IDE Devices + Cables...

[EstoyLoco]

Quick question...
If you have say an ATA133 HD as primary on IDE 1 and
an ATA33 device as secondary on IDE 2 using the same cable...

Does it drop the HD down to ATA33?

 

[MDE]

It will run at the speed of the slowest device on the cable, so yes both will run at ATA33.

 

[Sheriff]

Originally posted by: MonkeyDriveExpress
It will run at the speed of the slowest device on the cable, so yes both will run at ATA33.

That's incorrect unless it's an ancient MoBo...

Quick question...
If you have say an ATA133 HD as primary on IDE 1 and
an ATA33 device as secondary on IDE 2 using the same cable...Does it drop the HD down to ATA33?

No recent Mobo's chipset will handle both devices at their optimal speed on the same cable as long as the cable is an ATA 100 80 pinner in this case.

 

[TheCorm]

This topic just hasn't been covered enough times here...seriously.....

If it's an LX era board (PII 233 - 300ish) then it may run both drives at the slower interface, if it's anything newer (DX, Super Socket 7) and I am hoping that it is....then there will be no issue, both drives will have no effect on each others interfaces.

Also....of course....both will run at their own internal spinning speeds.

Jamie

 

[tomcas1]

No, not if our your mobo supports Independant Timing which has been standard for several years.

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/confPerformance-c.html

 

[thorin]

You're all right and wrong.

You are correct that most modern mobo's support Independant Device Timing thus drives "should" all choose to run at their maximum spec'd interface mode. However there are two exceptions:

1) If a device on the channel (cable) is running in PIO Mode then all the devices on the channel end up in PIO Mode (max 16.7MB/Sec).
2) More obvious and easy to fix. You have to use a 80 strand (40 pin) cable if you want drives to operate above ATA33. (Not one of the older 40/40 cables).

Thoirin

 

[EstoyLoco]

How do I go about checking what PIO mode im running?
I'm using an nForce2 MB

with Ultra133 Maxtor HD as primary in IDE1 and a ZIP drive as secondary in IDE1.
I'm using IDE2 for both my DVD and DVD Burner.

My MB has SATA Raid, but I don't have an SATA HD...

 

[thorin]

1) Goto the Device Manager.
2) Expand the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers section.
3) Double click on Primary IDE Channel.
4) Goto the Advanced tab.
5) Under the Device 0 and Devices 1 sections it should say what mode each device is running in.
6) Cancel back to the Device Manager
7) Repeat 3, 4, 5 for Secondary IDE Channel

Thorin

 

[EstoyLoco]

Thats interesting its usually found under: IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers right?

Cause all I have is NVIDIA NForce 2(tm) SPP/IGP ATA Controller...

I've looked throughout the list... cant find those you mentioned

 

[piasabird]

It is only the transfer speed that is slower the drive will still run at the same speed. Most people do not run enough devices to make a difference in the speed of the operation of their hard drive. What I mean is even at 33 most people will not overtax the capacity, because a hard drive takes longer to access data than it does to transmit it.

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: EstoyLoco
Thats interesting its usually found under: IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers right?

Cause all I have is NVIDIA NForce 2(tm) SPP/IGP ATA Controller...

I've looked throughout the list... cant find those you mentioned

Hmmmm haven't played with a nForce board in ages but it's possible that it's under a different heading (like the one you mentioned). You should also see it when you boot your system after post but before the windows loading screen there should be a little table (DOS mode) that shows what drives you have installed and what transfer mode they're in, RAM info, etc....

Thorin

 

[Sheriff]

Well because I forgot to mention that this setting is necessary, I will help out here (BTA nothing will run @ it's right speed if it's not set right ).

Cause all I have is NVIDIA NForce 2(tm) SPP/IGP ATA Controller...

That's where you would look . Click on the Primary Channel and you will have Master and Slave with:
Current Transfer Mode and Select Transfer Mode. If it states Ultra DMA, then you're good to go...same with the Secondary channel.

 

[EstoyLoco]

ah ok thx sheriff...
looks like the nforce drivers combined the channels into one setting

this is what it says... so it seems everything is ok

Primary Channel
Master (my harddrive): Ultra DMA 6 - Ultra133 / Enable Write Cache
Slave (my zipdrive): PIO Mode

Secondary Channel
Master (DVD): Ultra DMA 2 - Ultra33
Slave (DVD burner): Ultra DMA 2 - Ultra33