In practical terms, what is the difference between the ATA and IDE systems for hard drives?

I ask as I've been trawling thru' an online auction for an HD and I'm getting confused when the header says IDE but the fuller description says ATA.

Will both work of the same cabling?

P.S. I understand S-ATA uses different cabling.

This isn't a simple one to answer, so I've linked you to three different pages that I believe will go a long ways towards explaining this. See the links below.

I'm assuming that you're asking this in order to buy the right type of hard drive for your computer system. If that is the case, it may be easiest to just buy a replacement for the one it will replace.

If the hard drive is to be added in a second hard drive, I suggest you check with your computer's maker to see what they're offering, and then try to find a similar unit online.

Some additional information:

About ATA

About IDE


IDE/ATA Configuration and Cabling

I hope that you find something helpful.

Dwight