8-bit IDE

From: allisonp <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Mon Apr 17 20:15:45 2000

>This is described rather minimally in chapter 6 wherein the registers are
>defined. There's an 8-bit enable bit which, when properly conditioned,
will
>cause the data port interface to transfer 512 bytes as bytes rather than as
>256 words. There are LOTS of ways to "fake" it, but I'm trying to
determine
>whether anyone has actually operated an IDE interface normally used in
>16-bit mode in this obscure and, possibly, scantily supported mode.


If you find a drive that supports it let me know. I never did and I have a
good
list of drive to pick from.

>What I want is information from people who've actually read the standard
and
>attempted to use a normally 16-bit drive in 8-bit mode. This is not
>particularly easy with the existing hardware. I'll be surprised if anyone
>has built interface hardware that is actually capable of this. It's
>possible, though.


Actually 8bit mode is the desireable config. Just that it was deemed
optional.
figure it out, why would a PC vendor put in a mode that is inherently half
the performance?

Allison
Received on Mon Apr 17 2000 - 20:15:45 BST