IDE/SATA/SCSI

[Canon]

The only interface I've ever used for my hard-drives has been IDE. But as I start looking at faster HD's (10,000-15,000rpm), the interface is either scsi or serial ata(sata, I guess).

What are the benefits of scsi over sata or vice versa. Anyone? Thri, Spurty?

[PeregrineFalcon]

Well at this point IDE(7200rpm) == SATA (7200rpm) < IDE/SATA (7200 rpm) RAID 0 < SATA (10,000rpm) == SCSI (xxxx rpm) < SATA (10,000) RAID 0

Currently the only SATA that is worth buying is the Raptor. Check this post over at Sharkyforums.com (http://www.sharkyforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239719)

or this (http://www.sharkyforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239378)

Hope this helps.

[Nefarious]

i think he was asking something more like:

wtf is SATA? wtf is SCSI? and how are they different/which is better?

[Canon]

wtf is SATA? wtf is SCSI? and how are they different/which is better?

[PeregrineFalcon]

Here is stuff off top of my head, google it for more info.

They are interfaces for connecting a storage media to your mobo

SCSI (wide ultra2 version) allows for about 80mBytes/sec, requires a SCSI controller

IDE Slower, but currently most widely used. Any mobo supports

SATA Depending on version as fast as SCSI or faster. Requires SATA compatible mobo

SATA also allows for easy connection to mobos. It is not as difficult to setup as SCSI. I recommend the Raptor...it is reported it takes at most 9 minutes total to install Windows XP Pro on a Raptor

[ferret]

This isn't IDE vs SATA vs SCSI.

SATA IS IDE. The difference here is ATA vs SATA. SATA is basicly just a newer form of the old ATA standards that can run faster transfer speeds. It hasn't nothing to do with increasing speed of IDE HDDs to my knowledge, only in the transfer rates.

Ie, ATA stopped at ATA133 (133mb/sec I believe). SATA picks up at 150mb/sec, which would have been the next step for ATA (ATA150 if you would).

ATA = Those ribbon cables with two connectors.
SATA = One cable per device, still 4 per controller to my knowledge. Some MBs have had up to 8 recently though.

[Nefarious]

does any mobo support SCSI as well?

[PeregrineFalcon]

does any mobo support SCSI as well?

If u can install a SCSI controller on it

[Nefarious]

"if" is not an answer. does any mobo (fairly recently made) allow you to install a SCSI controller.

[PeregrineFalcon]

yes its connected via the PCI slot

[Canon]

I have two yellow "raid" IDE slots on my mother board. Now, SATA and SCSI are going to have a wider slots, yes?

[ferret]

SATA have smaller slots, actually. About the size of a USB plug actually.

Not sure about SCSI.

[PeregrineFalcon]

SCSI looks similiar to IDE forget the number of pins.

[ThriKreen]

SCSI stands for Small Computer System Interface, and is often pronounced as "scuzzy". It's actually a protocol, not what you commonly think of as the 50 (narrow), 68 (wide) and 80 (SCA) pin cables you often see. Case in point, it's used on Firewire (aka IEEE 1394). And it's used for much more than just storage, such as scanners or printers.

Serial ATA, is a change to the IDE interface to reduce the number of pins from 40 to 7, and instead of transferring data in parallel, is done serially (duh, guess the name gave it away =). Other advantages is longer cable lengths, lower energy usage, smaller cables (no more big fat 40 pin cables blocking airflow), hotswap and faster transfer speeds. Also, it's one SATA device per cable, there is no master/slave system so it's a bit easier on the builder, just plug it in and away you go.

Advantages and disadvantages vary depending on what you want.

For pure mass storage, you can't go wrong with like the 80, 160gb IDE drives. Cheap too, which leads up to another point: Why is SCSI so much more expensive? Well, you have to realize that IDE (and SATA) are really a dumbed down SCSI protocol to the point that the CPU (now mobo BIOS) has to handle the devices. Most SCSI devices on the otherhand, support something known as Disconnect/Reselect, where upon receiving an instruction, it will 'disconnect' from the SCSI bus, complete it's operation, then reconnect and send it's data. Thereby not hogging the bus and locking the computer up the way IDE used to. This 'smartness' is why SCSI has always been more expensive, due to the extra electronics on the board, and why a lot of benchmark tests are bad when comparing SCSI to IDE. SCSI's true benefit comes from using multiple drives - 15 per controller, compared to IDE's 2. Because of that, for multi-drive setups, like RAID, SCSI is by far the better choice. And is often used in server environments. Therefore they are often built to be REALLY rugged, fast (yay 15k rpms), have large caches and come with 5y warrenties. Of course all this co$t$.

FYI: Out of all the SCSI HD's I've owned, none have died on me, not even that 2gb IBM I got way back in 1997. Granted I've only had 1 HD die on me, ever, a Maxtor 1gb HD (but it was a known model line that was bad).

Another complication on SCSI is the use of 15 SCSI ID's, if you thought master/slave was confusing, avoid SCSI. =) You have to be really familiar with bit calculations to set the jumpers properly to insure no conflicts, but an added advantage is that you do get 15 devices per chain (device 16 is for the SCSI controller of course). While most people end up being limited to 4 drives for IDE/SATA, and have to replace one when they upgrade, I can just chain more to my bus, depending on what space I have in my case. =)

Common SCSI terms:

SCSI-1 sometimes referred to as Narrow, is 8-bit, about 5mb/sec, often used on the 50-pin cables.

SCSI-2 introduces Fast Narrow (10mb/sec) and Wide, the 16-bit, 68pin cables you see (20mb/sec)

SCSI-3 has Ultra Wide (40mb/sec) and Fast-20,

Ultra2 doubles it yet again to 80mb/sec and introduces Low Voltage Differential (LVD), letting you extend cable lengths to 12m.

Then we get into Ultra160, Ultra320 and Ultra-640, which are more increases in bus speeds.

I might have gotten some things mucked up, I haven't been on top of tech in awhile.

More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCSI

[ThriKreen]

Some server class motherboards have onboard SCSI, and some even offer RAID. Adaptec is pretty much the only choice nowadays for add on SCSI boards though.

[Nefarious]

ok, so SCSI is used for when you have the money for 10 15k RPM HDs.
now explain SATA. ferret, you didnt really help me understand it cuz I don't know what ATA is/was

[PeregrineFalcon]

there are SATA drives that allow for 10k rpm, it is called the Raptor. About 200bucks for a 74gb one. Dont get the 32gb version it is lound as hell.

[Nefarious]

EXPLAIN SATA

[ferret]

EXPLAIN SATA

Its just like older IDE drives but faster and better.

[PeregrineFalcon]

Seriously though, google man. Are you that helpless you cant do some research yourself. Most of us are at work at the moment, head over to www.google.com and in the lil white box type SATA vs. IDE and youll have a field day.

[Canon]

I have google set to my homepage. I useit all the time... and I visited quite a few pages that did not have exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for your help guys, especially Thri.

;)

[Nefarious]

EXPLAIN SATA

Its just like older IDE drives but faster and better.

thats all i needed to here

[Dissman]

EXPLAIN SATA

Its just like older IDE drives but faster and better.

thats all i needed to here

Also the cables are much smaller than the old drives & SCSI... it's easier on the airflow... you can also do SATA Raid with certian cards.

[ThriKreen]

However, cases nowadays should be doing the 90 degrees rotated like in the Antec Sonata, that way the ribbons won't block the airflow and it's easier to get access to the HD connectors.

[steaLer]

wow, good stuff guys.