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    W520 internal SATA is 2 and Ultrabay is SATA 3

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by pkincy, May 6, 2011.

  1. pkincy

    pkincy Notebook Evangelist

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    HWiNFO32 shows the internal SATA controller as SATA 2 (3.0Gbps) while it shows the Ultrabay Caddy SATA controller as SATA 3 (6.0Gbps).

    I know we have information that conflicts with that but it certainly appears from empirical data (my C300 is faster in the ultrabay than it is in the internal drive slot) that this is the case.

    Perry
     
  2. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    1. I suspect that HWiNFO32 is reading the current speed.

    2. Were you using your C300 as the boot drive for both test locations? How much was the performance difference?

    3. Try running SiSoftware Sandra. Use the Mainboard Configuration on the Hardware menu then go down the list of results to Disk Controller. The info includes: (i) Maximum SATA mode (mine says G3 / SATA600); and (ii) The speed of the ports in use (mine are G2 / SATA300 = HDD and G1 / SATA150 = ODD).

    John
     
  3. commander

    commander Notebook Consultant

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  4. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Both bays are SATA III and 6Gb/s capable. Whether the drive being tested, it's drivers, and the tool you are using is accurate is another matter entirely.

    I have yet to see someone do a competent benchmark to prove or disprove this. I have done enough of my own testing to be satisfied, but this keeps coming up week after week. It's getting a little old.
     
  5. ConnectDon

    ConnectDon Notebook Consultant

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  6. erik

    erik modifier

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    sadly, no amount of spoon-feeding will stop the conspiracies.   this really is getting old though.

    it probably is worth sticking that thread back up.   i'll leave it up there until people complain or we get tired of looking at it.
     
  7. pkincy

    pkincy Notebook Evangelist

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    How does HWiNFO32 pull up the data on the controllers?

    I suspect not by testing or benchmarking as it simply listed them as SATA 2 or 3 not as a throughput number.

    It is true that when I ran it my C300 was in the Ultrabay not the Drive 0 spot. But again that is because it benchmarks significantly faster in the Ultrabay.

    My SATA 2 HDD was in the main drive slot.

    Perry
     
  8. erik

    erik modifier

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    swap the two drives (SSD in main bay and HDD in ultrabay adapter) and boot to your HDD using the F12 menu at POST.   re-run your tests and see if anything changes.