Re: The right way to set up 2 HDDs and 2 cd writers?

I'm glad this discussion came up. I also have heard conflicting advice on
how devices should be connected.

The only "rule" seems to be that the booting hard disk is the primary device
on the first IDE channel. It used to be that you weren't supposed to put a
hard drive and an optical drive on the same IDE cable. Apparently, that is
no longer correct, at least not since 80-wire IDE cables replaced 40-wire
cables. But I have also read that 80-wire cables make no difference; and
hard drives and optical drives should still be on separate cables.

All of this may be academic, since SATA drives are becoming ubiquitous. But
I would like someone to straighten me out on this, if only for my own
interest.
--
Ted Zieglar
"You can do it if you try."

"Anna" <myname@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:O8fb0UtYFHA.2996@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >>>>>"Jeff" <no_em@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> >>>>>news:y6GdnZ2AXM_pjwvfRVnytw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >>>>>I currently have 2 HDDs set as primary master and slave, and a cd
> >>>>>writer as secondary master. I've just bought an IDE dvd writer, and
> >>>>>have heard
> >>>>>>that it's not good to have the 2 cd/dvd drives on the same IDE bus.
I
> >>>>>>thought i would just set the dvd and cd writers up on the same cable
> >>>>>>as master and slave. Is this a bad idea? What's the best way to
set
> >>>>>>up all four
> >>>>>devices?
>
>
> >> "Bob I" <birelan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> >> news:OfqhXYiYFHA.1040@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >>>I think it's more a case of burning CD's or DVD's that you try to AVIOD
> >>>having the source AND target on the SAME cable/channel.
>
>
> >>>> "Ted Zieglar" <teddyz@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> >>>> news:%23TQ9HJiYFHA.2128@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >>>>>It's fine to have two optical drives on the same IDE cable. Just be
> >>>>>sure to carefully follow the installation instructions and you'll be
> >>>>>all set.
> >>>>>Ted Zieglar
>
>
> "Yves Leclerc" <yleclercNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:uXTlA2sYFHA.1040@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > The only general rule is to not have any optical cd on the same IDE
cable
> > as the primary boot hard drive. Usually, the hard drive will be using
the
> > Ultra DMA settings to access the date. However, the access speed will
> > slow down to match the slowest speed for the optical drive.
> >
> > If you still want to separate your optical drivers, you can always buy
an
> > additional PCI IDE/ATA controller and use this card for your optical
> > drives.
>
>
> Jeff:
> If you're still around...
>
> As far as connecting your IDE/ATAPI devices, i.e., your hard drives and
> optical drives; other than connecting your
> booting HD as Primary Master (in nearly all cases), it will usually make
> little difference performance-wise how the remainder of your devices are
> connected to the motherboard's IDE connectors. There is no "general rule"
> stating you should not connect your CD/DVD-ROM or burner on the same IDE
> cable as your booting HD. I know you will hear & read (as you already
have)
> that this or that drive should be connected to this or that IDE connector
> for better performance but in tests carried out by the computer facility I
> was associated with, we found that in virtually every case (there *were*
> some very rare exceptions) it simply didn't matter. And it's easy enough
to
> conduct your own tests on the particular machine you're using to verify
> this. Do so. Connect your devices in every conceivable configuration and
> while performing your day-to-day computer operations, e.g., CD disk
copying,
> moving/copying large amounts of data between drives, photo/video editing
> processes, etc., determine if you experience any performance issues
> depending upon the devices' connections. And if so, connect your devices
> accordingly.
> Anna
>
>


.

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