[NTLUG:Discuss] installing old ide drives in new sata computer

[Ralph Green]

John,
  I'd be happy to help.  You can get an IDE controller at MicroCenter,
most likely.  What bus connections do you have available in the
computer(PCI, PCI-E?  How imprtant is performance?  The latter
question is to decide if you need 1 or 2 IDE channels.  One IDE
channel can control 2 IDE drives, but if you are copying between those
drives, it is much quicker to have 2 channels.
  The XPS8100 normally has 1 PCI slot.  I don't know if yours is in
use.  PCI IDE controllers are the cheapest way to go.  Depending on
your interest, you might even think about buying a used hardware IDE
RAID controller.  If it has cache, it could give you the best
performance.  Even good ones of those are cheap because people are
getting rid of them to go to SATA.
Ralph