This section summarizes the basic design requirements for Windows-compatible IDE hardware, including adapters, peripherals, and any device that uses an IDE controller.
The ATA/IDE interface is one of the most widely used in the PC world. Originally intended only for hard drives, IDE support is being extended to additional device types and performance features.
The major issues for IDE and ATAPI devices for PC 97 are the following:
A major shortcoming of removable media devices on PC platforms is their inability to report to the host when the user attempts to eject the medium. Devices must have a means of communicating to the host that the user wants to eject the medium or has inserted a new medium. The solution required by Microsoft is the Media Status Notification Specification (v. 1.03 or higher), which defines a protocol for such support. The support is enabled using a SET FEATURES command, and the media status is retrieved using a new ATA command, GET MEDIA STATUS.
Support for the ATA STANDBY command continues to be required. New power management requirements are also defined.
The overall power management design initiative is described in Part 1 of this guide. The specific power management requirements for IDE are defined in this chapter. Additional requirements for storage devices are defined in the "Storage and Related Peripherals" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.