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Q110847: Avg. Disk Sec/IO Not a Physical Disk Counter

Article: Q110847
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.1
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbother
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server, version 3.1 
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SUMMARY
=======

The term "Avg. Disk sec/IO" is incorrectly used in the Windows NT Advanced
Server "Concepts and Planning Guide." On page 194 of the guide under the heading
of "Checking for Excessive Paging," the phrase "Avg. Disk sec/IO" is referred to
as a counter for the physical disk in Performance Monitor. No such counter
exists under the heading physical disk in Performance Monitor.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The phrase "Avg. Disk sec/IO" is being used interchangeably with the actual
counter label of "Avg. Disk sec/Transfer" On page 550 of the Windows NT Advanced
Server "System Guide," this is explained. "Avg. Disk sec/IO" is defined there in
terms of average disk-transfer times exactly as "Avg. Disk sec/Transfer" is
defined with the "Explain" button in the Add To Chart dialog box of the
Performance Monitor. The counter "Avg. Disk sec/IO" does not exist, it just
takes the form of "Avg. Disk sec/Transfer."

Also the formula to use for finding excessive paging is vaguely referenced with
the phrase: "To confirm excessive paging, add together the Avg. Disk sec/IO (a
physical disk counter) and Pages/sec counter values." The correct method is to
add "Avg. Disk sec/Read" and "Avg. Disk sec/Write" to get the number for "Avg.
Disk sec/IO (or Transfer)."

Additional query words: prodnt paging file slow

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Keywords          : kbother 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTAdvSerSearch kbWinNTAdvServ310 kbWinNT310Search
Version           : 3.1

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