Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!cs.utexas.edu!rice!uw-beaver!Teknowledge.COM!unix!hplabs!motsj1!mcdchg!ddsw1!ddsw1!karl
From: karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: What is IDE??
Keywords: CompuAdd, Hard Drives
Message-ID: <[25508fa5:6519.1]comp.ibmpc;1@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Date: 2 Nov 89 20:00:05 GMT
References: <1821@intvax.UUCP>
Lines: 31

>Item 6519 (0 resps) by novak at intvax.UUCP on Wed 01 Nov 89 10:31
>[James L. Novak]    Subject: What is IDE??
>(16 lines)
>
>in for a look.  Their 10MHz 8088 has the floppy controller and some 
>sort of hard disk interface on the motherboard.  They call their
>HDI an "Integrated Drive Electronics" interface.  Looking at their
>catalog, I found out that Miniscribe and Western Digital both make
>these drives, although I was unable to find ANY other Manufacturers or
>mail-order companies offering them.

IDE is a "new" "standard" that some places are pushing.

The places that are pushing it claim increased performance.  Reality, thus
far at least, is that the units have problems.  We have seen troubles of all
kinds, including drives being shipped that have 600K+ of bad sectors (!).
They also require some special setup to allow a second fixed disk -- which
is BAD if you want to add a secondary drive.

I wouldn't buy one for a simple reason -- competition problems.  If you have
trouble with the drive, and want to replace it, you could have a problem
finding a replacement unit.  

Go with either the old standby or an SCSI device.  Both are standard, have
been around for a long time, and allow you to buy your second (and
subsequent) fixed disks from anyone.

--
Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl)
Public Access Data Line: [+1 312 566-8911], Voice: [+1 312 566-8910]
Macro Computer Solutions, Inc.		"Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"