[SOLVED] When you copy data from a certain drive to another drive, which drive speed does the computer utilize?

[Iver Hicarte]

Greetings,

Apologies if some of you might not understand the thread question since it's sounds a little bit gobbledygook, but recently a question popped out of my head. Here's an example so you people who are very well versed in computers can understand it to a greater degree. For example, if I copy let's say a video file coming from an SSD and I'm transferring/pasting it to an HDD, the copy and paste speed will be based off what? The copy and paste speed of the SSD or the HDD? I'm not really sure what formal term you use for copying and pasting files (all I know is I think it's also called "data transfer") so I just used those exact plain words to help others just like me who are not really well versed into PC terminology understand. And vice versa, if I copy a file coming from an HDD and pasting it to an SSD, where is the transfer speed based off, the HDD or the SSD? Same question also applies for external storage devices. Hopefully you can all give simple to understand questions, I don't really mind going in depth as long as I can still understand some of the thoughts you guys have.

Thanks.

 

[kanewolf]

Greetings,

Apologies if some of you might not understand the thread question since it's sounds a little bit gobbledygook, but recently a question popped out of my head. Here's an example so you people who are very well versed in computers can understand it to a greater degree. For example, if I copy let's say a video file coming from an SSD and I'm transferring/pasting it to an HDD, the copy and paste speed will be based off what? The copy and paste speed of the SSD or the HDD? I'm not really sure what formal term you use for copying and pasting files (all I know is I think it's also called "data transfer") so I just used those exact plain words to help others just like me who are not really well versed into PC terminology understand. And vice versa, if I copy a file coming from an HDD and pasting it to an SSD, where is the transfer speed based off, the HDD or the SSD? Same question also applies for external storage devices. Hopefully you can all give simple to understand questions, I don't really mind going in depth as long as I can still understand some of the thoughts you guys have.

Thanks.

The slowest device. In your example, the write speed of the HDD.

 

[DSzymborski]

The slowest device. In your example, the write speed of the HDD.

Yup.

OP, think of two people handcuffed together running a race. You're not going faster than the slowest person.

 

[Iver Hicarte]

The slowest device. In your example, the write speed of the HDD.

Can you please elaborate. So it's like this, I copy a file from an SSD and paste it to an HDD, meaning the drive speed will be based of the HDD, or the drive where the data will be stored on? Correct?

 

[DSzymborski]

Can you please elaborate. So it's like this, I copy a file from an SSD and paste it to an HDD, meaning the drive speed will be based of the HDD, or the drive where the data will be stored on? Correct?

Whatever's slower.

 

[Iver Hicarte]

Whatever's slower.

Whatever's slower? So meaning the drive that is slower, then the data transfer speed will be based off of that drive (the slower drive)? Regardless of any use case scenario?

 

[DSzymborski]

Whatever's slower? So meaning the drive that is slower, then the data transfer speed will be based off of that drive (the slower drive)? Regardless of any use case scenario?

In any multi-drive operation, you cannot go faster than the slowest drive's speed.

 

[Iver Hicarte]

In any multi-drive operation, you cannot go faster than the slowest drive's speed.

Ohhh..so in layman's terms, the transfer speed will always be based off the slower drive? Sorry for being so repetitive I would just like to make sure that's all.

 

[kanewolf]

Ohhh..so in layman's terms, the transfer speed will always be based off the slower drive? Sorry for being so repetitive I would just like to make sure that's all.

Yes. WHATEVER is slowest. If you are copying from an M2 NVMe to a SATA SSD, the SATA SSD will be the limiting speed. If you are copying from a SATA SSD to an M2 NVMe, the SATA SSD will still be the limiting speed.
Having a Ferrari that can do 180 MPH doesn't matter if the road is jammed with cars doing 20MPH. The fastest that Ferrari can go is 20MPH.

 

[Iver Hicarte]

Yes. WHATEVER is slowest. If you are copying from an M2 NVMe to a SATA SSD, the SATA SSD will be the limiting speed. If you are copying from a SATA SSD to an M2 NVMe, the SATA SSD will still be the limiting speed.
Having a Ferrari that can do 180 MPH doesn't matter if the road is jammed with cars doing 20MPH. The fastest that Ferrari can go is 20MPH.

Thank you so much for taking the time to provide an elaborated answer.

 

[USAFRet]

Even more, the overall speed can be further limited by how you're transferring.

2 fast NVMe drives, but with one of them in an external enclosure, connected to a USB 1.0 hub....that USB speed is now the limiting factor.

The slowest device in the chain.