SATA and SATA II

[Eddie G]

Do all SATA mobo's support SATA II?

Thanks!!

Eddie G

 

[Bob I]

http://www.sata-io.org/namingguidelines.asp

 

[Eddie G]

So it's just a name thing?

 

[Bob I]

That is what "SATA II" is. So your question sort of doesn't make sense.
And no not all SATA motherboards are the same, but they are all supposed
to be backward compatible.

 

[Anna]

Do all SATA mobo's support SATA II?

Thanks!!

Eddie G

http://www.sata-io.org/namingguidelines.asp

So it's just a name thing?

No Eddie G., it's not "just a name thing". How in the world did you arrive
at that conclusion? Did you read the article Bob pointed you to?

There's a lot of good information on that SATA-IO website. You would do well
to read it to gain an understanding of the differences between the SATA 1.5
Gb/s data interface and the SATA 3.0 Gb/s data interface, the latter usually
called SATA-II, but more correctly called SATA-IO.

In the meantime, to answer your question - no, all SATA-capable motherboards
do *not* support SATA-II (SATA-IO). They must be specifically indicated by
their manufacturer that they do.
Anna

 

[Eddie G]

I did read the article...here is a quote:

"The first step toward a better understanding of SATA is to know that
SATA II is not the brand name for SATA's 3Gb/s data transfer rate,
but the name of the organization formed to author the SATA
specifications. "

See...it says "Sata II is the name of the orginazatoin..." This is how
I arived at the conclusion that it is just a name thing (the name of
the organization).

So if I was given a used PC a SATA mobo, how do I know if it is SATA or
SATA II? For now I have a PATA HDD and want to know if I should get
SATA or SATA II. I looked at the mobo and cannot find the name of the
mfg.

 

[Bob I]

If you don't know what motherboard it is, you don't know. I sure
wouldn't get a motherboard if I didn't have an idea of what it was.

 

[Anna]

(SNIP)

So if I was given a used PC a SATA mobo, how do I know if it is SATA or
SATA II? For now I have a PATA HDD and want to know if I should get
SATA or SATA II. I looked at the mobo and cannot find the name of the
mfg.

Eddie:
Download the free Belarc Advisor...
See http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

In nearly every case the program will list the name of the motherboard.

To determine if the motherboard supports SATA-IO (SATA HDs having a data
interface speed of 3 Gb/s) you would need either the motherboard's user
manual listing the board's specifications or obtain that info from the
website of the motherboard's manufacturer.

Bear in mind that even if your board does not support SATA-IO you could
still use that type of drive with that board since it would be backwards
compatible. Of course it would operate at the lower data interface rate of
1.5 Gb/s. As a practical matter, given today's PCs, it would make little or
no difference performance-wise between the two types of SATA HDs. In most
cases the backwards compatibility is done automatically --- but in a few
cases a jumper setting on the SATA-IO drive needs to be set for drive
recognition by the system.
Anna

 

[Eddie G]

It's a Dell machine. I can always find out from them, or wait until I
boot it up and check it out with Everest.

 

[Anna]

(SNIP)


Eddie:
Download the free Belarc Advisor...
See http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

In nearly every case the program will list the name of the motherboard.

To determine if the motherboard supports SATA-IO (SATA HDs having a data
interface speed of 3 Gb/s) you would need either the motherboard's user
manual listing the board's specifications or obtain that info from the
website of the motherboard's manufacturer.

Bear in mind that even if your board does not support SATA-IO you could
still use that type of drive with that board since it would be backwards
compatible. Of course it would operate at the lower data interface rate of
1.5 Gb/s. As a practical matter, given today's PCs, it would make little
or no difference performance-wise between the two types of SATA HDs. In
most cases the backwards compatibility is done automatically --- but in a
few cases a jumper setting on the SATA-IO drive needs to be set for drive
recognition by the system.
Anna

Eddie:
I should amend my previous comment re the compatibility issue...

A colleague just reminded me that we *did* run into a non-recognition
problem involving trying to install a SATA-IO HD on a SATA-capable
motherboard. This involved an older motherboard - about four years old
(can't recall the make/model) that was released just about the time
SATA-capable motherboards were first being produced for the consumer market.
Even though, in theory, the board should have accommodated the SATA-IO HD
(treating it as a SATA 1.5 Gb/s HD), it just didn't fly. It's possible we
ran into this at least once more with a different MB but I just can't recall
the details.

I mention this, rare event that it may be, because you've indicated your PC
is a "used" one.
Anna