Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)

Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) is a standard interface used to connect storage devices like hard drives and optical drives to a computer’s motherboard. It simplifies the connection process by combining data transfer and control signals into a single cable, making installation easier. IDE was common in computers before being replaced by faster interfaces like SATA. It helps the motherboard communicate with storage devices efficiently, ensuring data is read from or written to the drive accurately. Overall, IDE was a key technology that facilitated the integration of storage devices into personal computers for many years.