home
graphics version
e-mail
thinkquest
disclaimer
glossary
links
site map
credits
help
|
storage - ide storage
Internal storage drives are most commonly found in the form of hard disk drives.
These drives use non-removable media to store and retrieve data.
Internal storage drives also come in the form of removable cartridge drives, which can supplement a hard drive but don't usually serve as a replacement.
You should consider an internal storage drive if you want to increase your storage capacity.
If you plan to transfer files between computers that are not networked, it would be best to purchase a removable cartridge drive, so long as the destination computer has a drive of the same type.
Otherwise, if you do not plan to share files, it would be best to go with a hard drive because they are faster and generally cheaper for their capacity.
Internal storage devices can be found with either the SCSI or IDE interface.
SCSI storage devices are a usually much more expensive than their IDE counterparts, but they can transfer data faster.
The type of drive you buy (IDE or SCSI) should depend on what you would use the drive for and what components you already have.
If you already have other SCSI components, getting a SCSI storage drive would be better because data is transferred especially quickly between SCSI components.
If you do not already have SCSI components, an IDE drive would be better because they are cheaper and their speed should be sufficient for most applications.
If, however, you run storage intensive applications such as video editing software, a SCSI drive is definitely the best choice, regardless of whether or not you already have SCSI components.
A Phillips screwdriver and about 15 minutes of time are required to install an IDE storage drive.
Click here for a list of links to IDE storage drive manufacturers.
the installation
- Make sure the computer is turned off.
- Carefully disconnect all of the cables from the back of your computer, place the computer on a stable working platform, and remove the outer case. Discharge any static electricity from your body by touching the computer's power supply.
- If you are replacing another IDE device, remove the mounting screws, the IDE cable, and the power cable from the old drive. Remove the drive from the computer.
- Locate a free IDE connector to be used with the drive. If there is another IDE device on the same IDE cable, you will need to set one of the drives as master and the other as slave. Consult the manuals for the two drives to determine the correct jumper settings of each. If you will only have two IDE devices in your computer, it is best to give each its own cable so that they won't have to share the bandwidth. If this is the case, set them both as master.
- Mount the new drive in the desired location, then secure it with mounting screws.
- Locate a free power cable with the appropriate connector and plug it into the new drive. Plug an unused IDE connector into the drive, making sure that the side of the cable with the red wire is on the side of the drive connector marked with a 1 or an arrow.
- Replace the outer case and move the computer back to its original location. Reconnect all of the cables.
- Start up the computer and test the drive. The initial BIOS output should indicate in some way that the new drive was recognized. If the drive does not work, turn off the computer, check the connections, and try again. If the drive still does not work, contact the manufacturer.
0 8 . 3 1 . 1 9 9 8
|