Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

WD Black very slow speeds??

Mar 10, 2018 4:05AM PST

I just done crystaldiskmark and I am confused.
WD Black in my PC have random read and other speeds under 1 MB/s.
Also in userbenchmark I got 3rd percentile with this drive.
Do you know why it can be caused?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Clarification Request
This isn't just a limit of the drive.
Mar 10, 2018 8:50AM PST

I often find low speeds on home built PCs with owner install Windows. I can't guess why but it seems folk have forgotten or never knew that Windows is just the OS and doesn't always get the best drivers.

The old fashioned ways still work. Install the OS, disable Microsoft's driver updating then install drivers from the makers of motherboard and other parts.

- Collapse -
I did that already
Mar 10, 2018 10:08AM PST

Also mine SSDs are working very well with about 400 MB/s random read in the same PC.

- Collapse -
Other reasons.
Mar 10, 2018 10:21AM PST
- Collapse -
Answer
It could be some problem with the benchmarking program
Mar 10, 2018 12:54PM PST

download an Linux Mint ISO and "burn image" to a DVD. Boot to the LIVE DVD (means runs a live OS without need to install to HDD or SSD). Run the "Disks" benchmark program on it. See if you get similar results.

- Collapse -
It could be some problem with the benchmarking program
Mar 11, 2018 1:02AM PST

OK, but how can the same program read better speeds on SSDs and thumbdrives?

- Collapse -
Re: SSD and thumbdrives
Mar 11, 2018 1:09AM PST

Two possible reasons:
1. SSD's and thumbdrives are better in random reads, because there no head movement is necessary
2. Compare this with a known good drive in stead of your suspected bad one.

- Collapse -
Answer
Update
Mar 11, 2018 8:56AM PDT

I took it from the case and reboot.
Then the speeds were seq: 130/110 and the second row was 2/1.5
Unfortunately I am not able to much improve place for the drive.
I forgot to mention that I have 2 kitchen sponges under the drive because of vibration that is caused by the case, not by the drive itself, so might that be the issue?

- Collapse -
Vibration?
Mar 11, 2018 9:11AM PDT

Given the tolerances in today's HDDs you could be introducing read and other retries as the vibration jostles the drive.

Maybe you found it.

- Collapse -
Answer
Disk
Mar 11, 2018 6:28PM PDT