Expert: Roy Bonner - 2/25/2005

Question
Just wondering... on the Sony DRU-710A box is says E-IDE/ATAPI. What is E-IDE and ATAPI?
Thanks!
Adam

Answer
Hi Adam,
These are both extended subsets of the IDE (or ATA) disk connection standard. The original IBM PC had no hard disk, the same machine fitted with a hard drive became the AT, so correctly our machines these days are not PCs but ATs. The drive interface was originally called the ATA which stands for AT Attachment, hence ATAPI which stands for AT Attachment Packet Interface. IDE which stands for Integrated Drive Electronics, actually describes the type of drive which is normally attached to an ATA interface, and E-IDE or EIDE stands for Extended Integrated Drive Electronics, ie. it's basically an ATA interface drive with an added Packet Interface. All drive types will work on all interface types but unless both drive and interface have the extended interface, they will only work as basic IDE/ATA. ie. to get the extra benefit you must use an E-IDE drive on an ATAPI interface. Clear?

Regards

Roy