IDE or SATA drives?

[reddevilggg]

My HP DVD+RW/CD-RW LightScribe has died. It was a IDE drive as is my other DVD-ROM/CD-RW. My Motherboard (ASUS A8AE-LE) supports IDE and SATA. As I am now considering buying a new drive but dont really know the difference. My A+ course does not tell the difference, it just states that there are differences.

Have googled, but could do with a simple answer instead of a really indepth answer.
 
Thanks in advance

[Saviour]

As far as any performance increase between IDE and SATA optical drives...there really is minimal to none...except for price, maybe...and the fact that SATA optical drives don't come with those bulky ribbon cables that take up so much space in your case.

However, if you can afford the price difference...and want to have more room for your computer to "breathe", then invest in the SATA drive.

[reddevilggg]

My other optical drive is a IDE (the slave).

Would i be able to run both IDE and SATA.??

Would both drives be a master??

[BC_Programmer]

You would be able to run both at once.


SATA hasn't got a notion of Master and Slave relationships. This simplifies setup as well- just plug it in, and set the SATA version jumper if necessary. No need to change jumpers for master/Slave and so forth. (it's also necessary to ensure that the SATA controller is enabled in the BIOS and, for XP, it's drivers are installed)

[reddevilggg]

So, to make sure i've got this

I can use both drives, IDE and SATA

My Master drive (which is now dead) can be replaced with SATA, if I configure the BIOS

Should I change my settings for the Slave drive to Master after i have installed the SATA drive?

[BC_Programmer]

Should I change my settings for the Slave drive to Master after i have installed the SATA drive?

Since you won't have a Master anymore- yes. You should also move the drive to the end of the cable.

Although you Could use the drive as a slave without a master, it isn't part of the ATA spec.

[GX1_Man]

If an IDE works just as well, may be cheaper and the reduction of air flow by an IDE cable compared to a SATA cable is negligible, why would you want to combine? Just to see IF you could? You know the other way works, right?

I'm just trying to follow the logic. Thanks.

[reddevilggg]

Yeah, GX1_Man, youve got a valid point. Its just that when i was looking on ebay for a drive there were IDE and SATA ones. My motherboard supports SATA which made me wonder, you know what i mean, when you dont know something and you wish you did know etc etc.

But like you said logicaly i should stay with IDE and i think i will

Thanks everyone

[patio]

Let's not carry that over to the regular sections of the Forum...

[reddevilggg]

O.k hand slapped

[patio]