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Xref: sserve comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.misc:18600 comp.os.linux.hardware:2290 comp.os.386bsd.misc:5429 comp.os.os2.misc:126373 Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!msunews!caen!math.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!news.cac.psu.edu!news.tc.cornell.edu!travelers.mail.cornell.edu!newstand.syr.edu!mailbox.syr.edu!smcarey From: smcarey@mailbox.syr.edu (Shawn Carey) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.misc,comp.os.linux.hardware,comp.os.386bsd.misc,comp.os.os2.misc Subject: Re: IDE bad? was Re: List of recommended hardware components Date: 17 Feb 1995 02:11:21 GMT Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY Lines: 35 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <3i10k9$33q@newstand.syr.edu> References: <3hrlu8$ecj@hermes.unt.edu> <3ht0uk$ddo@newstand.syr.edu> <3ht6vv$9vh@explorer.clark.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: sudial-101.syr.edu In article <3ht6vv$9vh@explorer.clark.net>, permuttt@clark.net (Tom Permutt) writes: >In article <3ht0uk$ddo@newstand.syr.edu>, >Shawn Carey <smcarey@mailbox.syr.edu> wrote: >>SCSI supports more than just HDDs. Suppose I've got IDE, and I want >>to add a tape drive, or a CDROM reader, or a scanner, etc? I'll most >>likely end up needing another controller for each of these devices. >>ISA/VLB systems only have so many slots. Another big win for SCSI is >>that the devices can be external, so you can move them from one >>machine to another without opening the toolbox. The price difference >>between IDE and SCSI, which isn't much these days, would have to be >>pretty dramatic for me to ignore the advantages of SCSI. > >Well, I already _have_ a SCSI controller for that other stuff, along with >a MFM disk controller. When I replace the MFM drive, it is still going to >be cheaper and easier to put in a new IDE drive and host adapter than to >hook a new SCSI drive to the SCSI controller. Any reason I shouldn't, if >I have the slot to spare? > That depends on your situation. If you run PC's alongside other architectures that don't support IDE, SCSI comes out ahead. Having the option of using hardware for a purpose other than what it was originally purchased for can be very handy at times. Besides, if you've already sprung for the SCSI controller, why not make use of it? About the IDE setup being cheaper: a) I doubt it will be more than $20 cheaper. b) The money you save will not be worth the aggravation you face when you want to add more than two disks. >Tom Permutt >permuttt@clark.net -Shawn Carey