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#1
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Slow boot at "Verifying DMI pool data..." - Is HDD damaged?
Each time I start the PC, the system spend a long time at "Verifyin
DMI pool data..." Windows hasn't loaded at that point, so it has nothing to do wit Windows. I have done a series of test to investigate this symptom. I have stripped all the peripherals (network card, USB heade connections at the motherboard, CR-ROMs and left the system with just the graphic card and hard disk connected) and the system still spend a long time a "Verifying DMI pool data..." I then compared the Maxtor Hard Disk and my Fujitsu Hard Disk (Model MPE3173AE) on two different PCs. Specification of PC1: Athlon 2000+ 256 DDR PC3200 Motherboard GA-7VA Specification of PC2: AMD K6(III) 256 SD-RAM Motherboard FIC PA-2013 Maxtor HDD 5T040H4: Windows ME version 4.90.3000 ATA-100 3 partitions at 5Gb, 18Gb and 17Gb Fujitsu MPE3173AE Windows ME version 4.90.3000 ATA-33 1 single 17Gb partition These are the test results: 1) Maxtor HDD took 4min 30s to boot up into Windows in PC1 (BIOS showe HDD correctly and configured as ATA-100) 2) Fujitsu HDD took just under 40s to boot up in Windows in PC1 (BIO showed HDD correctly and configured as ATA-33) 3) Maxtor HDD took 6min 30s to boot into Windows in PC2 4) Fujitsu HDD took 1min 30s to boot into Windows in PC2 Note: By booting into Windows I mean the time when transition fro BIOS screen to you see the Windows Wallpaper Background. The fact that an older ATA-33 HDD boots faster then the Maxtor ATA-100 drive despite all other parameters being kept the same shows that the problem lies with the Maxtor HDD. The Maxtor HDD spent a long time in "Verifying DMI pool data..." but the Fujitsu HDD spent considerabl less time despite the same system set up, i.e. all I did was to swap th HDD while keeping all other components un-touched. Can I conclude that my Maxtor HDD is damaged? I have done the Powerma 4.09 test and made sure that it is the only device on the cable and th cable is a Ultra DMA cable. In its quick 90s test, it recommends ful test when it stumbled upon SMART test. However, it passed al subsequent test! How can I convince Maxtor for an RMA? Thank you. Regards, river_kwa -------- river_kwa ----------------------------------------------------------------------- river_kwai's Profile: http://www.myispforum.com/member.php?u=56 View this thread: http://www.myispforum.com/showthread.php?t=354 Selected USENET Gateway Access: www.myISPforum.com Powered by myISPfinder 2. |
#2
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On Thu, 06 May 2004 13:05:21 GMT, river_kwai
wrote: Each time I start the PC, the system spend a long time at "Verifying DMI pool data..." Windows hasn't loaded at that point, so it has nothing to do with Windows. I have done a series of test to investigate this symptom. I have stripped all the peripherals (network card, USB header connections at the motherboard, CR-ROMs and left the system with just the graphics card and hard disk connected) and the system still spend a long time at "Verifying DMI pool data..." I then compared the Maxtor Hard Disk and my Fujitsu Hard Disk (Model MPE3173AE) on two different PCs. Specification of PC1: Athlon 2000+ 256 DDR PC3200 Motherboard GA-7VA Specification of PC2: AMD K6(III) 256 SD-RAM Motherboard FIC PA-2013 Maxtor HDD 5T040H4: Windows ME version 4.90.3000 ATA-100 3 partitions at 5Gb, 18Gb and 17Gb Fujitsu MPE3173AE Windows ME version 4.90.3000 ATA-33 1 single 17Gb partition These are the test results: 1) Maxtor HDD took 4min 30s to boot up into Windows in PC1 (BIOS showed HDD correctly and configured as ATA-100) 2) Fujitsu HDD took just under 40s to boot up in Windows in PC1 (BIOS showed HDD correctly and configured as ATA-33) 3) Maxtor HDD took 6min 30s to boot into Windows in PC2 4) Fujitsu HDD took 1min 30s to boot into Windows in PC2 Note: By booting into Windows I mean the time when transition from BIOS screen to you see the Windows Wallpaper Background. The fact that an older ATA-33 HDD boots faster then the Maxtor ATA-100 drive despite all other parameters being kept the same shows that the problem lies with the Maxtor HDD. The Maxtor HDD spent a long time in "Verifying DMI pool data..." but the Fujitsu HDD spent considerable less time despite the same system set up, i.e. all I did was to swap the HDD while keeping all other components un-touched. Can I conclude that my Maxtor HDD is damaged? I have done the Powermax 4.09 test and made sure that it is the only device on the cable and the cable is a Ultra DMA cable. In its quick 90s test, it recommends full test when it stumbled upon SMART test. However, it passed all subsequent test! How can I convince Maxtor for an RMA? Double-check the drive jumpers and try different cables. If that doesn't help then simply explain the situation to them (Maxtor). |
#3
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"kony" wrote in message ... Double-check the drive jumpers and try different cables. That's what I'd think too, setting cable select can produce the symptom described in some systems. I've also had slow-downs with maxtor drives when they're connected to the slave ide plug, (the middle plug on the cable), but set as master. IMHO it's a configuration / compatibility(maybe) problem, check jumper is correct, swap cable and go through the dmi hang page below step by step. If you have altered any bios settings, write them down before you load bios defaults or you'll loose your changes. Have you tried the Maxtor support pages? General for your model - http://snipurl.com/673a DMI hang - http://snipurl.com/6730 Let us know how it goes. -- Ian |
#4
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Sometimes it is a cable not plugged in right or something like the
jumpers. Try it in a different position. One hard drive could go bad but not likely two unless you had a short or the IDE port went bad. Make sure you unplug your computer when you unplug the IDE drives. Each time I start the PC, the system spend a long time at "Verifying DMI pool data..." Windows hasn't loaded at that point, so it has nothing to do with Windows. I have done a series of test to investigate this symptom. I have stripped all the peripherals (network card, USB header connections at the motherboard, CR-ROMs and left the system with just the graphics card and hard disk connected) and the system still spend a long time at "Verifying DMI pool data..." I then compared the Maxtor Hard Disk and my Fujitsu Hard Disk (Model MPE3173AE) on two different PCs. Specification of PC1: Athlon 2000+ 256 DDR PC3200 Motherboard GA-7VA Specification of PC2: AMD K6(III) 256 SD-RAM Motherboard FIC PA-2013 Maxtor HDD 5T040H4: Windows ME version 4.90.3000 ATA-100 3 partitions at 5Gb, 18Gb and 17Gb Fujitsu MPE3173AE Windows ME version 4.90.3000 ATA-33 1 single 17Gb partition These are the test results: 1) Maxtor HDD took 4min 30s to boot up into Windows in PC1 (BIOS showed HDD correctly and configured as ATA-100) 2) Fujitsu HDD took just under 40s to boot up in Windows in PC1 (BIOS showed HDD correctly and configured as ATA-33) 3) Maxtor HDD took 6min 30s to boot into Windows in PC2 4) Fujitsu HDD took 1min 30s to boot into Windows in PC2 Note: By booting into Windows I mean the time when transition from BIOS screen to you see the Windows Wallpaper Background. The fact that an older ATA-33 HDD boots faster then the Maxtor ATA-100 drive despite all other parameters being kept the same shows that the problem lies with the Maxtor HDD. The Maxtor HDD spent a long time in "Verifying DMI pool data..." but the Fujitsu HDD spent considerable less time despite the same system set up, i.e. all I did was to swap the HDD while keeping all other components un-touched. Can I conclude that my Maxtor HDD is damaged? I have done the Powermax 4.09 test and made sure that it is the only device on the cable and the cable is a Ultra DMA cable. In its quick 90s test, it recommends full test when it stumbled upon SMART test. However, it passed all subsequent test! How can I convince Maxtor for an RMA? Thank you. Regards, river_kwai -------- river_kwai ------------------------------------------------------------------------ river_kwai's Profile: http://www.myispforum.com/member.php?u=564 View this thread: http://www.myispforum.com/showthread.php?t=3542 Selected USENET Gateway Access: www.myISPforum.com Powered by myISPfinder 2.0 |
#5
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I configure the drive as Master drive and have not use cable selec
(Maxtor does not recommend using the CABLE SELECT feature unless you specific system documentation requires its use). I have connected t Maxtor HDD into 2 different PCs using different cables (each time usin the connector at the end of the cable and NOT the middle connector) but in both PCs, the Maxtor HDD spends a long time in 'Verifying DM Data Pool...' but not the Fujitsu HDD. So I don;t think the proble lies in the cables. I have used Maxtor's Powermax 4.09 and performed the tests up to th burn in test with 2 passes and everything returned PASSED. I have no performed the Low Level Format Test as it is data destructive. But onc again I would like to draw your attention to the long time the syste with Maxtor HDD (but not my older Fujitsu ATA-33 HDD) spends i 'Verifying DMI Data Pool...', can anyone suggest anything based on thi symptom? I have also searched the Maxtor Knowledge Base and have performed the solution suggested in Maxtor Knowledge Base: http://tinyurl.com/283yv I have however skipped step 9 as it is data destructive. I have just flashed my system with the latest BIOS (GA-7VA F11 Bios), have clear DMI data pool and PnP data pool while I was flashing m BIOS, so the system has to rebuild the DMI data pool when I reboote the system upon flashing the BIOS. I was hoping this would have solve the 'Verifying DMI Data Pool' problem but there were still n improvements in the boot-up time despite my lengthy efforts and th system still spend a long time 'Verifying DMI Data Pool...'. What that is puzzling me is that once the system boots up, the drive i performing very fast. But it takes 5 minutes to boot the PC up wit ATA-100 Maxtor HDD and less than 40s with my older ATA-33 Fujits drive -------- river_kwa ----------------------------------------------------------------------- river_kwai's Profile: http://www.myispforum.com/member.php?u=56 View this thread: http://www.myispforum.com/showthread.php?t=354 Selected USENET Gateway Access: www.myISPforum.com Powered by myISPfinder 2. |
#6
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On Fri, 07 May 2004 15:13:37 GMT, river_kwai
wrote: I configure the drive as Master drive and have not use cable select (Maxtor does not recommend using the CABLE SELECT feature unless your specific system documentation requires its use). I have connected to Maxtor HDD into 2 different PCs using different cables (each time using the connector at the end of the cable and NOT the middle connector), but in both PCs, the Maxtor HDD spends a long time in 'Verifying DMI Data Pool...' but not the Fujitsu HDD. So I don;t think the problem lies in the cables. Ignore Maxtor's recommendation and try the drive as Cable Select. Many if not all of Maxtor's drives now ship from the factory set to cable select and I have about a dozen of them running in cable select mode right now. Are you certain that your power supply is of sufficient capacity? What make, model, wattage? If the drive isn't spinning up fast enough it may cause a problem. I have used Maxtor's Powermax 4.09 and performed the tests up to the burn in test with 2 passes and everything returned PASSED. I have not performed the Low Level Format Test as it is data destructive. But once again I would like to draw your attention to the long time the system with Maxtor HDD (but not my older Fujitsu ATA-33 HDD) spends in 'Verifying DMI Data Pool...', can anyone suggest anything based on this symptom? I have also searched the Maxtor Knowledge Base and have performed the solution suggested in Maxtor Knowledge Base: http://tinyurl.com/283yv I have however skipped step 9 as it is data destructive. I have just flashed my system with the latest BIOS (GA-7VA F11 Bios), I have clear DMI data pool and PnP data pool while I was flashing my BIOS, so the system has to rebuild the DMI data pool when I rebooted the system upon flashing the BIOS. I was hoping this would have solved the 'Verifying DMI Data Pool' problem but there were still no improvements in the boot-up time despite my lengthy efforts and the system still spend a long time 'Verifying DMI Data Pool...'. Did you clear the CMOS and/or load the setup defaults after flashing the bios? Try it if not. It's possible the bios still has a bug or two... after all, if not then why would there ever be bios updates beyond support for new CPU or HDD capacity, etc? What that is puzzling me is that once the system boots up, the drive is performing very fast. But it takes 5 minutes to boot the PC up with ATA-100 Maxtor HDD and less than 40s with my older ATA-33 Fujitsu drive. -------- 5 minutes is just too long to be considered a mere inconvenient delay, contact Maxtor and see if they'll issue you an RMA if all else fails. |
#7
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I have configured the drive as Cable Select, I did load setup default
after flashing BIOS. I did everything and this annoying probloem i still there! This is the response I get from Maxtor: Further to your request, I understand that your computer system hang and gives the error message Verifying DMI Pool Data. This error i associated with computer that have an Award BIOS only. It has been determine that this error is not attributed to a hardware failure, or error with hard drive. Take a look at the following knowledge base article for better understand, and possible solution for the error. And the quoted the Maxtor knowledge base article: http://tinyurl.com/283yv They don't seem helpful and I am wondering if all people with Maxto HDD on Award BIOS would have such problems. I don;t think that's th case as it would have meant many unhappy customers, but yet Maxto seemed not to be able to help. If the problem lies between Maxtor HD and Award BIOS, is requesting an RMA going to solve my problem -------- river_kwa ----------------------------------------------------------------------- river_kwai's Profile: http://www.myispforum.com/member.php?u=56 View this thread: http://www.myispforum.com/showthread.php?t=354 Selected USENET Gateway Access: www.myISPforum.com Powered by myISPfinder 2. |
#8
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On Sat, 08 May 2004 00:05:31 GMT, river_kwai
wrote: I have configured the drive as Cable Select, I did load setup defaults after flashing BIOS. I did everything and this annoying probloem is still there! This is the response I get from Maxtor: Further to your request, I understand that your computer system hangs and gives the error message Verifying DMI Pool Data. This error is associated with computer that have an Award BIOS only. It has been determined that this error is not attributed to a hardware failure, or error with a hard drive. Take a look at the following knowledge base article for a better understand, and possible solution for the error. And the quoted the Maxtor knowledge base article: http://tinyurl.com/283yv They don't seem helpful and I am wondering if all people with Maxtor HDD on Award BIOS would have such problems. I don;t think that's the case as it would have meant many unhappy customers, but yet Maxtor seemed not to be able to help. If the problem lies between Maxtor HDD and Award BIOS, is requesting an RMA going to solve my problem? The majority of systems I have here are using an Award BIOS of one version or another, and none of them (that I'm aware of) have this problem. In fact I do have one of those Maxtor drives, a 5T040H4, that RMA replaced another of that same model... after a few months of use it began making an odd chirp-like "beeping" sound, which I can only assume was a bearing defect. However that particular drive would periodically not show up in bios enumeration screen and running the diagnostics produced an error code applicable towards RMA. That was over 2 years ago, today the replacement is still running fine. Perhaps there was some issue with the 5T040H4 drives, or perhaps it's partly to blame on both the drive and the motherboard, but you've already tried 2 different motherboards making motherboard less likely to be the problem.... it is not simply an issue of it being an Award bios. If you RMA the drive "now", there's a quite good chance you'd receive a different, newer drive that may work even if the motherboard/bios is partly to blame, or even same drive but with a firmware that doesn't cause this. The puzzling part isn't the delay at "verifying DMI...", it's that the drive continues to take so long to boot the OS after it passed that stage in the boot process. I would focus on that issue, use that as the reason for the RMA. |
#9
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A big thanks to everyone that have helped me over the past week.
The problem is finally solved. I have tried so many complicated things but what solved it is trivial, defragmenting C drive! It never occured to me that defragmenting would have solved the problem. I did scandisk and everything before and nothing helped. But Trent suggested defragmenting and I tried and after that, the boot up process was back to the normal speed of booting up within 30s. I am glad that it is finally solved now. A lesson learnt is never to underestimate the importance of PC maintenance - basic task of defrgamenting your hard disk. Once again, I would like top say a big thanks to Apollo, Kony, Charles, Trent and everyone that have gave advice to me. -------- river_kwai ------------------------------------------------------------------------ river_kwai's Profile: http://www.myispforum.com/member.php?u=564 View this thread: http://www.myispforum.com/showthread.php?t=3542 Selected USENET Gateway Access: www.myISPforum.com Powered by myISPfinder 2.0 |
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