Slow reads in SATA HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH24NS95

[baronluigi]

This may not be an Imgburn issue since the problem also happens with other programs like CDBURNERXP, but I decided to open this thread because the drive I mentioned in the title has been mentioned in previous threads

 

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?/topic/21285-48-mins-to-read-dvd-create-image-file-ready-for-burn/

 

I bought this drive 2 years ago and I  have had no problems until yesterday morning. I have to make clear that I don´t receive any reading errors, which is a relieve. I am just facing slow reading speeds and I cannot understand why.

 

After several tries, I have reached to these conclusions:

 

- The slowdown problems only happens while reading original unprotected DVDS/ Audio Cds/ PSX-PS2 Games. Not always, but most of the times. For example a couple of minutes ago I copied an unprotected DVD to my hard disk and it went really fast. I tried to do the same again with the same disc but this time I did not get any speed faster than 5X.

 

- While copying burned disc there is no slowdown problems at all. (I have not tried burning any disc yet, though I always burn everything at 4x)

 

- When the slowdowns happen, I have realized that the drive starts doing that classical spinning noise every drive does while reading a disc. However, it shuts up as soon as it starts, as if the drive was turned off or something.

 

- As I previously said, this problem started yesterday and even with slowdowns I have not had any read errors yet. All the copy process finish correctly, slowly, but correctly.

 

-  The problem is even worse while triying to copy audio discs. The maximum speeds I get are between 3.6x-5x (when my máximum speed is of 48!)

 

Could anyone help me with this? Thanks.

 

EDIT: I tried to dump the disc with Imgburn last version and this is what appears in the log

 

 

I 11:07:52 ImgBurn Version 2.5.8.0 started!
I 11:07:52 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600 : Service Pack 3)
I 11:07:52 Total Physical Memory: 1.834.284 KiB  -  Available: 735.632 KiB
I 11:07:53 Initialising SPTI...
I 11:07:53 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...
I 11:07:53 -> Drive 1 - Info: HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH24NS95 RN01-33 (E:) (ATA)
I 11:07:53 -> Drive 2 - Info: PHILIPS DVD8801 NW02 (D:) (ATA)
I 11:07:53 Found 1 DVD±RW and 1 DVD±RW/RAM!
I 11:08:36 Operation Started!
I 11:08:36 Source Device: [0:1:0] HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH24NS95 RN01 (E:) (ATA)
I 11:08:36 Source Media Type: DVD-ROM (Book Type: DVD-ROM)
I 11:08:36 Source Media Supported Read Speeds: 4x; 6x
I 11:08:36 Source Media Sectors: 4.095.910 (Track Path: OTP - L0: 2.053.216 - L1: 2.042.694)
I 11:08:36 Source Media Size: 8.388.423.680 bytes
I 11:08:36 Verify Against Image File: No
I 11:08:36 Read Speed (Data/Audio): MAX / MAX
I 11:08:37 Read Speed - Effective: 2,5x - 6x; 6x - 2,5x
I 11:09:21 Verifying Session 1 of 1... (1 Track, LBA: 0 - 4095909)
I 11:09:21 Verifying Track 1 of 1... (MODE1/2048, LBA: 0 - 4095909)
 

 

 

Focus on the sentences I marked in black. It says that the media only supports read speeds of 4 and 6 x, but that´s impossible! I have just copied this same disc in other drive and I got an average speed of 12 X, and I also have a similar speed while dumping it with the drive I am having problem with (as I mentioned that it works fast sometimes). Something weird is going on.

 

EDIT2: I have just inserted a brand new PS2 disc and this is the information in IMGBURNS Information box

 

 

Disc Information:
Status: Complete
State of Last Session: Complete
Erasable: No
Sessions: 1
Sectors: 1.485.584
Size: 3.042.476.032 bytes
Time: 330:09:59 (MM:SS:FF)
Supported Read Speeds: 4x; 6x; 8x; 10x; 12x; 14x; 16x
Current Read Speed: 2,5x - 6x
 

 

What does it mean by current Speed read?

 

According to its profile in Lg´s website

 

http://www.lg.com/us/burners-drives/lg-GH24NS95-internal-dvd-rewriter

 

The drive should be able to read DVDROM discs at 16x.

Edited September 29, 2015 by baronluigi

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Drives often slow themselves down in order to minimise noise. It's sometimes called Riplock, quiet mode, silent mode etc.

 

If you're playing a film using the drive as the reader, you wouldn't want it spinning at max speed as it would annoy you.

 

I cannot explain why this has 'suddenly' started happening. It's something built into the drive's firmware and so should have always been an issue.

 

I actually recall spending time trying to get around this issue with certain newer LG drives and I could have sworn it made it into 2.5.7.0 and (or maybe just) 2.5.8.0. It'll be mentioned in the changelog.

 

I very much doubt the 'trick' will activate in Verify mode though as that's really just meant for verifying burnt discs. You'd need to check the read speed in Read mode.

 

The 'Current Read Speed' is what the drive reports it's currently configured to read at. So it's going to start at around 2.5x and will end at about 6x. If a program simply issues lots of 'Read' commands, that's the speed the drive will go. Software can issue a request to change the speed but the drive may ignore or override it.

[baronluigi]

Drives often slow themselves down in order to minimise noise. It's sometimes called Riplock, quiet mode, silent mode etc.

 

If you're playing a film using the drive as the reader, you wouldn't want it spinning at max speed as it would annoy you.

 

I cannot explain why this has 'suddenly' started happening. It's something built into the drive's firmware and so should have always been an issue.

 

I actually recall spending time trying to get around this issue with certain newer LG drives and I could have sworn it made it into 2.5.7.0 and (or maybe just) 2.5.8.0. It'll be mentioned in the changelog.

 

I very much doubt the 'trick' will activate in Verify mode though as that's really just meant for verifying burnt discs. You'd need to check the read speed in Read mode.

 

The 'Current Read Speed' is what the drive reports it's currently configured to read at. So it's going to start at around 2.5x and will end at about 6x. If a program simply issues lots of 'Read' commands, that's the speed the drive will go. Software can issue a request to change the speed but the drive may ignore or override it.

 

Thanks for the answer, but if the maximum available speed is of 6x, how was I able to get faster speeds? Is not there any way to change this?

 

Does this mean I am forced to use slow speeds from now on?

 

Many thanks.

 

EDIT: Oh, I did not understand what you meant to say at first, but know I did. You say that the "trick" you created to bypass this issue with IMGBURN won´t trigger while using Verify method. I will try making a copy and I will tell you.

 

EDIT2: Dumped the previously mentioned DVDROM disc and I am still getting slow speeds, between 3.5 to 5.5X,.

Edited September 29, 2015 by baronluigi

[LIGHTNING UK!]

If the drive gets it into its head that 6x is the max speed, that's all you're going to get from it.

 

The only time the trick will work is if the max speed is listed at 16x or whatever and the 'current' speed is lower.

 

You can't make a drive (and its firmware) do something it doesn't want to do.

 

Eject and reinsert the disc a few times. Maybe it'll work eventually.

[baronluigi]

If the drive gets it into its head that 6x is the max speed, that's all you're going to get from it.

 

The only time the trick will work is if the max speed is listed at 16x or whatever and the 'current' speed is lower.

 

You can't make a drive (and its firmware) do something it doesn't want to do.

 

Eject and reinsert the disc a few times. Maybe it'll work eventually.

 

Well thanks. It does not seem there is any "alternative" firmware for this drive so I guess I will have to go on with this drive. At least is not a Physicall failure. I mean, this issue does not want to say that the drive is about to fail.

[dbminter]

It could just be the drive is giving up the ghost without actually giving up the ghost.  I had the first generation of DRU burners from Sony in 2002.  When I finally had to replace it, it was because of only one thing.  It stopped writing 4x DVD-R at 4x.  It would only max write 2x.  It had no problems for a year writing 4x to 4x rated media.  Then, it just up and stopped writing at 4x.  No read errors or verify errors, no burn errors.  It just dropped its maximum write speed by half.

 

 

You said the drive is 2 years old, I believe.  My experience has been I think my Pioneer Blu-Ray burner I have may be the first drive I've ever had that will make it to 2 years before I need to replace it.    So, I'd have to wonder if it's your drive's age. 

 

 

Plus, there's just the weird behavior of read speeds with LG drives in general.  My experience with 2 LG Blu-Ray burners has been they're not very fast readers.  They also error out on some discs where the Pioneer doesn't error out on.  IMO, LG drives just aren't very good reading discs.  Or burners, but that's just my opinion. 

[baronluigi]

Well, A week has passed since I opened this thread and I still continue with this "issue", although now it reads the discs as fast as in the past most of the times, so I cannot complain. I have not had any writing error either (although due to my discs don´t allow being written in low speeds, I have not been able to write them at 4x as I wished. But I think I cannot blame the drive for that.) so I think I am fine with it. I will update with more news if drives health drops considerably. Thanks.

Edited October 6, 2015 by baronluigi