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how can i work around my cdrw kicking out of dma mode when i rip certain cds like megadeth cryptic writings. the only way i can get this problem fixed is to uninstall and reinstall the IDE controler and this is getting old. is there a way to keep it in dma?

This is Windows 2000 or XP right? I've had similar problems in the past. It's caused by CRC errors. You have so many in a certain amount of time and Windows decreases the UDMA level. Eventually your drive is set to PIO Mode.

Unfortunately, I don't have a fix for you. Does anyone else?

CRC (cyclical redundancy check) error checking was introduced with UDMA modes. As Ian has stated, if frequent errors occur the transfer rate may decrease to a slower mode.

I know of no absolute fix for this problem, but two things that may make a difference:

Use a 80 wire IDE cable and not a 40 wire cable. The extra 40 ground wires in the 80 wire cable should enhance the signal stability by decreasing crosstalk between the adjacent 40 signal carrying wires. This could improve the CRC error rate.

Use the shortest cable that will work with your setup. 18 inches is the longest length permissable under the specifications. Using the shortest length that will fit will improve overall signal integrity. NewEgg has round IDE cables starting at 10" in length, but be sure that the cable is no longer than 18" in length.