Why no IDE HDs larger than 500GB? Esp when 1TB SATA drives are the same price!

[VirtualLarry]

Just wondering. I mean, they are still mfg 500GB IDE drives. Is the R&D too expensive for producing a 1TB IDE disk? Not enough buyers to make it worthwhile? Or is there a larger problem, that IDE systems may not function properly with disks larger than 500GB? (BIOS/Firmware issues?)

 

[Blain]

B... Not enough buyers to make it worthwhile.

 

[Nothinman]

SATA is common enough that I don't know why they'd care about PATA drives any more.

 

[bruceb]

I agree, IDE is dying. So I just recently picked up 2 500GB WD IDE drives for about $70 each. My pc is old and Dell BIOS would not support SATA boot on a pc that old. PC currently has 2 120GB units in it, main drive has about 35GB left on it. If needed I would move downloads and personal files to second drive and leave OS and program installs on main drive. If I swap to the new 500GB unit, I would see an increase in boot speed due to the higher rpm of newer drive.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

They did make 750 GB PATA drives at one point, but I am not sure if these are even manufactured now and I am too lazy to search.

 

[Russwinters]

I agree, IDE is dying.

IDE is dead.



Time to move to SATA

 

[bruceb]

I said it is dying. I also prefer it over SATA. But as with all things, eventually I will be stuck with SATA equipment.

 

[Nothinman]

I said it is dying. I also prefer it over SATA. But as with all things, eventually I will be stuck with SATA equipment.

Why would you prefer it? Most of the controllers are crap, the cables are 3x as wide and there's no command queuing. The only real benefit it has over SATA is multiple devices per cable but since there's no command queuing the slowest drive on the cable inevitably ends up slowing down the other.

 

[Elixer]

The only real benefit it has over SATA is multiple devices per cable but since there's no command queuing the slowest drive on the cable inevitably ends up slowing down the other.

Not true.
Each drive can run its own speed... as long as one isn't stuck in PIO mode. A UDMA5 drive will operate at UDMA5 speeds, even if a UDMA2 drive is sitting on the same cable.

IDE drives also have a much more secure cable connection, both for the interface, and power.

SATA connectors aren't that great, even with locking cables.

 

[Nothinman]

Not true.
Each drive can run its own speed... as long as one isn't stuck in PIO mode. A UDMA5 drive will operate at UDMA5 speeds, even if a UDMA2 drive is sitting on the same cable.

IDE drives also have a much more secure cable connection, both for the interface, and power.

SATA connectors aren't that great, even with locking cables.

But because of the lack of command queuing you can still only do 1 command per drive at a time and a single drive can easily monopolize a cable and starve the other.

As for the more secure connection, how many SATA cables have you had just fall out? Me, I've had none. I can't even see that being an issue unless you're constantly moving your PC around and jostling the drives. But I sure can count the number of IDE cables I've had separate from the connector on the drive or motherboard because it was so "secure". I'll take the smaller, simpler SATA connectors any day.

 

[n7]

I am so happy IDE is basically all dead & gone.

The days of multiple devices on the same channel, oh the horrors & craptacular performance that caused if trying to actually utilize both...

Not to mention the wasted space.

The only thing about SATA connectors that pisses me off is the damn locking ones that i swear fit like perma-lock & are so hard to get out.

 

[RebateMonger]

They did make 750 GB PATA drives at one point, but I am not sure if these are even manufactured now and I am too lazy to search.

I don't remember a 750 GB IDE drive, but the links below show Seagate ST3750640A 7200.10 750 GB IDE drives for sale. But not in stock.

There are 53 Newegg reviews with 1/4 of them reporting DOA. Of course, that doesn't mean that 1/4 of the drives were DOA.

http://discountechnology.com/Seagate-750GB-IDE-ATA-100-Hard-Drive-ST3750640A

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148133

http://www.overstock.com/Electronics...9/product.html

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...-RK-DT&cat=HDD

 

[Emulex]

seagate outlet sale

 

[Yellowbeard]

I just bought a Seagate green 160GB SATA HD to do an upgrade for my mom. It was $10 cheaper via a local retail shop than the EXACT same drive with a PATA connector. Supply and demand is catching up. If I NEVER see another ribbon connector I'll die a happy man.