Serial ATA hard drives: a question

[Ralph Alvy]

I'm about to purchase a second hard drive, and, based on reviews I've read,
am considering the Hitachi 7K250. I see it available as either ATA or SATA.
I have an IDE system here, and don't really understand this ATA and SATA
stuff. From what I can read online, SATA seems to be preferred by people
right now.

So my naive question is this. If I have an IDE system, can I just install an
ATA or an SATA hard drive just as though it was a plain old IDE drive? Or
do I need to change my system to accomodate an ATA or an SATA drive?

 

[S.Heenan]

I'm about to purchase a second hard drive, and, based on reviews I've
read, am considering the Hitachi 7K250. I see it available as either
ATA or SATA. I have an IDE system here, and don't really understand
this ATA and SATA stuff. From what I can read online, SATA seems to
be preferred by people right now.

So my naive question is this. If I have an IDE system, can I just
install an ATA or an SATA hard drive just as though it was a plain
old IDE drive? Or do I need to change my system to accomodate an ATA
or an SATA drive?

If your motherboard does not support SATA, an inexpensive controller card is
available. A Molex to SATA power connector may also be needed.

 

[Rod Speed]

I'm about to purchase a second hard drive, and, based on
reviews I've read, am considering the Hitachi 7K250. I see
it available as either ATA or SATA. I have an IDE system
here, and don't really understand this ATA and SATA stuff.

They're basically two different physical connection methods.

From what I can read online, SATA seems
to be preferred by people right now.

Nope. There isnt anything in it between them currently.

So my naive question is this. If I have an IDE
system, can I just install an ATA or an SATA hard
drive just as though it was a plain old IDE drive?

Nope, if your current system wont accept SATA drives, it aint that easy.

Or do I need to change my system to accomodate an ATA
Nope.

or an SATA drive?

Yep, if it wont take SATA drives currently.

 

[Ralph Alvy]

Nope, if your current system wont accept SATA drives, it aint that easy.


Yep, if it wont take SATA drives currently.

Thanks for the useful info. To the point, as usual.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

Thanks for the useful info. To the point, as usual.

Thanks for telling us that your question was merely meant to glorify Roddy.

 

[Ralph Alvy]

Thanks for telling us that your question was merely meant to glorify
Roddy.

It wasn't meant to glorify anyone. I simply like to thank those who give me
the information I need. When Rod Speed replied, I recognized his style from
previous replies to me.

 

[Shailesh Humbad]

I would recommend against the Hitachi drives. I bought two of them
(7K250 SATA 80GB), and one went bad and I had to RMA it. They
received it Jan 1, and they still (Feb 16) have not shipped out a
replacement. Not only is their RMA slow as a glacier, but the drive's
performance was not noticeably different than the Western Digital
drives of the same specs. I think Rod Speed made some drive company
recommendations in this group a couple weeks back.

Shailesh

 

[Ralph Alvy]

I would recommend against the Hitachi drives. I bought two of them
(7K250 SATA 80GB), and one went bad and I had to RMA it. They
received it Jan 1, and they still (Feb 16) have not shipped out a
replacement. Not only is their RMA slow as a glacier, but the drive's
performance was not noticeably different than the Western Digital
drives of the same specs. I think Rod Speed made some drive company
recommendations in this group a couple weeks back.

Since my last post, I have been leaning towards a Western Digital Caviar 80
mb drive. I still prefer running Drive Image from DOS, and use version 5
for that. It supports drives up to 80 mb.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

It wasn't meant to glorify anyone.

I simply like to thank those who give me the information I need.

Right, S. Heenan's answer was obviously useless, so no point in
wasting even the minimum expression of appreciation, eh Ralph.

When Rod Speed replied, I recognized his style from previous replies to me.

Or in other words, you are a regular and completely up to speed.
Thanks for the confirmation.