On Wed, 15 Aug 2001 12:04:14 -0500 (CDT) "Yaron" <jethro at freakzilla.com> wrote: > SCSI and IDE drives aren't really that different. SCSI is overpriced for > very little reason. Some say they go through a tougher QA process, but > then IBM Deskstarts (75GB IDE) do too. SCSI drives are overpriced for several reasons. First, a SCSI drive has the actual disk controller hardware on the SCSI drive itself. This unloads the host adapter, which is one of the reasons that SCSI adapters do not impose nearly the load as do IDE controllers. However, this increases cost through the redundancy of controller parts you are buying. This is also the reason that you do not need to set CYL/HD/SEC or soft modes for SCSI drives - the controller hardware on the disk already knows this information, and presents a generic interface / protocol to the host adapter. Second, SCSI drives are manufactured in lower quantities than are IDE drives, which increases production costs. This is kind of a chicken-and-egg situation, but the reality is that IDE is much more prevalent in your average box. Even Apple computer, the long-time champion of the SCSI bus, has bailed in favor of big, cheap and reasonably fast IDE drives. And yes... Beta was superior to VHS, too. -.bill.layer.- -.those who are talking don't know, and those who know aren't talking.- -.frogtown.- -.minnesota.- -.u.s.a.-