 16x encoding on the F drive?

Anything else

If you ran the Test Conversion (No Write) to both locations then I think not. If, however, the conversion to the F drive was to an actual format, please try encoding the same file to the c drive using the same format and settings and report your findings.

Thanks.
Bill

[kapazza]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

Both tests were test only. Oh well, nothing you can do without the powerpack thing. Thanks anyway, see ya.

[xoas]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

I believe that Neotheone was correct in indicating that, unless you are applying dsp effects, dMC writes directly to the destination folder. If this is so, there is no temp path to change.
I am assuming you know how to change the output folder for your converted file in dMC and that this is not an issue.

For the fairest trial of whether switching dMC to your F drive would help, you would want to do a complete uninstall as described here: http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=6828
before you attempt a reinstallation of dMC to the F drive. Of course, you would need to uninstall your codecs and make sure that you install everything to the right folders.

Why do you need to transfer your messed up ("broken") files from drive F to drive C and back again (as you mentionned in post #7)?

Do you have any other programs that seem to have problems with the F drive (other audio programs, games, graphics or photo programs)? What are the specs for your two drives?

I am struck by the discrepancy between the test conversion speeds. Perhaps, Spoon or LtData can shed some more light on this.

Best wishes,
Bill

[ChristinaS]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

Is the new drive an external drive by any chance? If so is it on USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 or firewire?

[kapazza]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

Why do you need to transfer your messed up ("broken") files from drive F to drive C and back again (as you mentionned in post #7)?

I assumed that the temp folder was being used for everything(not only effects) and I assumed that the conversion was done in the temp folder(C drive) and then sent back to the F drive.

The HDD is internal...the specs are as follows:
200 GB
buffer size: 8 MB
average seek time: 9ms
external trasfer rate: 133 MB/ sec
rotational speed: 7200 RPM

As for my original HDD...I wouldn't know how to find this information.

I tried the full unistall, nothing fixed. Maybe something to do with the buffer size on the HDD? It seems so small.

[ChristinaS]

Re: New harddrive...db is REALLY slow...

No, the buffer size is fine.

There's something else probably slowing things down.

Is the drive formatted the same way as your original one?

Either both FAT32 or both NTFS?

Is the new drive partitioned into more than one partition?