simple tech. questions

[Breakerfall]

setup:
•2 HD
•2 CDRoms (CD-R, CD-RW, CD-R/DVD, doesn't really matter)
•2 IDE channels,

how would you guys set up the master/slave configuration?
I'd like to read some opinions/experiences.

I'm asking this, because I just started working in a company that
builds PC's for compUSA, and in my opinion they have very strange
policies for setting up these machines, but of course I can't
discuss the company policies, I'm only the guy that put the
pieces together

I'd appreciate your suggestions.
Thank you in advance




Breakerfall
®º°¨¨°º can you ping me now...GOOD! º°¨¨°º®

 

[Grenage]

If I played games from the CD I would have both CD Drives on 1 channel, both HD's on another. If I was accessing files across both of the Hard Drives a lot of the time I would put 1 Drive of each on both channels.

 

[MidnightIT]

I've always had the opinion that like devices should usually be together. Both hard drives on same IDE channel, both CD-ROMs on the 2nd channel. An exception might be with a CD-RW. Transfer rates will be more efficient with the CD-RW on the same chain as the primary drive.

 

[Grenage]

If you were making constant HD-CDRW burns would it not in fct be LESS efficient to wire it that way?

Either way with every drive being burnproof these days it matters neither here nor there.

 

[rockerfellerz]

I've always put the hard drives on the primary channel and the CD devices on the secondary ide.
Just my 2 cents worth...

If you're going through Hell...keep going... (Winston Churchill)
RocKeRFelLerZ

 

[ceh4702]

Most configurations with hard drives do not use master slave they use Cable Select (CS) as the jumber setting.

I recommend using one drive with DVD ROM at least. I have been noticing that a lot of the new and upcoming games are going to be on DVD.

I personally prefer one and only one hard drive. The exception being that a system with Multiple operating systems may run better with multiple hard drives. I am also not a big fan of SCSI or RAID for the average home system.

On the Horizon you might see more SATA drives coming into play for both Hard Drives and SATA options for CD/DVD drives. PCI Express will make it harder to sell older video cards when it comes out next year also.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[Grenage]

I would dissagree on the reference to most hard drives setups using CS, Neither myself or anyone I know does it this way. I would also dissagree on the RAID for home machines, I think it is the best "bang for buck" performance upgrade around.

I believe SATA will take off when the newer version is out, there is no real advantage to it at the moment.

 

[ceh4702]

What do you do when one of the RAID hard drives fail?

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[Grenage]

The same as you do with any other hard drive failure replace.

RAID does not end at striping though, you can "Mirror" too.

I have used IDE RAID in my last 2 machines, given the performance increase I can't see myself ever not using RAID again - 1 drive is just too much of a bottleneck these days.

 

[mwbovay]

I believe that if you put an ATA100 or 133 HD on an IDE channel with a cdrom, you lose the high transfer speed of the hard drive, and it reverts to ATA33 or whatever the cdrom supports. I do agree that IDE RAID is the way to go for home machines at this time. The speed increase is definately worth it.

 

[Grenage]

mwbovay, I think you might well be correct. The old ATA speed was 66, do you know if they ever increased it on CD as well HardDrives?

 

[Ykira]

As of right now, CD-ROM/RW/DVD all run at the old ATA66 speed. Putting one of these devices on a channel with a faster ATA100/133 drive will cause that channel to operate at the slower speed.

 

[RICHINMINN]

mwbovay is correct. If you install an ATA100 hard drive as the master device on IDE channel 0, and an ATA33 CD-ROM drive as the slave on the same channel, ALL I/O on this channel takes place at the slower speed, ATA33. I usually try to keep the hard drive on an IDE channel by itself, so maximize its performance (unless I can pair it up with a hard drive of equal performance). A CD and DVD can coexist on the second IDE channel if you'll never need to use both of them at the same time. If they're on the same IDE channel, only one of them can be accessed at any given moment in time, which would cut the effective speed of each unit to half of the speed of the slower drive. If you're using a CD-R/RW drive to copy CDs, the CD-R/RW drive should be on a channel separate from the CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive that is being used to read the CD that is being copied.

With only two IDE channels to play with, you can see the complications that can arise, especially if you've got other IDE drives, like a ZIP drive or an LS-120 drive. If your motherboard has a built-in IDE RAID controller that you're not going to be using, you can usually configure it to provide a normal third IDE channel. I've gotten to the point where nearly all systems that I build now have an additional IDE controller installed, giving me 2 more IDE channels to play with. An add-in IDE controller costs $30-40.

Good luck!

Rich (in Minn.)