What if the IDE hard drive interface is broken?

Introduction to Interfaces

　　IDE interface

(Integrated-drive-electronics) is now commonly used external interface, mainly connected to the hard disk and optical drive. Using 16-bit data parallel transmission mode, small size, fast data transmission. An IDE interface can only receive two external devices.

The IDE's English is all called "Integrated Drive Electronics", or "Electronic integrated Drive", which is meant to be the hard drive that integrates the hard disk controller and the disk body. The integration of the disk and the controller reduces the number and length of cables to the hard drive interface, enhances the reliability of the data transmission, and makes it easier to make the hard drive because the hard drive manufacturer does not need to worry about whether its hard drive is compatible with the controller produced by other manufacturers. For users, hard disk installation is also more convenient. IDE this interface technology from the birth has been constantly developing, performance has been continuously improved, its low-cost, compatible with the characteristics of strong, for its other types of hard disk can not replace the status.

Development process

Early IDE interfaces have two transport modes, one is PIO (programming I/O) mode and the other is DMA (Direct Memory Access). Although DMA mode system resources are low, they require additional drivers or settings and are therefore less acceptable. Later, in the case of higher speed requirements, the DMA mode is more efficient, the operating system starts to support directly, and the manufacturer has introduced more and more Fast DMA mode transfer speed standard. Starting with Intel's 430TX chipset, it provides support for Ultra DMA 33, provides maximum 33mb/sec data transfer rates, and then quickly develops to ATA 66,ata 100 and the ATA 133 standard proposed by the 66MB/SEC, respectively. 100mb/sec the ATA 133 standard on its own, while Hitachi (IBM), Seagate and Western data are all in the ATA 100 standard, and only Via,sis,ali and Nviidia are supported in the chipset manufacturer, and Intel in the chipset manufacturer supports only ATA 100 standard.

Attention matters

Various IDE standards are well backward-compatible, such as ATA 133-compliant ATA 66/100 and Ultra DMA33, while ATA 100 is also compatible with Ultra DMA 33/66.

It is important to note that for ATA 66 and above IDE interface transport standards, a dedicated 80-core IDE line must be used to increase the signal stability by adding 40 ground lines compared to the normal 40-core IDE line.

The IDE represents a type of hard disk, but in practical applications, it is also customary to use the IDE to address the earliest IDE type hard disk ATA-1, a type of interface that has been eliminated with the development of interface technology and later branched out into more types of hard disk interfaces, such as ATA, Ultra ATA, Interfaces such as DMA, Ultra DMA, and so on are part of the IDE hard disk. The hardware interface is now transferred to SATA, and the IDE interface will exit the stage sooner or later.

Advantages and Disadvantages

IDE Interface Advantages: Low price, strong compatibility, high cost performance

IDE interface disadvantage: Slow data transfer, short cable length, less connected devices

Interface acceleration

In the face of the growing popularity of single IDE motherboards, upgrading users with three or more IDE devices in their hands is sure to consider this solution. Do not wait until the upgrade of all the accessories to buy back, to consider this issue, that time is actually a bit late, the choice of solutions have been much less. Therefore, the upgrade plan related to the IDE device, must want to go to the computer city before the goods to think good.

Upgrading users to solve the problem that the number of IDE devices is larger than the motherboard support, it's all about the motherboard, IDE devices, and IDE interfaces. But these three solutions, have their own advantages and disadvantages, it is difficult to say which solution is more perfect, the key is to see the user's upgrade focus and budget, which will directly determine which upgrade should be selected.

If you are sure to ensure that multiple IDE devices, after the upgrade can still be as normal as before the upgrade, it is best to choose from the motherboard to find ways. If you pay more attention to the configuration and performance of the motherboard, do not want to use the product of too old, then you can think of the method from the optical storage device. If you have two or more IDE hard drives that are used primarily for data backup, you can think of methods from the IDE interface.

The implementation of the three major solutions, the next will give you a detailed introduction.

Start with the motherboard: decisively discard the single IDE

Whether it's a dual hard drive single optical channel drive, dual optical drive single hard drive, the other is dual hard drive dual drive, as long as they are IDE interface, users are planning to continue to use after the upgrade, then the user in the upgrade platform, the motherboard to choose the object, it is best not to consider the single IDE design products, Otherwise they will be difficult to use on the new platform at the same time.

Upgrade a user, go to the computer city of a merchant's store, ready to purchase for upgrading of the CPU and motherboard, his choice is the AM2 architecture of the Flash Dragon 2800+, as well as low-cost C61V integrated motherboards, users will soon be the CPU and motherboard to determine. 　　However, when he inspected the motherboard before paying the money, he found that he had selected the C61V motherboard with only one IDE interface, but its old computer had two IDE hard disks and an IDE DVD-ROM, and the three IDE devices he wanted to put on the new platform. Since the current C61 series motherboards are basically only equipped with 1 IDE interfaces, the upgraded user has to look back at the c51g itself. In fact, the performance of c51g is not worse than C61V, motherboard configuration more comprehensive, at least the standard two IDE interface, the price is often more expensive than the c61v. In the end, he spent 460 yuan on the basis of more than 40 yuan to buy a piece with two IDE interface of the C51G motherboard.

In fact, for the Intel platform, 965/975 series motherboards are only one IDE interface, upgrade users want to start from the motherboard, to solve the IDE interface is insufficient, you can consider the use of low-end point, not the use of ICH8/ICH8R South Bridge motherboard, such as 945PL, 945P, 945GZ and so on. Although the board's grades and configurations have been reduced, it can also be supported by allowing the upgraded user to continue to "serve" the IDE devices.

Starting from the device: Who should be swapped for hard drive

For upgraded users with a single hard drive dual drive, three devices can make the best use of the new platform. However, if the new platform has a selected motherboard, only one IDE interface, then the upgrade will be on the three IDE devices to make a trade-off. In this case, the IDE hard drive will certainly be retained, after all, the user has only one hard drive, without which the new platform will not run at all. and dual optical drive is not necessary accessories, give up one is forced by helpless choice.

It is not a good idea to keep a dual-IDE optical drive and to purchase an additional s-ata hard drive for upgrades. One upgrade S-ata hard drive at least also spend three hundred or four hundred yuan, the cost is not low. Secondly in a single IDE motherboard, to use dual optical drive, the upgrade is still used before the IDE hard disk, you have to "retire." Therefore, having the IDE hard disk and the main IDE CD-ROM device (such as a DVD burner), sharing the motherboard's only IDE interface, is a worthwhile solution. Non-major IDE optical drive devices (such as CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, etc.) can be removed for standby or sold on Taobao.

Really need to use more than one optical drive users, can spend 100来 block money, and also to buy a S-ata interface 16X DVD-ROM, as a strong complement to the solution. If the dual IDE optical drive combination is "CD Burner plus DVD-ROM", or "combo plus CD-ROM," You can even consider eliminating CD burners and combo and upgrading to 16x/18x DVD burners with S-ata interfaces. One DVD burner is more powerful than a CD burner and combo, and S-ata's DVD burner has begun to become popular, even if it is the 18X main-end model, but also to less than 300 yuan.

Starting from the interface: Smart IDE to USB for the use of dual-drive single optical channel drive upgrade users, the larger capacity of the IDE hard disk, is undoubtedly the main system disk, and smaller capacity relatively old, is often used as data backup. Similarly, if the user upgrades to select a single IDE design motherboard, then the original three IDE devices must give up one, and in the "dual hard drive single optical channel drive" Such configuration, is often abandoned is that small hard drive. However, with the above "single hard drive dual optical drive" situation is different, here is abandoned small hard drive does not need to be completely "retired" or sold, can be a "curve to save the nation" way to continue to use.

It's also used to make backups, IDE small hard drive before upgrade is hanging on the host to use, and after the upgrade, based on IDE interface is not enough, small hard disk can be considered on the outside of the host to use, that is, from the previous built into the current external, the interface from the original IDE into the current USB. Using this solution, users need to buy an IDE hard disk dedicated external USB hard drive box, this thing in the computer city can easily buy, the price is generally between 100 to 180 yuan. Put the small hard disk for backup into the hard disk box, connect the IDE line and power cord, fix it and seal the lid, a mobile hard disk is born.

When the need for data backup, as long as the USB cable will move the hard disk to the host's USB interface, in the Win2000/xp/vista series, you can implement Plug and play. This scheme can even avoid the problem of interleaving of two physical hard disk characters.

Solution to the problem in this chapter

In fact, the IDE has a total of 40 interfaces, in order to protect the security measures, deliberately have 7 grounding interface! PS a picture of the individual, the technology is not easy to forgive. The grounding interface diagram is as follows (in which the red is marked as the grounding interface).

　　Grounding interface Diagram

As long as the grounding of the connector pins can be directly continued to use, without any impact, but, if you are not broken grounding pins that the proposal to send to the professional maintenance of the place to enjoy maintenance of the general price 20~30 yuan.