Can I put two HD's with different speed on the ATA 100 controller?

[AnitaPeterson]

Hi,

I was wondering if this is possible...
I need space for files (large music files, as well as video), so I was wondering if I can put a cheap, large 5400 rpm rive on my ATA controller, along with my main HD, which is a Maxtor 40GB @ 7200. Will the main HD be affected by the second drive? or are they being dealt with separately?

Thanks!

 

[Jex]

You should be fine with the two drives on the same controller. I think it used to be that they would both run as slow as the slowest one, but I believe that is no longer the case.

 

[chaotic]

It makes no difference the speeds of each individual drive. They work independently of each other.

 

[nnnyyy]

Doesnt matter. Each drive runs at its own speed.

 

[Noriaki]

No speedwise they are independant.
if you put both drives on the same IDE cable and try to access both at once you'll get some slow down on both becuase IDE is very ineffecient at Multitasking (this is true if the drives are the same speed also, has nothing to do with the drive being slower, it's just a limitation of IDE), but the drive just being there won't have any effect on the primary.

And if you have each drive on it's own IDE cable they will be able to operate at the same time no slow down.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Excellent, that's what I thought - I'll put them on different cables!

Thanks much!