Performance in FileCopy Test

FC-Test is indicative of real-life performance of a hard disk drive because it operates with files rather than with pre-recorded low-level access traces. For this test we format a 32GB partition. In this partition files-sets are created, read, and copied. Then we also copy the file-sets into a second partition on the same HDD. We use a total of five file-sets that reflect the folder structure of a real PC.

To avoid overloading this review with similar diagrams and comments we will only discuss the NTFS results. As explained in the WinBench 99 section, the models are divided into two groups depending on the version of the Promise controller driver they were benchmarked with.

Install Pattern

The Install pattern imitates a folder with drivers, software distributions and other things necessary to reinstall an OS. It contains a total of 575 megabytes in 414 files.

The Samsung SP2514N copes best with creating this file-set whereas its Serial ATA version fell behind. Maxtor drives of all generations performed well in this test, only allowing the Seagate ST3250624AS with a 16MB buffer and a Serial ATA interface to enter their ranks. Well, for the other HDDs the size of the cache buffer is not crucial. Everything depends on the algorithms implemented in the electronics. The WD2500KS that has won many of the previous tests is not higher than the middle of the list while all the drives from Hitachi and Seagate with an 8MB buffer are at the bottom of the diagram.

The Western Digital WD2500JS/KS, Maxtor 7L/7B250S0 and Seagate ST3250823AS find it an inconvenient operation to read a mixed set of files. The other HDDs are ranked according to their linear speeds.

Copying files is a combination of reading and writing, but you cannot predict the copying performance of a HDD basing on its speed in the read and write tests. This is illustrated by the second place of the Seagate ST3250624AS which hasn’t been higher than eighth until this test. First place goes to the Samsung SP2514N that has won the two previous tests.

Two other models from the Barracuda 7200.9 series, excepting the ST3250824A, have good results, too. The manufacturer must have paid much attention to the copying operation when developing them.

The Samsung SP2504C finds it a problem to transfer data from one partition to another while its ATA relation feels all right at the top of the list. Samsung’s earlier HDD generations used to have high speeds of copying over long distances, but now the SpinPoint P120 with the classic ATA interface is the only model to keep up that tradition. The amount of cache memory separates the old and new Maxtor DiamondMax families sharply, but the 6B250S0 is the only of them to make good use of its 16MB buffer. The WD2500KS doesn’t profit by its enlarged buffer again.