Bad SATA devices performance

[David Timms]

ArcosCom Linux User wrote:
> Hi guys, I have a problem with my laptop dvd+-rewriter (and posibily the
> hard disk too).
> 
> Them are SATA devices, and with I need to move many data, all system
> performance goes very slow. I'm desesperate, because IDE laptops with less
> memory and less speed have better performance than mine.


> When I burn DVD's or CD's, all graphical system goes down (in
> performance), but CPU is fine, but transactional charge is very high. I
> must wait the burn proccess was finish to take control to the system using
> graphical interface.
> 
> I use FC5 and gnome. To burn I use k3b.
> 
> I test 2.6.17.14 and 2.6.18.1 vanilla kernels too.
> 
> Any help with kernel params, diagnose/configuration tools that allow me
> solve this problem?
For a visual idea of how it is performing install gkrellm, and add 
monitors for each of the physical disk and dvd drive, along with cpu's 
might give some hint. Also, if there is an image being created to write 
to the CD, perhaps this would kill half-two two thirds of the available 
disk bandwidth. For example if the image is being created in /tmp, but 
the source files are on another partition, there might be excess 
{necessary} disk I/O.

DaveT.