ATA and PATA

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b11_ said:
What is the difference between a PATA and an ATA hard drive?
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Actually, PATA is the new name for what used to be called ATA or EIDE or IDE.
However, the difference between he older PATA and the newer SATA HDs is
generally the interface:
PATA = Parallel ATA or IDE or EIDE or ATA
SATA = Serial ATA

SATA is a newer interface, and touts smaller cables and a faster bus (now 300
MBps max vs 133 MBps max for PATA). Many/most new motherboards come with both
PATA and SATA interfaces, with the bonus of RAID (usually 0 or 1) capability for
the SATA interface.

The HDs themselves are, with few exceptions, identical except for the
interfaces. Therefore the performance of a single PATA HD will be essentially
the same as its SATA twin.

The notable exceptions are the WD Raptor series, which were purpose-built as
SATA HDs, and have a 10,000 RPM spindle speed. The most common PATA HDs spin at
7200 RPM. The Raptors perform much better overall because of the higher speed.
 
PATA stands for Parallel ATA also shorted to ATA. SATA is serial ATA,
Serial and PATA drives use their own specific cables and are not
interchangeable. PATA's top data transfer speed is not as fast as the newer
SATA drives which are now the standard for most new PC's.

For more info see: http://www.seagate.com/products/interface/pata

JS
 
What is the difference between a PATA and an ATA hard drive?
Click to expand...

Nothing.

The name used to be ATA, the parallel assumed as there was no other
option. Then the Serial ATA drives (SATA) came along and people
started putting the P onto the old ATA to make it clearer.
 
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