Secondary IDE is a term used in computer hardware that refers to the secondary integrated drive electronics interface that connects devices such as hard drives or CD-ROMs to a computer's motherboard. The spelling of "secondary IDE" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /ˈsɛkəndɛri ˌaɪdiːˈiː/. The stress falls on the second syllable of both "secondary" and "IDE". The "aɪ" in "IDE" represents the diphthong found in words like "eye" and "buy".
Secondary IDE, also known as Secondary Integrated Drive Electronics, refers to the additional IDE channel or interface on a computer motherboard used for connecting peripherals such as hard drives and optical drives. IDE, which stands for Integrated Drive Electronics, is a ubiquitous interface for connecting storage devices to a computer system.
The secondary IDE provides an additional pathway for transferring data between the computer's CPU and storage devices. It typically supports two additional devices in addition to the primary IDE channel, which is reserved for the primary storage device, typically the hard drive containing the operating system.
The secondary IDE is commonly used to connect secondary storage devices, such as additional hard drives or CD/DVD drives, to expand the computer's storage capacity or enable the installation of optical drives for reading CDs, DVDs, or other optical media.
The secondary IDE channel follows the same principles as the primary IDE channel, utilizing a 40-pin ribbon cable to connect the storage devices to the motherboard. Each device on the channel must have a unique identifier, known as the master and slave settings, which are configured using jumper pins on the devices themselves.
In summary, the secondary IDE is an additional interface on a computer motherboard that allows for the connection of secondary storage devices, such as additional hard drives or optical drives, expanding the computer's storage capacity and functionality.
The term "secondary IDE" is a combination of the words "secondary" and "IDE", both of which have separate origins:
1. "Secondary" originated from the Latin word "secundarius", meaning "next in order" or "following". It is composed of "secundus", meaning "second" or "next", derived from "sequi" meaning "to follow".
2. "IDE" stands for "Integrated Development Environment". The term originated in the field of computer science and software development. The word "integrated" indicates that various tools required for programming, debugging, and testing software are combined into a single software application.
Therefore, "secondary IDE" refers to a secondary or additional Integrated Development Environment.