IDE device configuration

currently i have my 1 ide channels set up like this:

primary master: seagate 80 gig
primary slave: quantum 27 gig

secondary master: cd-rw
secondary slave: dvdrom


however i have heard it is better to keep the 2 cdrom and hd's on different channles. so would a setup like this be faster/better?:

primary master: seagate 80 gig
primary slave: cdrw

secondary master: quantum 27 gig
secondary slave: dvdrom

thanks


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Antec sx830 300w
p3-1000eb coppermine
Abit VH6-II
384 mb generic pc133 cl3
Hercules prophet 4500 kryo 2
SBlive value
10x dvd, 12x10x32 Lite-on cdrw
80 gig seagate baracuda ata IV 7200
27 gig quantum 5400 ata 66
Viewsonic e790 19" crt
Win XP pro / Progeny debian

"All we need is a little bit of energon and a lot of luck." - Optimus prime

It really all depends. If you're going to be doing a lot of cd to cd copying then definitely go with the second setup. If you do copying from the cd to hd to cd, then it doesn't matter as long as you copy to the seagate on the second setup. As for faster? Not really. Today's motherboards can distinguish between the udma33 and udma100 quite well even if the devices are on the same chain.

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Athlon XP 1800+ (OC pending)
Alpha PAL8045
Epox 8KHA+
256mb Crucial pc2100 ddr
Maxtor D740x 40 GB
ATI Radeon8500 (300/300)
Antec PP403x 400w

I am no computer whiz, but I would say that the configuraion that you have right now is just fine. IMO you are better having the your HD(s) on a seperate chain then your CD-rom(s). When you mix you will create competition for the IDE controller between the two device if they try and access at the same time (which happens more then you think, also (if I remember correctly) which ever device on the mixed chain is faster, will have to move data at the lowest common speed between the two devices.

It matters

keep your present setup unless you RW needs to be a slave which I doubt

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386-40 with a Hercules 1mb video - 28.8 IBM M-wave modem with the SB Vibra sound chipset. 212Mb Quantum HD 30ms 4X sony CD with Win95 1st edition

I told you a million times - dont exagerate

from the technical center of the universe - Mobile, Alabama USA

if it aint broke dont flash the BIOS