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Games run slower off HDD than disc (Halo, Mechwarrior unplayable from HDD)


xretrogamedevx
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I bought an OG xbox, softmodded it with Rocky5, upgraded the HDD to a 2TB Seagate Barricuda, have an 80 pin IDE adapter connected to it.

I bought 10 games to start off with, to include Halo: CE (the original Halo) and Mechwarrior.

I ripped all 10 games to my hard drive.

I get horrible, unplayable lag when playing any game (Halo is the most noticeable).  Any time I fire the weapon everything lags.  I also notice that for every single game, the startup animations (The grey/white/black "Microsoft Game Studios" logo) also lags, so I don't think it's framerate dependent.  Here's a link to the logo animation that I am talking about.  The animation in this video is how it should look.  It's smooth.  On my screen (I can't upload a video, sorry), it stutters, lags, and is generally unsmooth.  This animation isn't smooth at all, but just showing what I'm talking about for reference.

 

Does this have something to do with HDMI?  I am running the output to an hdmi adapter that plays on the monitor.  I have tried multiple monitors and have the same problem.  The only thing I haven't tried is the component to TV route, because I do not have a TV.  I'm wondering if this was a waste of money.  Games are unplayable from the HDD, which I thought was supposed to even speed things up. 

Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

-R

 

Edited by xretrogamedevx
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I would check the F and G partitions on HDD has been formatted correctly using XBPartition 1.3.

If you see ER instead of 64 on partition 6 (F) and or 7 (G) then you will need to reformat those partitions.

It should look like this for a 2tb HDD.

1331893105_2tbpartitions.jpg.9eb78d44797ccf7f73fec3c334a66114.jpg

When you format a 2tb or 3tb HDD set the size smaller than max for 6/7 ( example 925gb) then format and power the Xbox Off and On then format again at max.

 

Also there is only a couple of HDMI converters that I would suggest.

The Internal versions are The digital HDMI from MakeMHz, N64 freak HDMI, lastly the wii2HDMI. The wii2hdmi is analogue audio (Left/Right) only and the other 2 are 5.1 Dolby Digital  audio.

The plug in are The Chimeric System's HDMI, Electron Shepherd HDMI. Both these units pass the Dolby Digital audio (5.1) in the HDMI.

Any of the cheap units from online shops like the Pound, Hyperkin and the like are rubbish (That's putting it politely).

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

 

 

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Thanks for the quick reply.

I'm at a loss.  The F and G partitions are exactly as you describe.  I have the Electron Shepherd HDMI adapter.  I have a high quality 40 pin to SATA adapter (Startech) that was recommended by another site.

Even booting this system is slow, sometimes the xbox logo (the green one in the very beginning) lags!?  That boot-up video... is that stored on the HDD or in ROM?  Could this xbox be on it's way out?

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1 hour ago, xretrogamedevx said:

I bought the StarTech and am using it currently.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EOJNGC2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is there another brand that you have used with success that you recommend?  I bought StarTech because of high reviews, but apparently this thing is garbage.

Thanks.

The Startech is the one to go for, is the adaptor set to master?

When you tested the old hard drive did you use the 80way ide cable?

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

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I set the adapter to master after I transferred over the files from the original HDD.  I had to set it to master because if you set it to slave it does not boot at all.

I tested the old hard drive with the 40 pin cable and it was faster than the current setup with the 80 pin/newHDD.  I couldn't get the 80 pin to work with the old HDD, so I had to use the 40 (constant error messages; the xbox wouldn't boot).

I managed to use FatXplorer to write games to the HDD, since FTP was taking so long.  I wrote over 200GB of files using the StarTech SATA adapter to the HDD via usb on the computer.  Write speeds were close to 200MB/s.  So it doesn't seem like it's the adapter, does it?

So to recap:

1) Usb PC to SATA via adapter = ok

2) 40 pin to old HDD = ok

3) Boot off of game via DVD drive = ok

It's gotta be either the 80 pin cable (which works... can cables be "slow" to move data?) or something on the motherboard of the xbox.

I tried the 40 pin on the new HDD and can't get it to work.  Gotta wait for the new 80 pin cable I guess (ordered a new one).

Also ordered a new SATA to 40 pin adapter just to make sure.  Not sure what else to do.

Thanks for trying dude.  Really means a lot.  I've posted elsewhere and no one responds lol.

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24 minutes ago, xretrogamedevx said:

It's gotta be either the 80 pin cable (which works... can cables be "slow" to move data?)

I am leaning toward the 80 way IDE cable as the old hard drive should work with it and I have had a cable that was intermittent on the DVD plug (it had a bad crimp on the 40 pin plug).

24 minutes ago, xretrogamedevx said:

I wrote over 200GB of files using the StarTech SATA adapter to the HDD via usb on the computer.  Write speeds were close to 200MB/s.  So it doesn't seem like it's the adapter, does it?

I would say the sata2ide is all good.

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

 

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2 hours ago, SS_Dave said:

I am leaning toward the 80 way IDE cable as the old hard drive should work with it and I have had a cable that was intermittent on the DVD plug (it had a bad crimp on the 40 pin plug).

I would say the sata2ide is all good.

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

 

You are 100% correct. The ide to sata adapters (even if they appear to) don't work correctly with the 40 wire ide cable. You MUST use the 80 wire. 

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6 hours ago, xretrogamedevx said:

So realistically if I'm using StarTech IDE/SATA adapter with an 80 pin cable and I'm getting massive problems it's more likely than not the cable?

with any ide to sata adapter, you HAVE to use the 80 wire cable. If it gives you problems, replace it with a new 80 wire cable. They don't work properly with the 40 wire. It will always do what yours is doing. 

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14 hours ago, xretrogamedevx said:

So realistically if I'm using StarTech IDE/SATA adapter with an 80 pin cable and I'm getting massive problems it's more likely than not the cable?

I would try a different 80 wire ide cable and get one from a different supplier as some of the cheap ones are rubbish.

 

I have seen people post pic's of the connectors that have pins missing from the 40pin plugs on the cheap cables.

 

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

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Yes, the 8/10GB one. 

Seagate ST310014ACE
https://www.ebay.com/p/69768248

I think I know what the problem is.  The StarTech adapter has a power adapter built into it.  I was getting random reboots during just sitting on dash earlier.  When I went back to IDE I wasn't getting that problem at all.  I'm wondering if it has something to do with the power output of the adapter that powers the drive.

When I put my new Seagate 2TB drive into a usb/SATA adapter to xfer files from the PC (much faster than FTP), I had zero problems.  Speed was okay, transferred 2TB over the course of about 10 hours.

When I put the adapter on the drive it's almost as if it's not getting enough power and it's slowing the transfer rate, which is why the IDE drive has zero problems at all playing games from it.

I tried a new adapter, but didn't have much luck.  Trying the third and final SATA/IDE adapter before I call it quits... just trying to figure out what one to buy next.  Probably one without a power supply and will power the SATA drive manually.

Thanks for all your help thus far.

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Just an update.

Replaced the mobo and nothing changed.  Voltages were normal on old one, but thought I would try anyway.

I have so far tried the following:
Replaced 80 pin cable
Replaced SATA/IDE adapter
Replaced HDD
Replaced TV/monitor
Replaced HDMI cable and tried component to TV
Replaced motherboard

I'm out of ideas.  I have zero patience for this anymore.  The nostalgia trip is officially over because games run like dogshit.  I have grown frustrated and am throwing this thing in the closet and will be buying only current electronics with support from now on.  No more internet tutorials for me; they straight up lied about how cool this thing is and how easy it is to setup.

Thanks to everyone that tried to help me.

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