DVD dead + questions

"Joel" wrote in message
...
"GT" wrote:

snip
Yup! I am using EIDE controller and external hard drives as well
(between
desktops and notebooks). And I have been using additional EIDE
controller
for ages. And I can get rid of the EIDE controller when replace the 3
existing IDE hard drives and 2 DVDs with SATA.

What I meant that because SATA is faster than IDE, and if I go for SATA
DVD then I will lose 1 SATA connection for hard drive bg

SATA I - 150Mbps
SATA II - 300Mbps
EIDE - 133Mbps
Typical HD - 60 to 70Mbps

Sata controllers can handle more throughput than EIDE controllers, but
current hard drives are only just fast enough to saturate half of an EIDE
channel at present, so maybe in a few years your statement will be true,
but
for now, it simply doesn't matter. The cost and market demand should be
the
overriding decision at the moment.

Thanks for the detailed information. I have 5 IDE drives and 2 SATA
drives, and all I know that the SATA seems to be faster than EIDE. I
don't
know if mine is SATA-I or SATA-II, but I guess they probably SATA-I (?)

That's simply because the SATA drives are newer, not down to the controller
speed. With 2 modern, fast EIDE drives, it would be possible to saturate a
single channel of an IDE controller, but you would need to copy a large
contiguous file from one drive to another drive on the same channel.

Also, with just the built-in controller, the momboard supports 4 EIDE
devices and I am guessing 2 SATA devices (or 2 ports). I haven't done
much
research on SATA to know more, but I guess each port only support single
SATA device (or from the cable came with the drives).

Each SATA connector supports one SATA device. The number of connectors on
motherboards varies from board to board. Normally 2, 4 or 6.

"Joel" wrote in message
...
"GT" wrote:

snip
Thanks for the detailed information. I have 5 IDE drives and 2 SATA
drives, and all I know that the SATA seems to be faster than EIDE. I
don't
know if mine is SATA-I or SATA-II, but I guess they probably SATA-I (?)

That's simply because the SATA drives are newer, not down to the
controller
speed. With 2 modern, fast EIDE drives, it would be possible to saturate
a
single channel of an IDE controller, but you would need to copy a large
contiguous file from one drive to another drive on the same channel.

Also, with just the built-in controller, the momboard supports 4 EIDE
devices and I am guessing 2 SATA devices (or 2 ports). I haven't done
much
research on SATA to know more, but I guess each port only support
single
SATA device (or from the cable came with the drives).

Each SATA connector supports one SATA device. The number of connectors on
motherboards varies from board to board. Normally 2, 4 or 6.

It seems like it's about time for me to upgrade my system to faster and
more SATA drive supported. And I am going to end up with 3 older desktops
laying around doing nothing bg

Format, dust, tidy, ebay.

Joel wrote:
"GT" wrote:

snip
Hi Joel,

Thanks for the helpful and fast reply.

I guess IDE is the way forward then.
Only if you have an IDE controller with spare ports, otherwise SATA is the
way to go! Tell us more about your PC...

Do we have SATA DVD burner these days? I know we have SATA hard drive and
I have 2 but don't pay any attention to the DVD burner.

Yeah. I have them in two different systems. The latest was an 20X ASUS
with LightScribe which cost all of $31 at NewEgg. Dealing with SATA is
ever so much neater that PATA if you have the ports available.

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

"Joel" wrote in message
...
John McGaw wrote:

Joel wrote:
"GT" wrote:

snip
Hi Joel,

Thanks for the helpful and fast reply.

I guess IDE is the way forward then.
Only if you have an IDE controller with spare ports, otherwise SATA is
the
way to go! Tell us more about your PC...

Do we have SATA DVD burner these days? I know we have SATA hard drive
and
I have 2 but don't pay any attention to the DVD burner.

Yeah. I have them in two different systems. The latest was an 20X ASUS
with LightScribe which cost all of $31 at NewEgg. Dealing with SATA is
ever so much neater that PATA if you have the ports available.

I guess I am falling behind much faster than I would image. yeays ago, I
usually try to be ahead of the game, but now I am getting a little too old
to keep up with all the changes.

Yes, when I bought my first SATA about little over 2 years ago, and I have
to spend about 2 weeks reading some info to make sure I ain't too far off.
And by that time I already seeing something about SATA II, and few other
similar to SATA (PATA, ESATA whatever I can't remember them all). And the
Video card too .. I am still using the same old G..something I can't
remember the name at the moment bg

But if it all works and does what you need, then no problem! Only, it
clearly doesn't (MOHAA), hence this thread!

James wrote:

So I guess the simplet thing would be to buy a new one ? (not sure if they
are fixable ?)

No.




When buying one what I am looking for, I have no idea of the type of drive
it is IDE or scuzi?? how to do you tell they apart.

Other than that I guess you just disconnect the power feed, and the ribbon
cable. align new one, usually with screws ? power feed back on, ribbon back
on and install drivers ?

Any advice on all this as not tinkered around with a desktop in a while.

--
http://www.bootdisk.com/