Why creating backup on 1TB WD Black is slower than 4TB WD Green?

pcwin · 04 Apr 2015

I am using Acronis software to make a full backup of my PC and storing the backups made into a WD Black 1TB hard disk and it takes about 9 hours to complete making the full backup. (I tried 2 different WD Black 1TB and both took about 9 hours)

I then tried using Acronis software to make a full backup of my PC and storing the backups made into a WD Green 4TB hard disk and it takes about 4 hours to complete making the full backup.

Nothing else is changed. Except the hard disk. Both are connected to the same internal hard disk slot.

Does more empty space make backups process faster?

Why is making and storing backup into WD Green 4TB almost 2 times faster than WD Black 1TB?

Thanks

ADD INFO: The only difference is the 1TB WD Black is MBR , the 4TB WD Green is GPT (4TB size must use GPT)

Short version: I put in 1TB WD black into internal hard disk slot A. I then make a full backup of my whole PC and save the backup to that 1TB WD black disk, it takes 9 hours to complete. I then remove the 1TB WD black from the internal hard disk slot A. I then insert 4TB WD green into the same internal hard disk slot A. I then make a full backup of my whole PC and save the backup to that 4TB WD green disk, it takes 4 hours to complete.

SaNdMaN82 · 04 Apr 2015

I would measure the speeds of the drives... You can use CrystalDiskMark...

If the Black drive is fragmented, it could affect speeds if the data is being located between pre-existing data...
That's a 'random' write, because it's putting parts of big files between other data... So the head must move a lot more, and that's a waste of time since you cannot write if the head is in transit...
On the other hand, maybe the Green one is not as fragmented... Or, if it is, since it has 4 times the capacity, it can actually allocate free contiguos space... Thus, it's writting in a sequential mode, the fastest one, since the head move a lot less...

If you really want to put this to the test, you should copy the entire black drive into the green one.
Then, format the black drive, then reproduce the backup... It should be faster, if I'm right...

Also, from what I got, is that both devices, black and green, are connected to the same slot.
So the device from which you are taken backup from, it's not on that slot, right?

pcwin · 04 Apr 2015

SaNdMaN82 said:

Also, from what I got, is that both devices, black and green, are connected to the same slot.
So the device from which you are taken backup from, it's not on that slot, right?

I put in 1TB WD black into internal hard disk slot A. I then make a full backup of my whole PC and save the backup to that 1TB WD black disk, it takes 9 hours to complete. I then remove the 1TB WD black from the internal hard disk slot A. I then insert 4TB WD green into the same internal hard disk slot A. I then make a full backup of my whole PC and save the backup to that 4TB WD green disk, it takes 4 hours to complete.

ignatzatsonic · 04 Apr 2015

I don't know if it's the entire explanation, but "slow" green drives of the current generation may well be faster than "fast" black drives of earlier generations.

By actual test, my 3.0 TB green (about 8 months old) is faster than my 1 TB Samsung 103 SJ drive, which is 4 years old.

The green spins around 5400 rpm; the Samsung at 7200.

The green has 1 TB platters. The Samsung has 500 GB platters. The density of the recent drive generation does a lot to offset the slower rpm.

The Samsung was one of the very fastest 7200 rpm drives in 2011, when purchased. Faster than the WD blacks if I recall correctly.

pcwin · 04 Apr 2015

@ignatzatsonic maybe thats the reason. My WD Green is 1 week old. My WD Black is about 1 year to 2 year old.

Maybe technology has improved so new disk is faster now. But I still feel the speed is too much difference since it is 2 times faster.

ignatzatsonic · 04 Apr 2015

Yeah, I agree with you. That's a very big difference for drive that near each other in age.

I'd run benchmarks on both of them.

pcwin · 05 Apr 2015

ignatzatsonic said:

I'd run benchmarks on both of them.

How do you run benchmarks?

mjf · 06 Apr 2015

Speed will depend on how much data you have on each HDD. You say the Green is new and your image is probably being written to the faster outer tracks. If the Black has a lot of data on it then you will be using the slower inner tracks.

BTW this is an enormous image. You might want to look at separating some of your data to a non OS partition.