# BPLA test help



## L33tm4st3r (Oct 18, 2007)

Hello again!
I'm doing a project for my school's FBLA class (we're going to regionals next tuesday) and i need some help with a question on my practice test, so lets see if i can get some help with it:

*Which of the following is true of master/slave hard drive configurations?*
a) The primary controller must contain drives that are technologically similar to or newer 
than drives on the secondary controller.
b) Do not mix ATA and IDE drives on a single controller.
c) Do not install drives on the secondary controller without a primary slave present.
d) D not configure a hard drive to be CD-ROM drive's slave.

I've looked around the net, but I can't find the answer to the question. If someone here knows it, could you give it to me and briefely explain why the answer is that answer? I'd be really appreciative!

- thanks!


----------



## Courtneyc (Dec 7, 2003)

You might be able to answer the question yourself with the following information.

On an IDE channel, only one drive can communicate at a time. When there are two drives on a channel, the master drive always has priority over communications. When the slave needs to communicate, it requests permission from the master drive. If the master is idle, it allows the slave to communicate; if the master is busy, it tells the slave to wait.

a) Not necessary because IDE drive technology hasn't change much
b) ATA stands for AT Atachment; IDE stands for Integrated Device Electronics (So, IDE drives generally use an ATA interface.) The terms are basically now interchangeable.
c) The IDE channels are independent. You can install devices on either channel or both.
d) This is probably your best answer. The master optical drive can actually slow the hard drive down it this configuration.

Courtney


----------



## L33tm4st3r (Oct 18, 2007)

thanks so much! i'm going to check my answers in class tomorrow, so I'll write what you've told me down, so i can use it at regionals. THANKS!


----------



## bbearren (Jul 14, 2006)

"Do not configure a hard drive to be a CD ROM drive's slave" is true.


----------



## whodart (Sep 3, 2007)

d) D not configure a hard drive to be CD-ROM drive's slave.

Don't put a CD ROM on same cable as HDD

WHodart:up:


----------



## chaos4001 (Aug 3, 2005)

whodart said:


> d) D not configure a hard drive to be CD-ROM drive's slave.
> 
> Don't put a CD ROM on same cable as HDD
> 
> WHodart:up:


Why?

I think I actually have my secondary harddrive set up like this...


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

whodart said:


> d) D not configure a hard drive to be CD-ROM drive's slave.
> 
> Don't put a CD ROM on same cable as HDD
> 
> WHodart:up:


That's an old news issue, modern optical drives don't affect the speed of hard disks on the same interface at all.


----------



## RedHelix (Oct 31, 2005)

JohnWill said:


> That's an old news issue, modern optical drives don't affect the speed of hard disks on the same interface at all.


Beat me to it.

That's weird, none of those options are really all that true.

If you add a strategically placed "S" to option B, then you'd have a correct answer


----------



## reedb88 (Mar 4, 2008)

This is an anachronistic question. Before the advent of "Independent Device Timing" the option (d) would have been correct.


----------



## L33tm4st3r (Oct 18, 2007)

thanks so much for all your help guys! i took the test at APSU today and placed 4th in the category! because of it, I get to go to the state competition in april. thanks again!


----------



## danielcc (Mar 4, 2008)

i answer none of the above...


----------

