Are IDE/ATA Hard Drive Enclosures facing extinction?

<h1>Are IDE/ATA Hard Drive Enclosures facing extinction?</h1>Author: <a title="Phil Battison" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/phil-battison/169289.htm">Phil Battison</a> The IDE Hard Disk was first introduced in the 1980’s and since then they have been the de facto hard drive used by PC manufacturers around the world.  The ubiquity of the IDE/ATA standard and its global adoption has resulted in hundreds of millions of units being manufactured. Anyone who has bought or owned a PC since the mid 1980’s, whether for home of business use will have purchased a PC with an IDE/SAT hard drive inside it. In the last few years a new contender, the SATA (Serial-ATA) Hard Drive has entered the fray and because it provides a significant improvement in data transfer rates it has now replaced the slower IDE disks as the disk of choice. As well as being faster SATA hard disks also have a completely different physical interface (the way in which they connect to the PC or connect inside an enclosure). IDE/ATA Hard Drives are instantly recognisable from the 2 rows of 20 Pins on the end of the Hard Drive whereas SATA Hard Drives have two “spade type” connectors. As PC’s with IDE Hard Drives installed reach the end of their natural life or fail it makes sense to salvage the hard drive from the PC and recover the data from the disk and then use the Hard Disk in an enclosure. By doing this not only are you able to take off your confidential and personal data, but also you can clean and reformat the disk and then create a cost effective back up and storage solution. If its an IDE/ATA Hard Drive recovered from a laptop PC then by using an enclosure you create a truly portable back up solution for very little cost. Enclosures are easy to use, they connect to your PC via USB (or Firewire) they protect the Hard Drive is a case (typically aluminium) and they are either self powered from the USB cable or the larger versions come with a power supply unit. There is a problem on the horizon with all of this. Whilst there are still hundreds of millions of IDE/ATA Hard Disks in use or awaiting salvage the manufacturers of IDE/ATA enclosures are beginning to reduce their investment in the IDE/ATA enclosures. Many factories have already switched off their production of IDE/ATA Hard Drive enclosures and are now only manufacturing SATA Hard Drive enclosures. So, if you think you might have a need for an IDE/Enclosure it might be worth buying one sooner rather than later.  About the Author: USBNow is a specialist supplier of USB Products including USB Cables, USB Adapters, <A href="http://www.usbnow.co.uk/External_Drive_Enclosures/c10/index.html">IDE Enclosure </A>
, <A href="http://www.usbnow.co.uk/External_Drive_Enclosures/c10/index.html">Hard Drive Enclosures </A> , USB Cases, Express Cards and lots more besides. - check out our site for the latest products, news and for support - <A href="http://www.usbnow.co.uk/">USBNow </A>

Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/are-ideata-hard-drive-enclosures-facing-extinction-1003412.html" title="Are IDE/ATA Hard Drive Enclosures facing extinction?">Are IDE/ATA Hard Drive Enclosures facing extinction?</a>

The IDE Hard Disk was first introduced in the 1980’s and since then they have been the de facto hard drive used by PC manufacturers around the world. The ubiquity of the IDE/ATA standard and its global adoption has resulted in hundreds of millions of units being manufactured. Anyone who has bought or owned a PC since the mid 1980’s, whether for home of business use will have purchased a PC with an IDE/SAT hard drive inside it.

In the last few years a new contender, the SATA (Serial-ATA) Hard Drive has entered the fray and because it provides a significant improvement in data transfer rates it has now replaced the slower IDE disks as the disk of choice.

As well as being faster SATA hard disks also have a completely different physical interface (the way in which they connect to the PC or connect inside an enclosure). IDE/ATA Hard Drives are instantly recognisable from the 2 rows of 20 Pins on the end of the Hard Drive whereas SATA Hard Drives have two “spade type” connectors.

As PC’s with IDE Hard Drives installed reach the end of their natural life or fail it makes sense to salvage the hard drive from the PC and recover the data from the disk and then use the Hard Disk in an enclosure. By doing this not only are you able to take off your confidential and personal data, but also you can clean and reformat the disk and then create a cost effective back up and storage solution.

If its an IDE/ATA Hard Drive recovered from a laptop PC then by using an enclosure you create a truly portable back up solution for very little cost. Enclosures are easy to use, they connect to your PC via USB (or Firewire) they protect the Hard Drive is a case (typically aluminium) and they are either self powered from the USB cable or the larger versions come with a power supply unit.

There is a problem on the horizon with all of this. Whilst there are still hundreds of millions of IDE/ATA Hard Disks in use or awaiting salvage the manufacturers of IDE/ATA enclosures are beginning to reduce their investment in the IDE/ATA enclosures. Many factories have already switched off their production of IDE/ATA Hard Drive enclosures and are now only manufacturing SATA Hard Drive enclosures.

So, if you think you might have a need for an IDE/Enclosure it might be worth buying one sooner rather than later.

USBNow is a specialist supplier of USB Products including USB Cables, USB Adapters, IDE Enclosure , Hard Drive Enclosures , USB Cases, Express Cards and lots more besides. - check out our site for the latest products, news and for support - USBNow

Rate this Article:

0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)

Re-Publish

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/are-ideata-hard-drive-enclosures-facing-extinction-1003412.html

Related Videos
Related Articles
Ask / Related Q&A

Play

Best Small Travelling Hard Drive

Play

Seagate FreeAgent Go Hard Drive - Tech Review

Play

How to make your Hard Drive Operate Optimally part 1/2

Play

How to make your Hard Drive Operate Optimally part 1/2

Play

Tech Topics - Best Hard Drive Size

Latest Hardware Articles
More from Phil Battison

Troubleshooting Common Dell Printer Problems with Ease

By: John C Arkin | 21/12/2009
It happens to each and every one of us. Whenever we are rushing to complete a project for school or a report for work, somehow our printers just seem to fail on the last minute.

Logitech Mouse Problem - Solve It within Ten Minutes

By: Molly Smith | 21/12/2009
I have a Logitech Mouse which I have been used for over three years, but recently this older pointing device began to have some glitch. Specifically the glitch was on its left button: there was a sound like “click” when clicking this button, but the pointer was not always able to response correctly and I needed to click heavily to make it work properly, furthermore sometimes it would have a double-click effect when I just clicked it once…

Printer Ink Cartridges Articles

By: John C Arkin | 21/12/2009
Brother multifunction inkjet printers are fast becoming increasingly popular today. Although the name is not as popular as HP or Epson, the quality of its multifunction inkjet printers do easily rival those that come from these more popular printer companies.

Best Free Publishing Software Programs

By: John C Arkin | 21/12/2009
When we think of publishing software programs, we immediately think of the popular brands such as Microsoft and Adobe. While these programs are undoubtedly the best in the market, they also are the most expensive.

A Brief History of Office Supply Stores

By: John C Arkin | 21/12/2009
For many decades, office supplies have often been sold in local bookstores around the country and in other parts of the world.

KVM Extender: Extend a KVM console and allow local and remote access to machines

By: Jennifer Luec | 21/12/2009
A computer can be remotely managed with the help of a KVM Extender. These extenders allow the KVM console to be placed at a distance from the computer....

Video Splitter: Boosts, amplifies and splits signals from a single source to multiple display devices

By: Jennifer Luec | 21/12/2009
A video signal can be split and displayed on more than one display device simultaneously using a Video Splitter. These splitters are available in 2, 4, 8...

DVI Extender: Economical option to transmit Digital DVI signals over Long Distances

By: Jennifer Luec | 21/12/2009
Long distance transmission of DVI signals is made possible by using a DVI Extender. This product transmits crystal clear images at resolutions up to...

PR Agencies and Customised USB Memory Sticks

By: Phil Battison | 20/11/2009 | Advertising
Have you considered using Customised USB Memory sticks to help your clients get their messages out? Perhaps its time to take a look at the advantages they can offer

Branded Memory Sticks – Buyer Beware

By: Phil Battison | 29/10/2009 | Branding
Buying branded memory sticks should be easy, painless andyou should of course get what you have paid for. Unfortunately this is now always the case and there are some basics things you need to consider.

Pantone Matched Branded Memory Sticks

By: Phil Battison | 29/10/2009 | Branding
If you're considering getting some printed USB memory sticks for an event or campaign then you might want to consider getting the memory stick body pantone matched to one of your logos primary colours. The results looks stunning and the costs increase is marginal

Custom USB Memory Sticks - Why

By: Phil Battison | 29/10/2009 | Branding
Brnaded memory sticks are great, very popular, relatively cheap and they get your brand "out there" but in terms of "wow" factor they don't come close to a well thought out and manufactured custom memory stick.

Top 10 Tips For Buying USB Memory Sticks Printed with your Logo On

By: Phil Battison | 29/10/2009 | Branding
Memory Sticks printed with your logo on are very popular but like most things there are some golden rules you are advised to follow when looking to buy them

Promotional USB Sticks – Is Preloaded Data A Good Idea

By: Phil Battison | 06/10/2009 | Branding
Increasingly customers are loading data onto branded and promotional USB memory sticks. It’s a trend that’s been developing for a couple of years now as more and more people realise the real benefit if preloading data onto the sticks. The simple act of printing your logo or brand on a USB memory stick will create a fantastic promotional tool that will well received by anyone its given to. It will help develop and promote your brand and because USB memory sticks are used your brand will stay

Top 10 Tips for Buying Custom USB Memory Sticks

By: Phil Battison | 06/10/2009 | Branding
There is a real growth in the demand for custom USB Memory sticks but for many the world of promotional memory sticks, branded memory sticks, printed memory sticks and custom USB memory sticks is all a bit of a mystery. To help you understand what they are and how to go about ordering them here’s our top 10 tips:

Custom USB Memory Sticks Help You To Make An Impression

By: Phil Battison | 21/09/2009 | Branding
If you’ve got an important announcement, product launch or brand launch and you want to tell people about it then, one way is to commission a custom USB memory stick. Whilst the USB Memory stick won’t do the job for you on its own it will, when used as part of a co-ordinated campaign, increase significantly the amount of “buzz and excitement” around any such announcement.