Re: Why is disk performance occasionally so slow?

For clarity, you should include the exact commands that you use.

I suggest that you should run while monitoring various things.

You might:
. Use start > Programs > Administrative Tools > Performance
and monitor the read and write data rate and operation rate
on the disks being used. If this doesn't show anything strange
there are many other activities you can choose to monitor.
Look for low read rate or low write rate and high CPU use.

. Use a system monitoring program to see what is going on.

I use Iarsn TaskInfo from www.iarsn.com. This allows me to
see the instantaneous and average values for many variables, but
not the individual disk rates.

On Tue, 12 May 2009 01:32:19 -0000, "Ian R" <sorry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:


"Mark F" <mark53916@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:o6ch05tum6ac7tg599jmqrhskt8mfvrevb@xxxxxxxxxx
On Mon, 11 May 2009 10:21:14 -0000, "Ian R" <sorry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Hi

I'm running XP Pro on an ASUS A8N-SLI with AMD X2 4200.

Every weekend I do a full backup.
1. What program do you use to do the "backup" and what command(s)
are used?
2. What program do you use to do the "copy" and what command(s) are
used?
3. What program do you use to do the "verify" and what command(s)
are used?

4. Are you using the disk controller to make the copy or backup,
perhaps by adding another copy to a RAID set? Note that
mirroring, etc., need not be limited to 2 copies or you might remove
a copy from a mirror and then mirror both of the separated clones.
5. Have you looked at the SMART data for all of the drives involved?

I can't tell if you, for instance, use a backup program to make
a single (or small number) of container files or if you do a
"clone" operation that keeps the individual files separate.

Also, if you are making a container file, I can't tell if the slowdown
happens in the part that makes the container file (which might require
a lock for each individual file) or in a copy operation for the
container file.

Also: is it possible that the files are in use (and perhaps locked)
or the disk is busy with other operations while the first backup is
done?



Hi Mark

Thanks for replying.

Most often I use DriveSnapshot disk imaging.

I'm also experimenting with Acronis True Image.

It doesnt matter which one I use, when the disk performance is slow, its
slow with either one.

I always make sure that none of the files being backed up are open.

Ive got SMART monitoring enabled in the BIOS for all my drives and Ive never
had any notifications of problems.

Ive used Everest to view the SMART data and it hasnt reported any problems.

Is there another tool that will allow me to see the Smart data?

Ian

.

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