SimonH

I've got a 20Gb Seagate drive on my 1999 Gateway PIII 600 system. It's as noisy as buggery so I want to change it. I think its an UDMA 66 (?) drive; can I fit a 133 disc or do I need some sort of fancy bit of hardware to help it along?

Before you ask, I would just go out and buy a whole new carlos fandango system but unfortunately my wife is a computer hating (and Impreza hating for that matter..) evil witch.

suba

if you want to get ATA133, you will need a new PCI controller card from promise or highpoint, and also the 80 pin IDE cable.

RichiW

By all means go out and buy the faster drive, it will be alot quieter than the one you already have thats for sure

Performance wise you`ll not get the best from it with your current setup, but it will be quieter

Rich.

Ken E

You might as well get an ATA100 if it will save a few quid as it will only run at ATA66 anyway.

father_jack

Make sure you get one with a 7200 rpm redline

IBMs deskstars are good, Dabs have a 40gig one for £62 inc.

SimonH

Thanks chaps.
Doesn't seem to be much difference between 100 and 133 disc prices so might as well get the 133. Looking at the DiamondMax+ D740X ATA133 60Gb for about £77. Also considering the Acard AEC-6280 PCI ATA133 controller card. Anybody got any rave reviews or otherwise about these?

kamikaze

i have the diamond max
it does get decent reviews.taht why i got it.
u wil find its fast and quiet
Here are a few alternative hard drives tat are recommended

http://freespace.virgin.net/m.warner/RecHardware.htm

Eagle7

cant go too wrong with maxtor

ChrisB

I'd be surprised if on a machine like that ATA133 would be any quicker than putting it on the existing ATA66 controller.

Unless you need the extra IDE Channels on the card, I'd save the cash.

SimonH

Hmm, I've read reviews on the controller card that suggest that going from 100 to 133 was unnoticeable but there would be an appreciable difference in 66 to 133. I've no idea really, obviously
The PC's also getting a 750Mhz P3 chip (whoopee ) and another 128Mb ram taking it up to 640Mb total. Every little bit helps...