PCI IDE controller card for Hard Drives

Computer Hardware SSDs, Hard Drives and NAS
#1

I’m looking for a good cheap IDE controller so I can move my hard drives off the onboard IDE channels and install a Lite-On CD burner.

I don’t need a controller that handles CD-rom drives, I’ve heard they can have problems with those.

I’m booting from my SATA raided drives so that isn’t an issue.

I’m just generally nervous about losing data etc. as well, as I have before…

The only name I really recognise as a brand leader is Promise - other brand suggestions would be welcome.

What would be the benchmark price for a card that handles 2 hard drives, one IBM (pre-hitachi) 80 gig and a WD SE Caviar 120?

#2

I’ve found this, which looks promising (I just did that didn’t I? :Z)

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=534542/search=Ultra133%20TX2/ut=444a97b031dc8f5a

Any comments?

#3

The card you found is a good and nice one… I installed this one before on several systems (Linux and Windows) and it never gave me any problems. Performance was good as well (speed compared to speed of the identical disc on the internal IDE controller)… really no complaints.

What I like about promise, is that they have a nice administrating utility and good Linux support (own drivers)…

#4

i have the same card in my system (which came free with my Maxtor drive), and it works without a hitch.

#5

Good to hear, anyway I’ve already ordered one, hope it turns out well.

Is there anything I have to know about the install? I plan to install the drivers in XP first after installing the card and before putting the discs on. I’ve got the latest drivers off the website. I intend to put each drive on a seperate channel as master.

It shouldn’t matter whether the jumpers on the drives are set to cable select right? and even if they’re set to slave there’s no problem about putting them on their own channel?

Oh, and I can never remember, if it’s only one drive per IDE cable, which connector should I use for the drive? the one at the end or the one in the middle?

Can you tell I’ve got a nervous disposition? :bigsmile:

#6

Originally posted by louiskhorweiwu

Good to hear, anyway I’ve already ordered one, hope it turns out well.

If you’ve already downloaded the latest drivers to it, make sure do the same with the BIOS :

Ultra133 TX2 BIOS 2.20.0.15

#7

Are there significant performance improvements? most of the noted fixes for these new bios all tend to be things unrelated to me - that and the latest bios has been out since june, hopefully the card will have shipped with the latest.

Too much bad experience with drive flashing/bios fiddling.

That said, if it ain’t broke, fix it till it is…