fmgst@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Filip Gieszczykiewicz) (02/20/91)
GREETINGS. RULES: Please answer these if you think you know the answer, not just because it was posted. Please use e-mail - I will archive. If replying to one or two questions, state the # and delete the rest of the un-answered question (I don't have that much space) Give me a few days before sending the "me too!!!" Please answer the following question: #1. CAN I LOW-LEVEL FORMAT AN IDE HAD DISK? (YES or NO) - if YES, which program does a good job and which "seems" to do a good job. - if NO, what can I do if I have problems (trash can?) #2. DOES THE IDE CONTROLLER CORRECT ALL THE COMMON HARD DISK AGING PROBLEMS - HEAD-DRIFT, ETC. (YES or NO) - if YES, then there is no need for a low-level, or is there? - if NO, then what do I do? Send it back? #3. CAN I USE A PROGRAM LIKE NU, OPTUNE, ETC TO DE-FRAGMENT MY IDE HARD DISK? (YES or NO) - if YES, then we are in good shape - if NO, then IDE is inherently worse than any other type. With time, it might be slower than a 85 ms deal... #4. HOW WELL DOES AN IDE DRIVE CORRECT MEDIA PROBLEMS? (VERY WELL or WELL or CAN'T) #5. CAN AN IDE TRANSFER RATE BE IMPROVED? (YES or NO) - if YES, then how? - bigger cache in the controller - 16-bit vs 8-bit controller - better access-time drive - better driver (software) - if NO, then what if I want to expand? new drive? #6. CAN MORE THAN 1 IDE-INTERFACE COEXIST IN THE SAME COMPUTER? (YES or NO) - if YES, see next question: - if NO, how do I connect more drives, say, 3? - get a new system (SCSI, ESDI, etc) - know a way? #7. CAN 2 OR MORE IDE DRIVES COEXIST IN THE SAME COMPUTER? (YES or NO) - if YES, then: - how well does the software handle the fact? - will MS-DOS have to be patched in some way or is it like adding another MFM drive? - will there be conflict with other resources? - if NO, see previous question. #8. ARE IDE DRIVES, BY NATURE, MORE NOISY? (YES or NO) (I'm not talking about different brands, just IDE) #9. ARE IDE DRIVES, BY NATURE, MORE RELIABLE? (YES or NO) (I'm not talking about different brands, just IDE) I don't want to see people saying that "my brand" is better than yours - let's just keep this out of that pit. I will archive this info since it is asked 200+ times a month - with no real answer, might I add :-). Please use e-mail. Take care. -- _______________________________________________________________________________ "The Force will be with you, always." It _is_ with me and has been for 11 years Filip Gieszczykiewicz "... a Jedi does it with a mind trick... " ;-) FMGST@PITTVMS or fmgst@unix.cis.pitt.edu "My ideas. ALL MINE!!"