80Gb + HD's and lba etc

[Bob H]

Hi,
I am considering a new bigger HD in the order of 80Gb plus in size.
I have noticed that there are sata and pata HD's available now, and so
wondered how these compare with the bog standard IDE drives as far as
setting up is concerned.
Another question is, in my dual boot WinXP and Win2k systems, there is
nothing in either registries that says anything about enabling lba.

My win2k system is fully upto date with sp4, and my winXP system is upto
sp2.

Is there anything else I need or should do before installing a new 80Gb
plus size HD of either pata or sata?
At the moment I don't intend running either os from that/those drives.

Thanks

 

[Jon_Hildrum]

1. PATA is a standard IDE drive (the P is parallel as opposed to SATA where
S indicates Serial).

2. There is nothing special about 80GB drives. Once the drive size exceeds
127.5 GB you would need 48 bit LBA addressing. (often what is being talked
about)
With 80GB drive you would the LBA addressing which have been in place for
years. Thus no issue.
3. If installing a SATA drive you would need to install the drivers for SATA

 

[Bob H]

1. PATA is a standard IDE drive (the P is parallel as opposed to SATA where
S indicates Serial).

2. There is nothing special about 80GB drives. Once the drive size exceeds
127.5 GB you would need 48 bit LBA addressing. (often what is being talked
about)
With 80GB drive you would the LBA addressing which have been in place for
years. Thus no issue.
3. If installing a SATA drive you would need to install the drivers for SATA

Ok, so basically I can install a new HD of 120Gb in size, either pata or
sata, and have no worries about needing anything else?
Oh the new HD would be connected in serial with another one, so I guess
it would be a sata drive then?

Thanks

 

[Jon_Hildrum]

If your system is up to date you wouldn't have any problem with larger
drives either.

For Windows 2000 - service pack 3 and later will support 48 bit LBA
For WinXP - Service pack 1 and later.

Note: The Motherboard Bios also need to support 48 bit LBA.


PATA - Parallel drives are connected using 80 wire ribbon cables. The cable
has 3 connectors - one for the motherboard - A center connector for the
slaved drive and the end for the master drive. Thus, a parallel cable will
support 2 drives.

SATA uses a special cable (also a special power connector) which only
connects one drive to the port on the motherboard (thus each serial
connection is for one drive only)

 

[Bob H]

If your system is up to date you wouldn't have any problem with larger
drives either.

For Windows 2000 - service pack 3 and later will support 48 bit LBA
For WinXP - Service pack 1 and later.

Note: The Motherboard Bios also need to support 48 bit LBA.


PATA - Parallel drives are connected using 80 wire ribbon cables. The cable
has 3 connectors - one for the motherboard - A center connector for the
slaved drive and the end for the master drive. Thus, a parallel cable will
support 2 drives.

SATA uses a special cable (also a special power connector) which only
connects one drive to the port on the motherboard (thus each serial
connection is for one drive only)

Ok thanks for that. Yes my system is about as upto date as it can be. I
have just downloaded the latest BIOS for my m/board, so that should be
ok as well.

Thanks again for the clarification