Ran out of IDE Slots. To use IDE to SATA converter or PCI IDE Card?

[integramodder]

Motherboard is the more or less new Gigabyte AMD which supports SLI (Dont remember model number). Its got 8 SATA slots, 4 nvidia controlled and 4 some other controlled.

I currently have 2 devides using SATA:
74 GB WD Raptor - My main system drive (boot)
MSI CD-RW - My main optical drive.

The 2 IDE Slots are as follows:
Primary Master: NEC 3520A DVD RW
Primary Slave: Seagate 160 GB
Secondary Master: Seagate 160 GB
Secondary Slave: Seagate 200 GB

The two options: A SATA to IDE Converter or PCI IDE Raid Card
NewEgg --> HDD Controllers / RAID Cards
NewEgg --> Adapters and Gender Changers

The Converters require a power adapter.
The Raid Card requires big IDE Cables. Solved by using round IDE cables.




What do you suggest I do?

 

[indianduddawg47]

i've used the promise udma66 and udma100 models. they work fine. just keep in mind you will need an e xtra hdd led connection, and the controller card's BIOS will add a couple of seconds to your startup time.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Erm, what other IDE devices are you planning on installing?

 

[integramodder]

HD's

The case has extras, but I never use them for anything resourceful, other than to know that its frozen.

 

[albumleaf]

yeah, i've got a friend with well over a terabyte of space running in his box (4 hitachi 400gb drives and a raptor for boot).. every time i see his rig i want to cry

 

[integramodder]

That must of cost a pretty penny...
With my current setup of about 794 gigs, the average cost was about $0.44/gig (including the Raptor).

The cheapest 400 gb drives I've seen now are about ~250...

 

[thecoolnessrune]

"How much land does a man need?"

from "How much land does a man need"
by Leo Tolstoy