16 GB Express DUO Drives are not same Size or Speed!

[curlysir]

I have 2 16 GB Express Duo Drives that have different formatted sizes.

The sizes as reported by Win 7 are:

16,106,123,264 bytes 14.9 GB
15.728,635,904 bytes 14.5 GB

They are both formatted with NTFS at default settings on Win 7. The smaller is close to half a GB smaller then the larger.

Speed tests with CrystaDiskMark 3.0 are

14.9 GB - Seq Read 66.99 MB/s Write 24.74 MB/s
14.5 GB - Seq Read 54.12 MB/s Write 25.64 MB/s

The performance and size on the 14.9 is in line with what I expected and comparable with what I have seen on line. The 14.5 GB performance is disappointing and not what I expected, also the size is smaller then similar rated 16 GB drives. All my other 16GB drives are similar to the larger.

Why is there such a difference is size and performance between the two?

[admin]

Interesting. Let me check with our engineering group and get back to you on this one.

[curlysir]

Which drivers should the Express Duo use? Microsoft or Super Talent.

The 2 drives are using different drivers, one is using Microsoft drivers and the other is using Super Talent.

The slower drive is using Super Talent and is installing as a SCSI Disk Device.

The faster drive is using Microsoft drivers and is installing as a USB Mass Storage Device.

I own and previously installed drivers for a SuperCrypt, This appears to be where the drivers for the slower driver are coming from.

[curlysir]

Anybody here beside SPAMMERS

[admin]

Yes. I had not heard back yet. Let me try again.
I think the capacity difference you are seeing is just due to provisioning differences.
I need to find out more about the peformance delta we are seeing.

Thanks for your patience on this.

[admin]

I deleted the spam and read your last post....

I think we have seen the problem.

Which drivers should the Express Duo use? Microsoft or Super Talent.

The 2 drives are using different drivers, one is using Microsoft drivers and the other is using Super Talent.

The slower drive is using Super Talent and is installing as a SCSI Disk Device.

The faster drive is using Microsoft drivers and is installing as a USB Mass Storage Device.

I own and previously installed drivers for a SuperCrypt, This appears to be where the drivers for the slower driver are coming from.

They should both be using the Microsoft drivers.
The SuperCrypt drivers should not be used for the Express DUO (it will make it slow).
This is also why the capacities are different - different pervisioning for different formats.
NTFS will format out to a different capacity than FAT32, etc.

Try formatting it as FAT32 - good peformance, compatibility and good for a removable device.
Let me know. I will be checking back.

[curlysir]

OK, I changed the drivers and speed results are still the same. I also formatted the driver with fat32 and the size did change slightly to 14.6 GB.

I also recently purchased a 32GB Express DUO and the performance results are also lower then original Express DUO. The results are 54.08 read and 25.95 write, the formatted size is 29.2 GB with fat32.

I am more concerned about the speed differential then the size. Let me know if you find out anything.

[admin]

Hey Curlysr,
Check and make sure that the Allocation Units Size is the same in the formatting options.
I bet that is it. Get back to us so that we can close this topic if that's the case.

[curlysir]

They are the same.

Did you ever get an explanation for the speed difference in the 2 drives?

With the speed and size difference if sure appears as if the chips or something else has changed from the original versions.

Like I said, the size difference is not that big a deal but the speed difference is.

[admin]

Working with Engineering. Will get back soon.