What does IDE controller card do?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Doc
  • Start date Start date
D

Doc

What's the purpose of an IDE controller? Does it allow you to use a h/d of a
larger size than your system would normally allow?

Thanks for all input
 
Doc said:
What's the purpose of an IDE controller? Does it allow you to use a h/d of
a
larger size than your system would normally allow?
Click to expand...

It can be used for that. It can also allow you to add more hard drives. I
have 6 hard drives in my system
 
Doc said:
What's the purpose of an IDE controller?
Does it allow you to use a h/d of a larger
size than your system would normally allow?
Click to expand...


Yes, if you have an early BIOS or operating system.
It also lets you use a faster ATA interface speed that
an early motherboard's IDE controller couldn't handle,
and it lets you run more hard drives in your PC.

*TimDaniels*
 
Tod" wrote: said:
Are you talking about the built in controller or an add on controller or
both ?
Click to expand...


Read the subject line of his posting.

*TimDaniels*
 
Doc said:
What's the purpose of an IDE controller?
Click to expand...

It identifies a HD, whether actual or otherwise, for the operating systems
partitioning or other partitioning software. This identifies the capacity
as well. It may pass on identifying information of the hard drive's
firmware to the operating system.
Does it allow you to use a h/d of a
larger size than your system would normally allow?
Click to expand...

If newer than your onboard controller, probably.
 
Lil' Dave said:
It identifies a HD, whether actual or otherwise, for the
operating systems partitioning or other partitioning
software. This identifies the capacity as well. It may
pass on identifying information of the hard drive's
firmware to the operating system.
Click to expand...


Ummm...., and oh! - it controls the transfer of data
between the hard drive and the operating system
(which is its primary function).

*TimDaniels*
 
Doc said:
Does it allow you to use a h/d of a larger size than your
system would normally allow?
Click to expand...

It also adds its own Windows driver to support drives bigger than
137GB even with Windows 98 and ME.

www.pricewatch.com has IDE controllers for as little as $13, delivered
(may have to use coupon code listed there), but some of the dealers
are real sleazoids, so always check www.resellerratings.com before
ordering (be skeptical of high ratings when there are just a few
responses -- bad merchants have been known to post fake ratings). I
ordered my Silicon Image IDE card from www.acortech.com (good ratings)
and got it in just three days by mail.
 
Back
Top