I have been looking at the Seagate SSHD drives for a while now. I have been having slowness with my current SSD and I need more space for recorded shows. Has anyone used one before?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... gnorebbr=1
SSHD or not?
-
barnabas1969
- Posts: 5738
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm
- Location: Titusville, Florida, USA
-
HTPC Specs:
What's your current SSD? Are you using the SSD as recorder storage?
-
okhomer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:45 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
It is a 120GB SanDisk SSD. I am only using it as an OS drive. But it still takes awhile for Win 7 to boot and then load MCE. No where near as fast as some of my other SSD drives. Seems like I have a standard HD as my boot drive.barnabas1969 wrote:What's your current SSD? Are you using the SSD as recorder storage?
-
barnabas1969
- Posts: 5738
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm
- Location: Titusville, Florida, USA
-
HTPC Specs:
Not every BIOS takes the same amount of time to load. Some take quite a while. Are you sure it's taking a long time for Windows to boot? How long does it take from the time you see the Windows logo until Windows is ready to use?
If the BIOS is slow, there may be some BIOS settings that you can change to speed up the boot time.
Also, if you set the HD controller to IDE (or AHCI) when you installed Windows, and then changed it later to the opposite setting, this can add a significant amount of time to your boot. There is a registry setting that can be changed to solve this problem.
If the BIOS is slow, there may be some BIOS settings that you can change to speed up the boot time.
Also, if you set the HD controller to IDE (or AHCI) when you installed Windows, and then changed it later to the opposite setting, this can add a significant amount of time to your boot. There is a registry setting that can be changed to solve this problem.
-
okhomer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:45 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
Yes it is definitely windows. I will see if I can take a video of it tonight. I am pretty sure it is set to AHCI. I will also check that.barnabas1969 wrote:Not every BIOS takes the same amount of time to load. Some take quite a while. Are you sure it's taking a long time for Windows to boot? How long does it take from the time you see the Windows logo until Windows is ready to use?
If the BIOS is slow, there may be some BIOS settings that you can change to speed up the boot time.
Also, if you set the HD controller to IDE (or AHCI) when you installed Windows, and then changed it later to the opposite setting, this can add a significant amount of time to your boot. There is a registry setting that can be changed to solve this problem.
-
barnabas1969
- Posts: 5738
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm
- Location: Titusville, Florida, USA
-
HTPC Specs:
AHCI or IDE doesn't make that much of a difference at boot time. What I was saying is, that if you changed it from IDE to AHCI (or vice versa) after you installed Windows, it will create a pretty long delay while the OS tries to load the wrong driver first, and then searches for the correct one. This is controlled by a registry setting that is easy to correct if you changed from one to the other after installing Windows.
-
okhomer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:45 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
I have never changed this since installing windows.barnabas1969 wrote:AHCI or IDE doesn't make that much of a difference at boot time. What I was saying is, that if you changed it from IDE to AHCI (or vice versa) after you installed Windows, it will create a pretty long delay while the OS tries to load the wrong driver first, and then searches for the correct one. This is controlled by a registry setting that is easy to correct if you changed from one to the other after installing Windows.
-
okhomer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:45 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
I do have a Sandisk Extreme 120 GB SSD. I have checked BIOS and registry and both are set for AHCI. I timed the boot and it took 3 min from start to load MCE. And most was windows. BIOS took less then 5 sec. I took a video but not sure how to upload it. I might try You Tube.barnabas1969 wrote:What's your current SSD? Are you using the SSD as recorder storage?
-
barnabas1969
- Posts: 5738
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm
- Location: Titusville, Florida, USA
-
HTPC Specs:
I don't think you can upload a video here. Youtube would be OK. Three minutes is a LONG time. Not sure what to say about that. Hard to believe that your SSD is the cause. Have you run any performance tests on the SSD? You might even try re-running the Windows Experience Index test (which you must do after installing an SSD... so if you didn't run it after you installed the SSD, you really need to do this).
-
choliscott
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:56 am
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
Your specs show you have a Ceton card. In your 3 minutes, did this also include the time it takes to initialize the Ceton card (this is the time right after you see the desktop & see the swirly circle around the network icon lower right by the clock) ?
I'm also running an SSD & from hitting the power to the time I see the desktop is about 30 seconds, but because I have to wait for the Ceton cards to initialize, I can't actually start to use the system for a few minutes.
I'm also running an SSD & from hitting the power to the time I see the desktop is about 30 seconds, but because I have to wait for the Ceton cards to initialize, I can't actually start to use the system for a few minutes.
okhomer wrote:I do have a Sandisk Extreme 120 GB SSD. I have checked BIOS and registry and both are set for AHCI. I timed the boot and it took 3 min from start to load WMC. And most was windows. BIOS took less then 5 sec. I took a video but not sure how to upload it. I might try You Tube.barnabas1969 wrote:What's your current SSD? Are you using the SSD as recorder storage?
-
okhomer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:45 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
choliscott wrote:Your specs show you have a Ceton card. In your 3 minutes, did this also include the time it takes to initialize the Ceton card (this is the time right after you see the desktop & see the swirly circle around the network icon lower right by the clock) ?
I'm also running an SSD & from hitting the power to the time I see the desktop is about 30 seconds, but because I have to wait for the Ceton cards to initialize, I can't actually start to use the system for a few minutes.
The 3 min is actually the time from the time I press the button to load windows. Once into window MCE load really fast. Still trying to upload the video.
Edit: Here is the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG1fvyd_ ... e=youtu.be
-
barnabas1969
- Posts: 5738
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm
- Location: Titusville, Florida, USA
-
HTPC Specs:
I'm going to bet on some kind of driver issue. Have you checked in Device Manager for any problems?
What was the Windows dialog box that popped up just before Media Center started? I couldn't read it... too blurry.
What was the Windows dialog box that popped up just before Media Center started? I couldn't read it... too blurry.
-
okhomer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:45 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
Everything is ok in the driver set and all firmware is up to date. I am going to try to reinstall windows. It is just such a pain with media center. Thanks for all your help.barnabas1969 wrote:I'm going to bet on some kind of driver issue. Have you checked in Device Manager for any problems?
What was the Windows dialog box that popped up just before Media Center started? I couldn't read it... too blurry.
-
choliscott
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:56 am
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
Looks like it said "Copy Agent" by Barracuda Networks. From the looks of it, sounds like some sort of backup program
barnabas1969 wrote:I'm going to bet on some kind of driver issue. Have you checked in Device Manager for any problems?
What was the Windows dialog box that popped up just before Media Center started? I couldn't read it... too blurry.
-
choliscott
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:56 am
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
Ok I watched the video & have had this happen before especially with the Ceton card. When I boot into windows, either I will get what you saw (either the black screen with arrow or "Welcome" screen for a while) & when you finally see the desktop, everything seems to work fine. Usually however I can get into the desktop with no problems but I get the "swirly circle" around the network icon for about a minute.
I do know there is a thread on here about the initializing of Ceton cards takes a couple of minutes when you first boot up the computer & this could be the result of it.
I did notice the Windows firewall box come up for "Copy Agent" by Barracuda Networks (right before the WMC screen came up). One thing to maybe try is either uninstall this program or to either allow or block the program (so the firewall won't ask again) & reboot & see if you get the same result.
Based on watching the video, I'm thinking it's either a driver/program you are running or the time to initialize the Ceton card
I do know there is a thread on here about the initializing of Ceton cards takes a couple of minutes when you first boot up the computer & this could be the result of it.
I did notice the Windows firewall box come up for "Copy Agent" by Barracuda Networks (right before the WMC screen came up). One thing to maybe try is either uninstall this program or to either allow or block the program (so the firewall won't ask again) & reboot & see if you get the same result.
Based on watching the video, I'm thinking it's either a driver/program you are running or the time to initialize the Ceton card
okhomer wrote:Everything is ok in the driver set and all firmware is up to date. I am going to try to reinstall windows. It is just such a pain with media center. Thanks for all your help.barnabas1969 wrote:I'm going to bet on some kind of driver issue. Have you checked in Device Manager for any problems?
What was the Windows dialog box that popped up just before Media Center started? I couldn't read it... too blurry.
-
okhomer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:45 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
It is copy. It is a cloud agent like dropbox. You can check it out at https://copy.com?r=46C7I3choliscott wrote:Looks like it said "Copy Agent" by Barracuda Networks. From the looks of it, sounds like some sort of backup program
barnabas1969 wrote:I'm going to bet on some kind of driver issue. Have you checked in Device Manager for any problems?
What was the Windows dialog box that popped up just before Media Center started? I couldn't read it... too blurry.
-
barnabas1969
- Posts: 5738
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm
- Location: Titusville, Florida, USA
-
HTPC Specs:
Unless the Ceton firmware has gotten much, much slower since I had an InfiniTV4-PCIe, what choliscott wrote is difficult to believe. My InfiniTV4 only took about 90 seconds to initialize. It starts doing that as soon as power is turned on (before BIOS even starts).
@okhomer: If you choose to reinstall Windows, which is an extreme measure, make sure you...
0) Remove the InfiniTV tuner (physically remove it from the system), and don't put it back until you get Windows up and running, and follow all the steps recommended by Ceton for Installation (I can't remember if they recommend installing drivers before inserting the card, but make sure to follow their instructions EXACTLY).
1) Set the BIOS options back to default.
2) Set the power options in BIOS to S3 standby.
3) Set the HD controller to AHCI
4) Install Windows
5) Install all the motherboard drivers, starting with the chipset drivers, then the LAN, graphics, audio, etc.
6) Install Windows updates, reboot, install more Windows updates, reboot, repeat, repeat, repeat... until there are no more Windows updates.
7) Follow the Ceton installation instructions for your tuner TO THE LETTER. Don't skip any steps, do not pass GO, do not collect $200.
@okhomer: If you choose to reinstall Windows, which is an extreme measure, make sure you...
0) Remove the InfiniTV tuner (physically remove it from the system), and don't put it back until you get Windows up and running, and follow all the steps recommended by Ceton for Installation (I can't remember if they recommend installing drivers before inserting the card, but make sure to follow their instructions EXACTLY).
1) Set the BIOS options back to default.
2) Set the power options in BIOS to S3 standby.
3) Set the HD controller to AHCI
4) Install Windows
5) Install all the motherboard drivers, starting with the chipset drivers, then the LAN, graphics, audio, etc.
6) Install Windows updates, reboot, install more Windows updates, reboot, repeat, repeat, repeat... until there are no more Windows updates.
7) Follow the Ceton installation instructions for your tuner TO THE LETTER. Don't skip any steps, do not pass GO, do not collect $200.
Last edited by barnabas1969 on Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
barnabas1969
- Posts: 5738
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm
- Location: Titusville, Florida, USA
-
HTPC Specs:
Oh, and don't install other software right away.
Install barebones Windows+Media Center+InfiniTV.
Reboot/Test.
Then, install ONE piece of software.
Reboot/Test.
Install another piece of software.
Reboot/Test.
Repeat... until you get everything setup.
This will help you narrow it down to the problem.
Install barebones Windows+Media Center+InfiniTV.
Reboot/Test.
Then, install ONE piece of software.
Reboot/Test.
Install another piece of software.
Reboot/Test.
Repeat... until you get everything setup.
This will help you narrow it down to the problem.
-
choliscott
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:56 am
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
I do have 2 Infinitv cards installed. I know its takes longer then "30 seconds" but not too long
barnabas1969 wrote:Unless the Ceton firmware has gotten much, much slower since I had an InfiniTV4-PCIe, what choliscott wrote is difficult to believe. My InfiniTV4 only took about 90 seconds to initialize. It starts doing that as soon as power is turned on (before BIOS even starts).
-
werds
- Posts: 495
- Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:35 am
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
Off topic but thanks for the link, setup an account - pretty neat! Love me some free web space!okhomer wrote:
It is copy. It is a cloud agent like dropbox. You can check it out at https://copy.com?r=46C7I3