Partition copies used to be 3 mins, now 3 HRS!??

I've been using Partition Director (or one of it's earlier names) for years, and I've never had a partition copy from one disk to an unallocated area of a second disk take more than 3 minutes.

But NOW it's taking HOURS!

Both disks are Western Digital. The origin disk (disk 1) is a 74GB Raptor 10K RPM SATA 150, and the destination disk is a 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 300 drive. The partition is 16 GB in size. It says the process will take just short of two hours.

Why is it suddenly taking hours when it used to take minutes? What's going on?

How long does a partition copy take in your experience?

 

Oh, I'm using DiskDirector 10 (the most recent update, I believe). And I booted from the DiskDirector CD, so I'm not running Windows.

 

I have not used DD to copy a partition, but I've copied large files drive to drive before. Assuming the entire 16GB was used it shouldn't take longer than five minutes.

Have you copied SATA to SATA on this computer before?

I assume you're using the full mode version of DD. Have you tried the safe mode?

Have you tried doing the copy from Windows?

If this is the first SATA to SATA copy you've done, you may be experiencing linux driver problems. It might be a good idea to create a BartPE boot cd with the necessary drivers.

 

Thanks for your response!

You've hit on a key point: this is a brand new motherboard. Everything else is the same, but the mobo is new. That, at least, seems to offer an explanation.

So, to your questions:

Have you copied SATA to SATA on this computer before? No, not on this motherboard.

I assume you're using the full mode version of DD. True.

Have you tried the safe mode? I haven't yet, but I will.

Have you tried doing the copy from Windows? No, because it always seems to take longer that way, and the partition I'm copying is the boot partition (not sure if that matters, though; do you know?)

If this is the first SATA to SATA copy you've done, you may be experiencing linux driver problems. Are you referring to the underlying OS under the DD Suite bootable CD? If not, I'm afraid I'm not following you. I can't do anything about it, can I?

It might be a good idea to create a BartPE boot cd with the necessary drivers. Well, I've got two bootable system CDs, one PCLinuxOS, one Knoppix (both very recent). How do I copy partitions with them? Or does a BartPE boot cd offer a specific partition copying utility like DD?

THANKS again, my friend! I'll await your reply while I try safe mode.

 

Huh! Safe Mode's in progress. It says it'll take 8 minutes instead of 2 hours!

Yea!! You're a hero.


I'm still interested in your replies, though.

 

What kind of difference is there between full and safe modes that should make a multi-hour difference in partition copying speed? I figured that full mode is just safe mode with support for additional devices, such as Firewire or USB, etc.

Have I misunderstood?

 

Full mode uses Linux and uses linux drivers. Some of them are not very optimized for newer hardware yet.

Safe mode uses a version of DOS and the BIOS to access drives. USB and network access is usually not available in this mode although USB mode may be if the BIOS supports the USB drive directly (some newer motherboards do this).

 

That is so cool to know, thanks! And thanks for your tips, too.

Something's still a little puzzling, but I think I've got it figured out. The only difference between now (and hours in full mode) versus before (and 3 minutes in full mode) is the motherboard. So the horribly slow Linux drivers in question must be related to the mobo's SATA chipset, wouldn't you say?

 

That's exactly right. If the linux drivers support the chipset well then you'll get speed. If they don't then it can take forever. TI has the same problem. It's not just SATA either it also affects eSATA, RAID, USB and Firewire chipsets. Some boards will give the same speed in Windows and using the rescue cd, others will take three times longer using the rescue cd. I usually use my BartPE setup because it uses the Windows drivers and is therefore just as fast as doing the procedures from Windows.

 

More great info! But what command or app do you use on Bart's for copying a partition? Or do you just copy Disk Director to the Bart PE CD?

I'm not familiar with Bart's, but I've used similar CD's (Hiren's, for example). Is Bart's DOS based or something? If you just copy Disk Director, don't you need Windows?

Maybe I should just ask if you can point me to the appropriate instructions for copying partitions using Bart PE.

 

BartPE uses your Windows XP SP2 cd to create a pre-installlation envirnronment. You use the DD plugin and add it to your BartPE setup. This allows the actual Windows version of DD to run and for you to use Windows drivers.

mustang has created a how-to here detailing the procedure.

 

Thank you, MudCrab! That was an enormous help.

I didn't respond till now because I wanted to make sure everything worked first. I have several failed attempts due to driver failures. I eventually just tried reducing the folder depth of the driver files and that solved it.

Very nicely answered!