Imbedded Drive Electronics/Enhanced Imbedded Drive Electronics

IMBEDDED DRIVE ELECTRONICS (IDE) describes an integrated drive/controller hard drive configuration. The IDE drive combines the drive and controller in a single package. ENHANCED IMBEDDED DRIVE ELECTRONICS (EIDE) is an upgrade to IDE and the two are not compatible.

The IDE/EIDE interfaces with the computer through a simple interconnect adapter called a 'paddle' or a simple cable connector on the motherboard. A single 40-pin IDE cable can connect up to two devices from the same 'paddle' or motherboard connector. The IDE/EIDE drives are identified, one from the other, by setting the jumper(s) on the drives. One is called as the 'Master' and the other as the 'Slave' device. If additional drives are needed, they require another 'paddle' adapter card or IDE connector on the motherboard. Where two such connections are available, one is called the 'Primary' and the other is called the 'Secondary'.