OK I want to add another hard drive to my computer, but all 4 IDE connections are being used.

1-30 GB HD
2-20 GB HD
3-CD player 50X
4-CD burner 24X write

should i get rid of the CD player or is there another way? I was thinking maybe I could add another IDE controller card, but that might mess up the motherboard controller. (i hate screwing with jumper switches)

thanks

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the CD burner can read CDs, right? Just ditch the CD Player.

get scsi controller and add a scsi hard drive.

dude, just buy some bigger HD's, like 2 40's, or 2 80's, or even dual 120 GBs.

i dont know much about add in controllers but it seems to be your best bet. scsi is obscenely expensive, the cd is most likely needed for on the fly burns, and it would be dumb to waste 50 good gigs when you have the option to use them.

edit: typo

[This message has been edited by syphon detonator (edited 11-24-2002).]

How about serial ATA, will that change his options?

I don't know whether you use both of your hard drives at the same time but the Nicklock could help. CDG originally posted the link and i went and bought it direct from the swedish company rather than a distrobutor. The swedish bloke doesn't know much english though- anyway...

If you only use one hard drive at a time (so you don't load things off of one whilst running an os of the other for instance) than i suggest buying it because you can run two hard drives off of one ide with it. I use it because i run linux off of one hard drive and windows off of the other and never use them both in one sitting- all the linux stuff is on one and all the windows stuff is on the other. This would free up one of your ides. Another solution would to get an external storage device like a peerless iomega drive thing. The 30gig version was �150 i think (expensive but could be worth it). Yet another solution (if you have always on broadband) would be uploading your least used files onto webspace somewhere.

Chunk
SCSI controllers are too expensive in my opinion

Just get a pci IDE controller card, they're all plug and play these days, you just plug in and go. I use a promise ultra 66 which I got off ebay for ~$9, I've got a 20gig, a 60gig, 2 burners, and a dvd-rom. Your data transfer rates will increase as well if you spread your drives out so the ones you use most are masters. Good luck!

quote:

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Originally posted by Chunkmiester:
If you only use one hard drive at a time (so you don't load things off of one whilst running an os of the other for instance) than i suggest buying it because you can run two hard drives off of one ide with it.

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You can use two harddisks on one ide anyway, as he currently is. All this product does is switch the jumper setings to make one or other the master.

j0662, sorry, my bad. I didn't proof read that post. What i meant to say was that you can run two hard drives off of the master at seperate times.

Chunk

HDD Switch
My college uses them in Server OS Lab so that 4 different classes can use PCs, but each classes has their own drive.. that way our fresh Novell/NT/2000/Linux install doesnt get blown away by the next group.

depending upon how much space you need scsi may be an option. its expensive but not that expensive if you buy used or refubished. i have seen scsi 9 gigs for 10 dollers refurb before.