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IDE

IDE, is short for Integrated Drive Electronics (more commonly known as ATA) and is a standard interface for IBM compatible hard drives. IDE is different from the Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) and Enhanced Small Device Interface (ESDI) because its controllers are on each drive, meaning the drive can connect directly to the motherboard or controller. IDE and its updated successor, Enhanced IDE (EIDE), are the most common drive interfaces found in IBM compatible computers today. Below is a picture of the actual IDE connector and cable

Enhanced IDE (EIDE) - an extension to the original ATA standard again developed by Western Digital - allowed the support of drives having a storage capacity larger than 528 megabytes (504 mebibytes), up to 8.4 gigabytes. Although these new names originated in branding convention and not as an official standard, the terms IDE and EIDE often appear as if interchangeable with ATA



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