IDE Configuration Question

[idcandy]

Alright, thanks again to those of you who helped suggest designs for my rig (which I am currently putting together) in the "Need Advice: New 1.4 GHz Athlon System" (or some such similar title).

I'm going to be installing 2 hard drives, a DVD-ROM and a CD-RW.

I've searched the forums and read the posts and there seems to be sonme mixed opinions as to whether setting the DVD as primary slave and the second hard drive as secondary master will cause conflicts i.e. slowing down the HD.

The two configurations I am considering are:

Primary Master: 40 GB Deskstar gxp (ATA 100)
Primary Slave: Lite On DVD-ROM
Secondary Master: Iomega CD-RW
Secondary Slave: 20 GB WD Caviar (ATA 100)

vs.

Primary Master: 40 GB Deskstar gxp (ATA 100)
Primary Slave: 20 GB WD Caviar (ATA 100)
Secondary Master: Iomega CD-RW
Secondary Slave: Lite On DVD-ROM

Why is there such a difference of opinion? What are the pros and cons of each setup? Can anyone confirm if putting a DVD-ROM on with my HDD1 will cause my HDD1 to run slower?

thanks!

 

[hausdave]

I would put both HDDs as masters and the CD's as slaves.

 

[BillyTech]

hi

i m not sure but when you place hard disk ATA100 whit a other periphical same a DVD, you drop your ATA100 at ATA33

me i place my two Hard disk in the same IDE ATA100 and my CD-rom and CD Burner at the secondary IDE. It s sure your copy disk to disk is more slow, but i think it s the best configuration for two hard disk and two others periphicals.

I hope will can help you!!!

 

[LordSandMan]

That depends on how you're planning on burning cds. If you are copying cd to cd I would go with the first setup.

If you are copying HD to cd I would go with the second setup.


That way you don't have 2 devices on he same bus asking for bandwidth at the same time.

 

[Jonty]

You need to make sure that similar ATA/UDMA (whatever!) devices are on the same channel. If a /66 is twinned with a /33 device then both will run at /33. Same goes for a /100 with a /66. You'll lose the advantage if you mix.

Keep the 100s together, so on and so on.

I read this on the AMD site somewhere...

Jonty.

 

[Pabster]

Jonty (and others):

Mixing ATA/33 device with ATA/66 or ATA/100 on same channel does not lower all devices to the lowest speed. Modern IDE controllers allow slower and faster devices on same channel giving each their maximum throughput.

 

[Jonty]

Really? Ah that's great! No need to worry then. Amazing, I only read about that on AMD's site today... Maybe we should tell them!

Heh heh...

 

[mithrandir2001]

I really prefer the second choice, but a possible "home run" would be to add a ATA100 controller card and put your hard drives on it and give your DVD-ROM and CD-RW each their own channel on the motherboard. You wouldn't have any master/slave issues because you would have 4 channels available. The downside to this is the consumption of 1 PCI slot and about $25.

 

[idcandy]

hmmm...I want to try to avoid using up another PCI slot (I have an old IDE controller card...definitely not ATA100)...however, if what Pabster says is true about my machine (mobo: ASUS A7M266), then I have nothing to worry about.

Anyone have more information on Pabsters advice? Is there a way I can test the speed on my machine?



<< Mixing ATA/33 device with ATA/66 or ATA/100 on same channel does not lower all devices to the lowest speed. Modern IDE controllers allow slower and faster devices on same channel giving each their maximum throughput. >>