new HDD super slow speed when downloading games

[iFluffy]

So 3 days ago I bought new hdd Seagate BarraCuda HDD, SATA 6G, 5400. And for some reason at the start it is around 30-40 MB/s and then it falls down to 3-5 MB/s. Also network speeds also goes super low.

https://prnt.sc/uFIHcSYGJUTR
https://prnt.sc/LfcAcL6VSe2r

Is it just bad hdd? guess i should have bought ssd instead.

[Supafly]

Steam downloads in compressed chunks. Once a chunk is down it gets decompressed and installed.

If the CPU and/or drive is near or at 100% usage they can't be writing new data to the drive so DL speed slows and may even stop till it's completed.

Open task manager and look what CPU and Drive usage is at when downloads have slowed.

Could also download Crystal Disk Mark and run that to see if it's hitting the speeds it should be.

[Nx Machina]

The download will stop start due to Steam downloads been compressed and encrypted. When downloading stops the data is been decompressed and written to the hdd, sdd.

Note: both processes can happen at the same time or be independent of each other.

As for your hdd it is slow in comparison to an hdd 7200.

Ark is a very big game and i am not sure how well it is optimised with regard to files structure.

[iFluffy]

I just tried to download something on epic games at it works perfectly. But when on steam it just doesnt work.

[Nx Machina]

Originally posted by iFluffy:

I just tried to download something on epic games at it works perfectly. But when on steam it just doesnt work.

Was it Ark because if it is not you cannot really compare.

For example i had The Outer Worlds on both Epic and Steam and it downloaded quicker on Steam. It was also more stable and less prone to stuttering.

Another example is Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 Enhanced which i have on GOG Galaxy and Steam and they download within seconds of each other.

Also note that Ark is notorious for patching slowly.

[iFluffy]

Yeah it works better/faster on epic games. (ark)

[Nx Machina]

Originally posted by iFluffy:

Yeah it works better/faster on epic games. (ark)

Play it on Epic.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Number of key things to note.

- How the game Dev package their game to deliver to you. If on epic they're not giving you chunks at a time, but one package that be the difference.

- on Steam changing download server might fix the issue.

If there a download catch issue, might want to clear that.


Is epic downloading on C drive before moving to your new HDD? Steam do weird where it download on drive it installed then moves it over to other HDD where you wanted installed, if you set new HDD as primary in Steam settings it download directly on new HDD that might fix your issue.