T22 very slow!

[Rex]

Hi there,

Have been up-grading my T22 from a 20gb hd (W2k/FAT32) to a 60gb hd W2k/NTFS) Both are 5400rpm.

Do the usual things with my T22, including some image processing using PhotoShop CS. With the 20gb hd, start up seems to be quick and I can use any program without any problems.

With the 60gb, startup seems to take forever, the hd light is active for a long time and while it is active, I rarely can use any programs.

Start PhotoShop and the hd spins forever and during that time, I can do nothing. Open an image, and the hd spins, cannot do anything until it stops. When it stops, I can use the scroll bars, but then the hd starts again and the image will not move for ten seconds or more.

Thought that with a larger hd, things would be slightly more efficient but the opposite is the case. I have the Index Service off as well as lots of other redundant services. I have attempted to set up the 60gb the same as the 20.

Am I don't something wrong and if so I would be grateful for any suggestions. Alternatively, my expectations are too great!

Many thanks in advanced,

Rex

[OddOne]

Have you defraged after setting everything up?

[ambientscape]

Hi there,

Have been up-grading my T22 from a 20gb hd (W2k/FAT32) to a 60gb hd W2k/NTFS) Both are 5400rpm.

Do the usual things with my T22, including some image processing using PhotoShop CS. With the 20gb hd, start up seems to be quick and I can use any program without any problems.

With the 60gb, startup seems to take forever, the hd light is active for a long time and while it is active, I rarely can use any programs.

Start PhotoShop and the hd spins forever and during that time, I can do nothing. Open an image, and the hd spins, cannot do anything until it stops. When it stops, I can use the scroll bars, but then the hd starts again and the image will not move for ten seconds or more.

Thought that with a larger hd, things would be slightly more efficient but the opposite is the case. I have the Index Service off as well as lots of other redundant services. I have attempted to set up the 60gb the same as the 20.

Am I don't something wrong and if so I would be grateful for any suggestions. Alternatively, my expectations are too great!

Many thanks in advanced,

Rex

What's the capacity of yer RAM dude? Try registry mechanic and scan yer drive some some registry cleaning. After that, you might want to try PerfectDisk and defrag yer drive for optimal performance. Just my opinion, thou...

[Rex]

Thanks for the reply.

I have 512 of RAM, the hd has been cleaned with a jv16 PowerTools and defragged. But it does not make any difference; there is still a lot of hd light activity.

Have just timed booting and it takes 3 min 15 seconds until the hd light goes off. My 20gb (FAT32) is less than two minutes.

I know the hd is larger (60gb) but there is less stuff on it at the moment. And it is set up like my 20gb hd; five partitions (C:W2k; D: MyDocs; E: TempInternetFiles/PhotoShop scratch disk; F: Spare (for stuff, etc) and G: Image. Certainly the partitions are larger, but that should not explain the increased boot time and all the hd activity in PhotoShop. PhotoShop is close to being unusable; hd activity freezes everything.

Is this normal NTFS behaviour? Is there something that I shoud be tweaking to improve performance?

Rex

[pianowizard]

Perhaps the new drive has a smaller buffer?

[Rex]

PianoWizard,

Could be but how do I find out?

Rex

[pianowizard]

Could be but how do I find out?

I usually just look up the drive's model number on Google. I once used a system information program that gives you that info but don't remember which program that was. Could have been AIDA32 but I am not sure.

[Musti]

(shameless self-plug)

Also take a look at what is called Intel App Accelerator:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=33749

Optimizes I/O of IDE controller.

[Musti]

Alternatively, my expectations are too great!

That's why we use ThinkPads, instead of, say, Acers.

[Rex]

The figures are; 20gb has a 2048 kb buffer and the 60gb has a 8mb buffer. They are both Hitachi.

The first figure is from the 20gb drive which is currently in use and the drive name came for SysInformation. Better if I take the drive out and have a look.

I will also give the Intel Accelerator a try. Thanks for the link.

Rex

[Purcy]

Musti, I just downloaded your IAA program from the Intel site, but when I tried to run it, I got a screen saying it was not supported on my machine due to not having a Chipset Utility installed?? Can you offer any help on what that is and maybe why I don't have it. Many thanks

[agarza]

Have you checked if the HDD is correctly installed. Tested it on another machine? Maybe there is a SMART error that does affect the disk decreasing it's performance (seek times maybe longer, suggesting the disk has a failure)

Did you experience this problem since the day you acquired the disk?
Have you tested on another laptop?

Try running the Drive Fitness Tool Utility on Hitachi GST support page to see if the drive has some internal malfunction

[Rex]

Just had a similar message as Purcy regarding the IAA from Intel. Cannot find the chip number from SysInformation. Any advice?

"Maybe there is a SMART error" What is a SMART error?

The drive came in another T22 that I bought off eBay and it was working in that machine. Checking the Hitachi site and using the Drive Fitness Utility is a good idea. Thanks for that.

Rex

[Musti]

Musti, I just downloaded your IAA program from the Intel site, but when I tried to run it, I got a screen saying it was not supported on my machine due to not having a Chipset Utility installed?? Can you offer any help on what that is and maybe why I don't have it. Many thanks

Interesting, as it shouldn't complain about that missing utility (it is an utility, afterall, not a driver).

Please download CPUZ, a CPU/Motherboard ID utility and report back with the controller...It is the thirt tab, named "Mainboard" when you run the app, that you should look...

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

[Purcy]

Well Musti, that CPUZ program is awesome. I found the model of my chipset, so I guess I'll give that another try to download the chipset software installation utility. That little program sure offers a lot of info about your system. Many thanks

[Purcy]

I've ID'd my chipset as a i440BX/ZX and it appears that this model is not supported for the Chipset Software Installation Utility. I am thwarted

[smugiri]

You might have the drive in PIO mode. Try switching to DMA. Read this or this for instructions.

[gearguy]

Alternatively, my expectations are too great!

That's why we use ThinkPads, instead of, say, Acers.

I would agree with you if there was anything actually wrong with Acer notebooks.

[Musti]

That's why we use ThinkPads, instead of, say, Acers.

I would agree with you if there was anything actually wrong with Acer notebooks.

Oh, there is nothing wrong with Acers. They are just that, Acers. Or Dells. Or Compaqs.

[vlyne]

While the tribe is out arguing....

Adobe Photoshop is a bit of beast even on a T42 or R51 so I can imagine it might be slow on a T22. Adobe does a lot in the background (font linking? tagging?...who knows). I've noticed whenever I've installed a new disk that Adobe is slower but the Norton utilities also goes beserk with background activity. I would just turn the machine on, connect to the network, fire up Adobe and whatever virus/disk utility you use and let it "do its thing" for a day or so. After that it should settle down. Also, do you have RediSafe on? If so, that can slow things down as well.
Cheers

[Purcy]

I totally agree, I also own a T22 and love Photoshop Elements, but after I installed it on my laptop I realized I would have to upgrade before I would be satisfied. It hung up and took forever to open; I uninstalled and will try putting it in again after I get my bigger HDD and more memory. I installed it on my husband's PC just so I could use it and even on that it is a monster to open and move around in.

[Musti]

vlyne and Purcy
the default settings for Photoshop are notoriously resource intensive for home or casual users.
There are some things that I do to lower the resource demands and increase speed, some of which you can find by googling.

Here's a few:

1. Disable all unnecessary plugins. You can put a "~" in front of the plugin's name so PS will not load it. Some plugins are obvious candidates for home/casual users. Can PM me for details or can google.

2. In the PS preferences...disable "export to clipboard". It is on the first page of preferences. In History (also first page) the default is 20. If you think you can live with 10, reduce it to 10 (this is the "Undo" history, once you make a change and want it back, this is it).

3. If you have a second partition, relocate PS's scratch to that

4. Histogram states...default is something like 6. reduce it to 2.

5. Default allocated memory to PS is (depending on PS version) 60% of total. Reduce it to 40%. Mind you, this is 40% of your physical and virtual (a.k.a. swap file)

6. Do you use image previews saved into the file? Me neither. Disable. Do you use PS thumbnails? or Windows XP's? Disable thumbnail saving to file as well. (these will make a very slow difference, though).

These are what I do after I install PS on my or a client's machine.
Also, using one version below the current always helps, and this trick is not only for PS

Oh, and I'll be a good boy and stop about the ThinkPad tribing. Promise.

[Purcy]

Musti, thank you for these. As soon as I upgrade my HD and memory this month, I'm installing PS and will do all of these.

[vlyne]

Great tips! Thanks Musti, and welcome back! As for the T22, I would opt for a T23 fully loaded with 1Gb and a fast harddisk with 8Mb buffer as a minimum especially if using CS2.
Cheers