IDE VERSUS SCSI HARD DRIVES & OTHER PC HARDWARE

[melnic]

We are going to be upgrading our PC's and we were looking to get the "BEST PC FOR THE BUCK".

I would like to have someone's honest, unbiased opinion-- which hard drive is better SCSI or IDE and why?

And any recommendations on who has the best equipment and tech support? I have heard so much from "those helpful salespeople" and I would rather have someone who actually uses the equipment.

 

[edfair]

SCSI is more reliable. Costs more to implement. In the apps and os's I support , probably by at least 2 to 1.

Support is a touchy point. Dell has consistently been considered best. The rest get good for a while, then slump. Think it would be better if you found a local support place that has a good history, then buy what they support.
In this respect, HP has let independents do warranty work, so using an independent that is affiliated works out well. Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com

Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.

Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[JimEkleberry]

IDE is slower and cheaper than SCSI and is more common for desktop systems.

SCSI is faster and more expensive and usually reserved for high-end workstations and servers.

If your new computers will be sitting on someone's desk just to run Office and other standard applications then IDE will be fine.

If your new systems will be a mail, database, and/or web server then go SCSI.

I hope that this helps! "Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocre minds. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence." - A. Einstein

 

[Guest_imported]

SCSI is intended for heavy disk access program (Jim is
right) such as servers because it can handle several
disk access at the same time (its processor can send
other disk requests issue by the CPU while waiting
for the response from disk for prior request sent)
But I doubt very much for the speed issue. If your
budget allows you go for SCSI. We have use a SCSI
on a novell server for seven years and the reason
we change it is because it isn't big enough for our
increasing storage demands.

 

[edfair]

Lots of factors go into speed. Latest SCSI will go faster than latest IDE. A caching controller will improve throughput.
SCSI isn't reserved for servers. It was originally designed as a better interface for small computers long before IDE was available.
The search for cheaper parts drove the IDE design and implementation. So you see IDE everywhere because people don't want to spend any more money than neccessary. Both interfaces perform well for what they are designed for.
Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com

Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.

Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[Guest_imported]

edfair,

You are 100% right, SCSI (small computer system interface)
are design for small computer system long before PCs were
even known. If I am not wrong, they first appear in PDP-11
computers, small computer as they called by that time.
By now they have pick up the PC market but still very
expensive equip. I would say. When I said speed I am
comparing on the same $ level or closest level of course.

 

[edfair]

Started as Shugart Associates System Interface (SASI). Don't know where they were first used, but I interfaced a Western Digital 1002-05 controller using the interface to a SWTP 6800 before the IBM PC had a hard drive. Used it to control a Shugart 612 10mb mfm drive when it was state of the art. The good old days when the 10mb cost over $600.00.
the controller used SASI on the controller end and drove 4 SSSD 35/40t to DSDD 80t and 3 MFM hds.
I use SCSI for the unix systems I'm involved with. I use IDE for the DOS and Windows stuff. Whatever works easiest. But if anything was critical to me, I would go SCSI. The price difference is minimal considering the reliability. Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com

Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.

Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.