Increase Speed of USB External Drive

[AL DOM]

From PCTips Box

Increase Vista External USB Hard Drive Speed
Posted: 07 Jul 2008 05:22 PM CDT

This tweak will increase the performance of your external hard drive
(s) by turning write caching on as well as activating advanced
performance.

In Windows Vista, write caching isn’t enabled by default because
removable devices could lose data if removed too quickly. This is
great for USB thumb drives that are frequently inserted and removed,
but in the case where you have a large hard drive in an external
enclosure that’s never disconnected from your computer, this feature
can decrease performance.

step1: Click Start then right click on Computer and select Manage.

step2: Click on Device Manager.

step3: Expand the Disk drives branch and locate your external drive
from the list.

step4: Right click on the drive and select Properties.

step5: On the Policies tab select Optimize for performance.

step6: Check the boxes titled “Enable write caching on the disk” and
“Enable advanced performance” as shown below.

step7: Click the OK button and reboot for the settings to take effect
__________________
I Like the Darkness. It doesn't cost me anything...
Ebenezer Scrooge

[RBL]

This workson XP, too, and on hard disks as well as USB drives.

[Rich M]

Yes but write caching on internal hard disks is defaulted in Vista
only externals are not.
XP defaults all drives to write caching as well.I see that firewire
drives are also defaulted to "optimize for quick removal" in Vista as
well which I didn't notice.

[RBL]

I recall XP not defaulting external drives to caching. I would double check
that.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: PC...@googlegroups.com [mailto:PC...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
> Of Rich M
> Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 9:00 AM
> To: PC TALK ONLINE

[Rich M]

You are correct I "Miswrote" that, you know cousin of "misspoke".

[David Moskowitz]

Yes, but advanced features is NOT typically the default in Vista.

David

[M.Grigsby]

Greetings

I was wondering if anyone else had the following problem, I have to
continually reset the DSL Modem, during the day for my wireless
connection and also for the Ethernet connection.I have contacted my
service provider and they say there is nothing wrong on their end. Any
suggestions, my router is a Linksys and I have replaced all cables.

[David Moskowitz]

Michael,

There is a "keep alive" setting in your router for PPPoE. Make sure
it's checked (on the Setup page of router settings) and that the value
is 30 seconds. If that setting is already set, then we have to look
elsewhere.

David

[Rich M]

In my experience usually that is the beginning of the end of the
router. I got tired of replacing the under $100 routers around here
and the last one I bought is a Linksys WRT350 N of which the enclosed
url is the newest version and the difference has been the strongest
signal I have ever experienced. I can bring my network in almost a
block away at a neighbor's house and it's been that way over a year
now!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124262

[RBL]

I had this problem with FiOS.  It turned out the router was failing.  Since replacing the router, all has been well.

 

I still have this problem when there is bad weather, even with the new router.  Also had the problem in bad weather with the old router.  Obviously location and atmospheric conditions can impact your signal.

 

To get around that, I bought one of these.  It works.

http://netgear.com/Products/PowerlineNetworking.aspx?for=All

 

They have wireless and wired versions.  In retrospect, I should have bought the wired version, because it doesn’t require as much configuring.

 

Either way, both provides a strong network connection wherever your PC is, no matter how far it is from the wireless router, provided you’re in the same physical building.  Just connect one device to your router, the other to your AC where your PC is, and then link up wirelessly or by plugging in.  Sweet idea.  Note that their tech support stinks, so be prepared to resolve any challenges on your own.

 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: PC...@googlegroups.com [mailto:PC...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf

> Of Rich M

> Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2008 11:22 AM

> To: PC TALK ONLINE

> Subject: [PCTOL] Re: DSL/Router Problems

[M. Grigsby]

Greetings all,

I am sure this will generate a lot of discussion. My wife is in need of a
new office computer. She does a lot of text and graphic work and a lot of
online interaction. So I am looking for recommendations. We are considering
Dell or Systemax? Any thoughts, configurations, etc....

[David Moskowitz]

Desktop or laptop... Based upon your description a laptop might work.

What type of graphic work?

Text work you can do on anything with a descent monitor, graphics is a
bit more finicky and demanding.

David

[M. Grigsby]

Desktop is preferred. HTML code and such mainly, images put in to text

-----Original Message-----
From: PC...@googlegroups.com [mailto:PC...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of

David

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com
Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.5/1570 - Release Date: 7/24/2008
6:59 AM

[David Moskowitz]

I'd go with some that you can get easily serviced with local being a
first choice, but no absolute.

Get as much memory as will fit in the computer.

Make sure the monitor is very readable.

Make sure she likes the keyboard feel.

Hard disk space and type... start with 3 GB eSATA. Size nothing less
than 160 GB and that's on the small side, 320 GB or more better.

I'd also recommend a CD/DVD reader and a separate burner -- both as fast
as the manufacturer offers.

If she's going to be dealing with images from a camera... get a
built-in media reader that supports the types she'll need.

At least 4 or more USB ports with at least 1 or two easily accessible
from the front.

If the monitor also provide USB ports that's in addition to those of the
computer chassis. Ideally the ports on the monitor should be powered so
that you don't need to worry about overloading the one on the computer.

I don't know if noise will be an issue, but my first choice would NOT be
something that sounds like a wind tunnel... :-))

CPU speed... I don't know that she needs the latest, greatest and
fastest. Find the best balnce between price and performance (but DO
make sure it's 64-bit dual core for the most flexibility).

Operating system... whatever she's most comfortable with works.

Does this help any?

[RBL]

Dell

4G RAM

Best vid card they offer w/lots o' dedicated VRAM and a GPU on board (Nvidia
preferred)

Big HD

Vista Ultimate

[Rich M]

How do you guys ever find anything in an index search as there are 3
different topics in this thread now?
That said, this is one of my favorite subjects and I could not agree
with David more for different reasins so bear with me this will take
time to spell out. I build and sell pc's and 2 things I always tell a
client you do not get with any brand name pc:
1) A Microsoft Windows disk.
Too often clients find out too late there are repairs on a real
Windows disk for the operating system they do not get with any brand
name pc that can fix problems in Windows avoiding the necessity so
often of using a brand name mfgr restore disk, all they get if they
are lucky,and wiping out everything on the hard drive. Brand name pc's
either give you only a restore partition which is usesless if the hard
drive dies, or restore disks which contain no repair tools.
2) A retail pc component has a warranty period different from and not
exclusive to the brand name of a branded computer. I.E. a Western
Digital hard drive carries a 3 year warranty if it is a retail
version. If it is in a Dell or HP computer and the computer has a 1
year warranty, then your 3 year drive is warrantied for 1 year. Did
you know most good name brand ram is warrantied for life
Not in an HP, it is 1 year if that is your system warranty or 3 years
if you paid the extra $300 to get a 3 year warranty, but when you do
that, your Acer which has no Windows disk to help you with os repairs,
now costs $300 more than the local machine that has the same mfgr
warranties on components, and in some cases more. If you have retail
components in the pc, then the shop going out of business many worry
about doesn't matter because the mfgr warranties the components. Oh
another good one. Your eMachine blows a power supply which happens
very frequently. When you go to replace it you discover the
motherboard was blown with it ( happens about 75% of the time). You
can buy a board worth about $45 form eMachine for $200 or buy a $50
board from an online ,merchant that will work in it except for one
thing. If you don't use an eMachine motherboard, then your restore
disks for Windows won't work on a new board fropmj anyone else so now
you have to but Windows and all the programs you had on the pc costing
way more than the $200 they wanted for the $45 board. Nice way to make
money, FOR THEM!

[RBL]

I think someone posted this 3 times. Not sure what's going on. I simply
reply to the thread. People shouldn't change subject lines or re-post in
new threads. But ... stuff happens.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: PC...@googlegroups.com [mailto:PC...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf

> Of Rich M
> Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 9:20 AM
> To: PC TALK ONLINE

> Subject: [PCTOL] Re: PC Suggeestions
>
>

[David Moskowitz]

With one MAJOR exception... if you buy a system from a vendor you have
only ONE phone call to make to get things serviced versus tracking down
the source of the problem and then dealing with that specific vendor.

Tradeoff, yes. Worthwhile to have a single point of contact for all
errors, for a BUSINESS computer -- particularly if it means next
business day repair? Very definitely yes.

I have a Dell desktop machine, came with 3 year warranty AND next
business day service. Cost for the extra warranty (1 yr to 3 yr) $157.
Warranty has been used and the time saved was worth much more than the
price I paid for it.

As I said, tradeoffs.

David

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [PCTOL] Re: PC Suggeestions
From: Rich M <hop...@localnet.com>
To: PC TALK ONLINE <PC...@googlegroups.com>