- aren't they [IDE and ATA] the "same" effectively?
- It looks like these animals (IDE and/or ATA) are pretty rare here in UK.
Yes, for all practical purposes IDE and ATA are pretty much identical (see
Wikipedia for the dirty details). And having looked online for UK offerings, I find relevant (2.5" 120GB IDE/ATA 5400RPM) drive mechanisms from Samsung, Western Digital, IBM/Hitachi, Seagate and Toshiba in the price range of £29-£49 + VAT in only two top Google listings. Despite the fact that the industry has moved to SATA, an ATA drive rarity may only be perceived, particularly if you realize you only need one replacement drive...
