An IDE cable, then, is a cable that meets this specification.
IDE is also sometimes calledIBM Disc Electronicsor justATA(Parallel ATA).
The same is true for external enclosures, which let yourun hard drives outside your computeroverUSB.
UGREEN USB IDE Adapter.Photo from Amazon
One end of the IDE cable is, of course, to connect the cable to the motherboard.
If two devices are connected to the IDE cable simultaneously, thejumpershave to be set correctly.
An IDE cable has a red stripe along one edge, like you see below.
UGREEN USB IDE Adapter.Photo from Amazon
It’s that side of the cable that usually refers to the first pin.
IDE ports look similar because they’ll have the same number of pin slots.
More can be read about PATA cables here:What Is a PATA Cable or Connector?.
While PATA cable transfer speeds max out at 133 MBps, SATA cables support speeds up to 1,969 MBps.
you’re free to read more about that in ourWhat Is a SATA Cable or Connector?piece.
You might have a new SATA hard drive, for example, but a computer that only supports IDE.
Another way to mix SATA and IDE devices is with a USB unit, likethis one from UGREEN.
What Is Enhanced IDE (EIDE)?
EIDE is short for Enhanced IDE, and is an upgraded version of IDE.
This term is used to describe the faster data transfer rates beyond the original IDE standard.
For example,ATA-4supports rates as fast as 33 MBps.
