SATA or IDE HDDs and DVD-RWs

[NoelS]

I would like use two DVD-RWs, one SATA and one IDE and also two HDDs, one SATA and one IDE, all on a single machine.

I assume I can connect the IDE HDD and IDE DVD-RW to the 2 device IDE channel, but I'm not sure the best way to set master-slave relationships. And how do these relate to the two SATA devices?

How would you go about configuring these devices: master/slave on IDE and priority on SATAs?

Thanks, Noel

 

[hans007]

its generally best not to share a hard drive and a cdrom on a single ide channel. but i think you'd probably want the hard drive as master . i doubt it matters though.

the only real reason its not a "good" idea is you cant use both devices at once really, so if you were say copying off the dvdrw on ide to the hard drive on ide it probably wouldnt be as fast as if they were on seperate channels

 

[oslama]

Set HD as IDE master and CD/DVD as Slave

As per sata, HDs are set as master, since its a single channel / connector.

 

[NoelS]

Originally posted by: oslama
Set HD as IDE master and CD/DVD as Slave

As per sata, HDs are set as master, since its a single channel / connector.

hans and oslama,

Thank you both for your replies

oslama,

Two more related questions if you don't mind.

1. Does that mean any SATA HDDs would be listed in Explorer ahead of the IDE HDD? That's really what I'd prefer. I plan to use the IDE HDD as extra storage and would probably be something like my E: or F: drive, with the SATAs as C:, D:, etc...

2. About the Opticals: I guess I have a choice, SATA to read faster or SATA to write faster... I use my top tray for the original and the lower for the copy. Which way do you think I should install my DVD-RWs, IDE on top for originals and SATA on bottom for copies, or vice versa?

Maybe both DVD-RWs should be SATAs, eh?

Noel

 

[oslama]

set the sata drive as the "boot" / system drive in bios and the ide HD as master and dvd as slave.

consult your bios for SATA configuration for running it in native ide, sata raid or AHCI (for vista compatibility)

 

[NoelS]

Originally posted by: oslama
set the sata drive as the "boot" / system drive in bios and the ide HD as master and dvd as slave.

consult your bios for SATA configuration for running it in native ide, sata raid or AHCI (for vista compatibility)

oslama,

Thanks. I should be getting my new board tomorrow afternoon, so I'll be working on it Tuesday, Wednesday time frame. Looking forward to mixing it up

Noel

 

[brokencase]

Keep in mind that you can also use IDE <-> SATA adapters.

They are cheap from uxcell.com:

This one converts the motherboard IDE connector to accept a SATA drive:
http://www.uxcell.com/ide-sata...lue-square-p-2710.html

And I believe this one converts an IDE drive to connect to an SATA motherboard connector:
http://www.uxcell.com/ide-and-...-blue-slim-p-2711.html

 

[jonmcc33]

Ever since DVD burners came out I have never seen the purpose behind having more than one optical drive.

 

[NoelS]

Originally posted by: brokencase
Keep in mind that you can also use IDE <-> SATA adapters.

They are cheap from uxcell.com:

This one converts the motherboard IDE connector to accept a SATA drive:
http://www.uxcell.com/ide-sata...lue-square-p-2710.html

And I believe this one converts an IDE drive to connect to an SATA motherboard connector:
http://www.uxcell.com/ide-and-...-blue-slim-p-2711.html

brokencase,

Thanks a lot, these do solve the problem directly, I think. The PATA to SATA adapter fits on the back of the IDE HDD or optical and the SATA cable plugs in there. I went to order and saw these sites were directly from China, so I searched around a bit and found the same in the US from CoolerExpress.com for close to the same price after free shipping, $14.90. I ordered one and will give it a try. It offers some options I wouldn't have otherwise.

Thanks again,

Noel

 

[NoelS]

Originally posted by: jonmcc33
Ever since DVD burners came out I have never seen the purpose behind having more than one optical drive.

You can get away with one, but it's nice to put the original in one tray and put the blank for copying in the other. Much faster...

Noel