Windows 95 IDE Support for SMART, DMA, and ATAPI Tape Drives (154435)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q154435

SYMPTOMS

The ATAPI IDE driver in Windows 95 (Esdi_506.pdr) does not include functionality for the following features:
  • SMART support (the ability for certain programs to predict whether a hard disk failure may occur)
  • DMA support for ATAPI devices
  • ATAPI tape drive support

CAUSE

The functionality for these features is not built into the Windows 95 IDE driver. However, Microsoft has released an updated Esdi_506.pdr file that supports these features as follows:
  • SMART provides support for SMART programs, which will be able to predict some hard disk failures. The updated driver itself does not provide this functionality, but provides the support for SMART programs to implement this functionality.
  • DMA (also called bus mastering) reduces CPU overhead by providing a mechanism for data transfers that do not have to be monitored by the CPU. Transfer rate for a particular transfer will not noticeably increase, but the CPU overhead should be significantly reduced in DMA mode. (For example, a 10 percent CPU overhead may be observed for DMA transfers versus a 30 percent CPU overhead for PIO transfers, in typical ATAPI CD-ROM transfers.)
  • ATAPI tape drive support is included in the IDE driver, which will allow a backup program that supports ATAPI tape to be used.

RESOLUTION

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem immediately, download the fix by clicking the download link later in this article or contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Download Remideup.exe now

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

The following files are installed by remideup.exe: 
  File name     Version    Date/Time       Size    Destination folder
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  ESDI_506.PDR  4.00.1116  8/25/97 11:16a  24,426  Windows\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS
  VOLTRACK.VXD  4.00.954   3/6/96 9:54a    18,518  Windows\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS
NOTE: The Voltrack.vxd file is installed on Windows 95 (not OSR2 or later) only.


This issue is resolved in Microsoft Windows 98.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about issues resolved by updates to this component, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

171353 Computer with Ultra DMA IDE Controller May Hang

161642 Auto Insert Notification May Prevent Automatic Suspend

160800 "Fatal Exception Error" with Iomega IDE Zip Drives

154976 Error Message Running Jet Database Engine Stress Test

154436 Errors Accessing Hard Disk with Spin-Down Enabled

153471 Problems with Removable IDE Drives in Windows 95

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/9/2004
Keywords:kbdownload kbgraphxlinkcritical kbprb KB154435
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.