Hot plug IDE device

Is it possible to hot plug an IDE device?
I can actually do it and even WinXP detects it if I "refresh" device
manager, but I wonder if that could harm my motherboard or whatever. I
have been searching through posts and webs and some people say it is
possible, some say it isn't.
Thanks for your help.

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 14:08:36 +0100, Jacobo221 <jacobo221@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Is it possible to hot plug an IDE device?
>I can actually do it and even WinXP detects it if I "refresh" device
>manager, but I wonder if that could harm my motherboard or whatever. I
>have been searching through posts and webs and some people say it is
>possible, some say it isn't.
>Thanks for your help.

IDE was not designed for hotplugging. There are special carriers that will
shutdown the power and logic correctly so there will be no damage. Without
that the risk is there. There are better, safe alternatives. You could use
a USB2.0 or Firewire enclosure. Designed for hotplugging. You could use
SATA drives, as hotplugging is also part of its spec.

I would not hotplug a standard IDE drive without using one of the solutions
I have listed.

JT

IDE parts are NOT "hot swappable". You can fry parts trying.

--
DaveW



"Jacobo221" <jacobo221@hotmail.com> wrote in message
newsan.2004.03.27.13.08.36.171315@hotmail.com...
> Is it possible to hot plug an IDE device?
> I can actually do it and even WinXP detects it if I "refresh" device
> manager, but I wonder if that could harm my motherboard or whatever. I
> have been searching through posts and webs and some people say it is
> possible, some say it isn't.
> Thanks for your help.