ARCHIVED: On my PC, how can I tell if I have an IDE or a SCSI hard drive?

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Most computers will tell you during boot-up whether you have an IDE or a SCSI hard drive. Most BIOSes display drive information on the initial screen that comes on after the Power On Self Test (POST). Since most BIOSes support only IDE (or ST506) drives, the information on this screen will pertain to IDE drives only. If SCSI drives are installed, the initial BIOS screen will say that no drives are installed. In most cases, however, the SCSI adapter's BIOS will later display some information about the SCSI interface, and the drives attached to it.

If in doubt, bring up the computer's CMOS setup. If a hard drive is listed, your hard drive will be an IDE drive. If no drives are listed, your hard drive is likely to be a SCSI hard drive.

If you have a SCSI adapter, you can usually enter the SCSI setup using a key combination such as Ctrl-a. You can view the devices attached to your SCSI adapter to find the brand name of your SCSI hard drive if it is indeed a SCSI drive.

If still in doubt, open the computer's case. Examining the hard drive's label and the adapter card should be conclusive. If the hard drive plugs directly into the motherboard, chances are high that it is an IDE drive. If it plugs into a board connected to the motherboard, then it's most likely a SCSI.