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When will they stop making PATA drives?

VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
I've got a main computer, that has a triple-boot OS install from years ago, I kept my install as I kept upgrading my computer, and it still has Win98se, W2K SP4, and XP SP2. It has a Conroe865PE motherboard. It has two PATA ports and two SATA ports. However, for my boot volume, I use a Promise Ultra100 TX2 PATA PCI controller card. So in order to keep using this computer for many years into the future, I need a supply of PATA HDs. Either that, or a way to swap out the PATA controller for a SATA controller, I have a SI3114-based controller card that probably has Win98se drivers too.

I have three 500GB Seagate PATA drives in the closet, but wonder if I should pick up a few more. They are hard to find these days.
 
OK, I'll make a prediction. But I have no inside knowledge at all.

The drive makers seem to have no interest in making IDE drives larger than 500 GB. 90% of current computers are now name-brand OEM (not hand-built) and it's been at least two years since those came with IDE hard drives. The average life of those computers, and their hard drives, is about five years.

So I'll guess that by 2010 the only IDE hard drives available will be 500 GB (the probable lowest-capacity drive available by then). They'll be only available from mail-order sites because of the low demand.

Just a guess.
 
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