Should I add a PCI IDE card ?

[CyNics]

I have 2 Hds, one cuda IV 20GB and one 30GB IBM 60GXP, 1 DVD-rom and I'm going to get a new CD/RW tomorrow
My current configuration is my primary HD on IDE 1, secondary HD on IDE 2 as a master and my DVD-rom on IDE 2 as a slave.

Can anyone suggest me a good setting for 2 HDs, 1 DVD-rom and 1 cd/rw ?
I copy a large number of files from primary HD to secondary HD, burn a lot of CD and I access my dvd-rom frequently. So I can't think of any good setting except getting a PCI IDE card so I will have 4 IDE ports.

I've heard of the VIA chipset PCI latency issue before which can be solved by installing a patch file. Is this issue only happens to PCI RAID card or any other PCI IDE cards ?

Which devices should I install on my PCI IDE card if I have one ?
both HDs or both optical devices ?

thanks

 

[Shooters]

Put the two hard drives on two channels and put the CDRW on the same channel as the hard disk that you're not going to be burning from often. Then just put the DVD in whatever space is left. I haven't heard that much about the VIA PCI latency issue. I know there was a thread on here earlier today that talked about it and the new patch. Try to find it; it should help you out a bit.

 

[Goosemaster]

here is what i do on my dads computer



Primary
-HD (MASTER)
-DVD(slave)

Secondary
-CD_RW(MASTER)
-ZIPDRive(SLAVE


basically keep the system Hd and burner off the same channel and the DVD and cdrw off the same channel so you can cd-copy on the fly
For you situation just put the HD and cdrw on the second channel in either config.


AS for an IDE card, I wouldn't bother unless you get it dirt cheap. I guess the drives won't have to wait for each other on the channel, but only if you run some sort of server will you notice a difference.


I use SCSI on the otherhand...so i have no dilemmas what so ever😀
All my IDE devices are setup like I stated however..check my sig(the FATONTY comp)

 

[bacillus]

if you do decide to get a pci card, put both hdds on it as masters on seperate channels & leave the optical drives in the m/board ide controllers each being on a different channel as masters!

 

[CyNics]

are there any performance hits if I set up 2 devices on 1 IDE port ? that means IDE 1 = HD and cd-rw, IDE 2 = HD, cd-rw ?

which way is the best ? I copy a lot of files from my primary HD to secondary HD, burn a large number of files and access my dvd-rom frequently. 🙂
IDE 1 = HD, HD
IDE 2 = dvd-rom, CD=RW

or

IDE 1 = HD, cd-RW
IDE 2 = HD, dvd-rom

or

IDE 1 = HD, dvd-rom
IDE 2 = HD, cd-rw

thanks