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IDE cable question...

E

Endarkened

Senior member
I got my mobo yesterday, and it cam with the floppy drive cable and two IDE cables (ATA-66/100 and ATA-33). My question is, which one should I use for the hard drive and which one for my CD-RW? My hard drive is a 40GB 60GXP IBM Deskstar and my CD-RW is a Philips 12x8x36. Since my hard drive is an Ultra ATA-100, I should use the ATA-66/100 cable for it right? So would my CD-RW have decreased performance if I used the ATA-33 with it? Should I buy another ATA-66/100, or would it make any difference?

Thanks,

Endarkened
 
Yes, you should use the ATA-66/100 cable witht he HD. I don't think there's noticeable decrese in performace using the ATA-33 with CD-ROM.
 


<< So would my CD-RW have decreased performance if I used the ATA-33 with it? >>


no. most likely the cdrw is ata33 in any case! 🙂
 
There are hardly any CD-RW or DVD drives that use ATA66 and that is really only at peak. I think I heard about a Pioneer DVD that did, but it is an extreme rarity. Consider a 72X CD-ROM speed is only 72x150 kb/s = 10.8 Mb/s. Also, a 16X DVD-ROM speed is 16x1050 kb/s = 16.8 Mb/s. This means that neither of these devices would possibly need more than ATA33.
 


<< There are hardly any CD-RW or DVD drives that use ATA66 and that is really only at peak. I think I heard about a Pioneer DVD that did, but it is an extreme rarity. Consider a 72X CD-ROM speed is only 72x150 kb/s = 10.8 Mb/s. Also, a 16X DVD-ROM speed is 16x1050 kb/s = 16.8 Mb/s. This means that neither of these devices would possibly need more than ATA33. >>



my toshiba DVD-ROM wont work with ATA-33 cable in DMA mode, and I know a few others who have the same problem.

Don't just look at numbers. When sth should happen doesnt mean it will happen.
 
Continuous throughput from a CD-ROM is relatively low but burst rates from the buffer can be as high as any hard drive. Use the cable the manufacturer specifies.
 
just dont stick the cdr and the hdd on the same channel..it might hinder performance a tiny tiny bit, cuz i know they are built not too, but its not the same when you have a slower device on a chain.

booty
 


<<

<< There are hardly any CD-RW or DVD drives that use ATA66 and that is really only at peak. I think I heard about a Pioneer DVD that did, but it is an extreme rarity. Consider a 72X CD-ROM speed is only 72x150 kb/s = 10.8 Mb/s. Also, a 16X DVD-ROM speed is 16x1050 kb/s = 16.8 Mb/s. This means that neither of these devices would possibly need more than ATA33. >>



my toshiba DVD-ROM wont work with ATA-33 cable in DMA mode, and I know a few others who have the same problem.

Don't just look at numbers. When sth should happen doesnt mean it will happen. >>


I did also state that I heard of DVD drives that used the ATA66 cables, but I said it isn't very common. It appears your Toshiba is one of these. As for the burst from the cache that someone else mentioned, consider that a cache of 4 Mb in a 66 Mb/s line is going to last all of .061 seconds. I would agree however that you should use whatever cable is called for by your devices. Most CD and DVD devices do not require an ATA66 cable, but most new hard drives do. In most cases you will be okay with the ATA33 cable on CD and DVD devices and better off with the 66ATA cable on your hard drive if you don't want to go out and buy another ATA66 cable. If you got a retail boxed CD or DVD drive that needs the ATA66 the cable should come with the drive IMHO.
 
My Pioneer 106S 16X DVD is ATA/66.

And actually, it does make a difference.. not because the DVD is gonna go any faster than ATA/33 can handle, but the 80 Pin cable has a much cleaner signal (it has a ground for every signal wire so there is no crosstalking interference) And... ATA/66 and 100 cables support Cable Select which i was always wondering how to get working since the early 90s..
 
Thanks for all the info everyone. I've got one more question though. Would rounding my IDE cables like they show here (without cutting anything) have any downside? It looks like an easy way to give your computer a little more breathing space.

Thanks again,

Endarkened
 
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