Buffalo DriveStation DDR3 Speed Questions

[Dennis80]

1.    Do I need to go into Windows 7 (Ultimate) Control Panel > Device Manager and “optimize for performance” and “enable cache writing on the disk” even though I am running the Buffalo Cache Control Tool and Turbo PCEX?  Or are these Windows settings irrelevant due to the Buffalo software?  Or is there some way they can conflict or compliment?
2.   Any ideas why my (USB 3.0 port) speed is only about 20-40 MB/s according to Windows Explorer when I copy 250G of data for backup?  (Intel 930 – I7, 2.8Ghz with 12GB 1066Mhz Ram and  ASUS P6X58D Premium moboard).  Is the Windows measurement accurate for approximating the speed?  Is this all I should expect?
Thanks,

[ratty2013]

Are you using the blue USB 3 port on the back of the computer and also are you using a USB 3 cable?

[Dennis80]

Yes, there are two USB 3.0 ports on this motherboard.  I have the drive hooked up with the blue-ends USB 3.0 cable that came with the Buffalo Drivestation DDR 3TB drive, directly to one of the blue-inside USB 3.0 ports, no extension, no hubs.

I keep thinking I must be missing something.  But it all seems so simple.  Yet my speeds are close to USB 2.0 speeds.  I can't think what else to try.

Thanks for replying.

[ratty2013]

Are you using the latest drivers for your motherboard? Also is it showing USB3 for your USB hub in the device manager? At the moment your computer seems to think it's a usb 2 port, I had this problem with my computer when I first got it and found the only way to cure it was to change the device drivers.

[Dennis80]

Thanks again. This took some time, but I finally figured the best USB 3.0 drivers to use.  Results, improvement, but not superspeed:  35-50 MB/s. 

Windows 7 kept saying the latest drivers were installed.  Blogs pointed out that the latest drivers on the ASUS (website) under the ‘USB’ tab happen to not be the latest; under ‘Utilities’ tab there are the absolute latest and best (no longer NEC, but rather Renasas).  I actually tried both sets on the USB controller, hub and root hub with similar results.

My bios settings indeed have USB 3 enabled (‘disabled’ being the only other choice).  Note that the USB 2 port settings allow three states: disable, USB 1 or USB 2 speed.

I do not have the latest BIOS.  (OK, tell me to update).  My BIOS is dated 2/24/2010.  The ASUS bios utility for my OS (Win 7 - 64 bit) will not run.  There are other ways to update, but ASUS recommends against it unless absolutely necessary.  Each version of BIOS gives reason for update;  non say anything about USB.

When I hook the drive to a USB 2 port, I get the message that it could be faster if hooked to a USB 3 port (and I don’t get that message if hooked to either of the two USB 3 ports – and I tried both 3.0 ports).  Speed in USB 2: 25-30 MB/s.

I am thinking of buying a PCI USB 3.0 superspeed card.  I could use the additional ports anyway.

I have not give up.  I hear you, I will work on the BIOS update, but don't expect this to fix it.

Thanks again,
Dennis

[Dennis80]

To answer your question, yes.  In the device manager, I have three mentions of USB 3.0 all showing the latest drivers I just installed:

USB 3.0 Host Controller
USB 3.0 Hub
USB 3.0 Root Hub

[ratty2013]

At least you've managed to get some speed improvement, which is a start.

[Dennis80]

I just installed a USB 3.0 PCI-e Card.  The results are identical to that of my ASUS motherboard USB 3.0 ports.  The device manager now shows the additional three USB 3.0 devices (as above).   I wish there would be some software that I could trust to further troubleshoot why my speeds are no where near super speed.  Am I connecting at high speed, not super?

[ratty2013]

I don't think adding another PCI card would have made any difference as it would have used the same drivers as the ones installed.

[Dennis80]

It surprised me when the windows 7 could not find drivers for the PCI card.  I used those on the disc that came with the card.  They turned out to be 2-year newer + higher version # Renesas drivers than the internal ASUS USB 3.0 port drivers. 

In the device manager, it shows the USB 3 card as having the new Renasis drivers, but the ASUS USB 3 port as having the drivers from the ASUS website.  I tried to direct windows to update to the newer drivers for the ASUS port, but it said the ones on the new disc were incorrect.

BTW, the utility on the ASUS website for installing a new bios won't run: window 7 says it is not for this OS (obvioulsy an ASUS company error - I selected my win 7 -64 bit OS).  I am going to pursue the ASUS website blogs to both update to a newer bios (your suggestion) and troubleshoot this slow USB 3 thing.  I see many hits on a google search with similar issue with the ASUS P6X58-d premium mobo running slow USB speeds.

I'll let you know.

Thanks for all your help,
Dennis

[ratty2013]

Have you tried to update the USB firmware using the: NEC USB3.0 Controller firmware updater V3.0.2.1

[Eastmarch]

As with all computer components, your device will be as fast as the slowest part.

I'd wonder where you are copying the files -from- specifically. If you plug in a USB3.0 memory stick and copy from the stick to the DDR, what speed do you get then? This will bypass your entire hard drive / SATA architecture and give you a better idea of what the slowing component is.

Recognize that your USB root hub likely shares the 5Gbps cap on all the USB 3 ports as well. Is that the only USB device you have on USB3 ports?

[Dennis80]

Ratty, yes, I updated the USB firmwaer using that version of NEC firmware controller updater, as instructed from the ASUS motherboard site, and I did first remove all usb devices from the USB 3 ports before starting the update.  The update took effect.  You may be right that I need to update the mobo ASUS bios.  I work slow, but will let you know when I do it.

Eastmarch, I have all other devices removed from the USB 3 port and have the Buffalo connected direcly with the USB 3 cable that came with it.  But you are on to something I myself have been wondering.  Perhaps even though I have a rather robust mobo, ASUS P6X58d Premium, perhaps my boot hard drive where my data is also stored and coming from (for my test) is the weak link.  How do others test for those speeds over 100MBs or 400MBs get the data to the Buffalo (what are they using as a data source to exercise the USB 3 port and Buffalo drive)? 

I don't have a USB 3 memory stick (yet), but it is worth the test.  Wouldn't the USB speed be halved due to sharing with the read of the stick and the write to the Buffalo?

Thanks,
Dennis

[ratty2013]

It will interesting to see what happens after you do the BIOS upgrade.

I can't see that your HDD would be the weakest link, unless you are using a very old HDD. Even a 5 year old HDD should be able to reach a speed way above 30MB/s

Yes, if you are transferring from USB to USB you will not get the full transfer speed as the bandwidth will be shared between the two devices.