x31 CF slot question: max transfer speed?

[sojourner]

Ooh! I'll have to bookmark this! Thank you!
Might I ask if you have a max throughput rating or know the supported modes on this adapter?

Here's some numbers; all speed tests were done on a T41 in W98SE (don't laugh, it was running at the time) using a 32GB RiData 233X CF and CrystalDiskMark. Put the HDD numbers in for comparison:

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CrystalDiskMark 2.2 (C) 2007-2008 hiyohiyo
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WD3200BEVT HDD

Sequential Read : 59.409 MB/s
Sequential Write : 59.317 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 31.379 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 42.145 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 0.512 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 1.688 MB/s

Test Size : 100 MB
Date : 2010/02/05 7:31:11

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Delkin Cardbus 32 UMDA adapter (perhaps the best performance PCMCIA CF adapter made)

Sequential Read : 25.631 MB/s
Sequential Write : 11.604 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 25.534 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 2.911 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 11.217 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 0.030 MB/s

Test Size : 100 MB
Date : 2010/02/05 7:26:37

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KAWAU UDMA USB CF card reader

Sequential Read : 29.968 MB/s
Sequential Write : 11.742 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 29.630 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 2.872 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 6.288 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 0.030 MB/s

Test Size : 100 MB
Date : 2010/02/05 7:39:51

Sorry, I don't know the spec's for the USB CF reader (package was thrown out).
I recall it supports UMDA5; and as you can see by the numbers, it performs!

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Last of all, wanted to put these numbers in:
Same CF, same T41. CF is in an IDE-CF UDMA adapter running XP.
I really like this setup because of its snappy performance.
As you can see, the RiData CF is running at its max read spec (46 MB/s)

Sequential Read : 45.426 MB/s
Sequential Write : 28.575 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 45.295 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 4.900 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 13.357 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 3.477 MB/s

Test Size : 100 MB
Date : 2010/02/05 8:41:01

[mini_g]

'Tis cool. I'm kinda partial to 98SE myself, if only it supported more...

Shall have to give this some serious thought!

The main downside about using the IDE-CF adapter, is that you lose your HDD bay. The notable pluses is that you gain in reduced power consumption, dB levels, and drop resilience. Am needing more GB's right now for my main storage than what flash media or SSD can cheaply offer to me though...

[sojourner]

'Tis cool. I'm kinda partial to 98SE myself, if only it supported more...

Shall have to give this some serious thought!

The main downside about using the IDE-CF adapter, is that you lose your HDD bay. The notable pluses is that you gain in reduced power consumption, dB levels, and drop resilience. Am needing more GB's right now for my main storage than what flash media or SSD can cheaply offer to me though...

Well, here's a couple of thoughts; if you have a server setup you can map drives. On a good network this works wonderfully. Then all you really need is enough room on your storage media (CF, SSD HDD, whatever) to hold the OS. Lastly, what I've done for travel is use a L-A-R-G-E SATA HDD in a USB enclosure for large files. Heck, the drive fits in a pocket! They're so light and easy to carry.

As you said, there are many advantages to electronic storage as oppossed to rotating glass disks. And even though the read speed of the CF card is not as high as the HDD, because access time is sooo low (<1ms) you SEE the improvement in speed when opening apps, which is nice!