HD Adaptor?

  • Thread starter Thread starter LMO
  • Start date Start date
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LMO

Hi all. New here. I just got a new hand built system with a 160GB drive. I
was going to add my older Maxtor 30 GB AT drive, but the data plug on the
new drive is smaller than the older Maxtor drive. Not sure what type the new
drive is, but System Info lists it as Samsung SP1604N. Is there any way to
use the older drive in this system? Maybe some kide of adapter or something
to make the plug fit? I already have a CDRW and a DVD-RW on the other side,
so assume I can still ad one more drive (4 drives, right?
Many thanks.
 
LMO said:
Hi all. New here. I just got a new hand built system with a 160GB drive. I
was going to add my older Maxtor 30 GB AT drive, but the data plug on the
new drive is smaller than the older Maxtor drive. Not sure what type the
new drive is, but System Info lists it as Samsung SP1604N. Is there any
way to use the older drive in this system? Maybe some kide of adapter or
something to make the plug fit? I already have a CDRW and a DVD-RW on the
other side, so assume I can still ad one more drive (4 drives, right?
Many thanks.
Click to expand...

http://www.mittoni.com.au/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/1383
 
Hi all. New here. I just got a new hand built system with a 160GB drive. I
was going to add my older Maxtor 30 GB AT drive, but the data plug on the
new drive is smaller than the older Maxtor drive. Not sure what type the new
drive is, but System Info lists it as Samsung SP1604N. Is there any way to
use the older drive in this system? Maybe some kide of adapter or something
to make the plug fit? I already have a CDRW and a DVD-RW on the other side,
so assume I can still ad one more drive (4 drives, right?
Many thanks.
Click to expand...

What motherboard do you have? Itll say when you bootup on screen
usually.

Usually you have two IDE connections that can support two devices per
cable so 2 and 2 = 4 devices. Since you only have two ATAPI devices
the burners - you should have one totally free socket you dont need a
adaptor.

Im assuming your description of the samsung means its SATA the new
interface for that type of harddrive . However I think Ive seen that
your hard drive is a PATA (old style). If it is then that means

Burners on one cable - 2 devices max.
Your samsung on the other and you can add the other hard drive which
also means you dont need an adaptor.

The only way you need one is if you only have ONE
IDE connector (burners).

And you only have satas left. The first boards had TWO sata
connections. SATAs can only have ONE device per cable. So one would be
used up. Then you would put your old hard drive on the remaining
connection using a different cable.

With sata you use a real slender cable (sata cable) and another power
cable to the harddrive thats also special. Now the hard part is this
is true for a real SATA hard disk but for an adaptor which you would
use in this case it varies.

I bought this one.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...&cs_id=1040701&p_id=327&seq=1&format=2&style=

At the time it was one of the cheapest ones at this same store and it
works great. It uses a sata cable AND a floppy power cable (and the
usual power cable to your HD so two power cables). Be warned that not
everyone gets SATA adaptors to work. Ive used these on a ASUS a7n8x
MB with Maxtors 120 gig, Maxtor 200 gig, WD 200 gig, WD 40 gigs in
raid config and havent had any problems.
 
John; thank you for your reply. What is the difference between your
recommendation, and this one:
http://www.mittoni.com.au/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/1383

To me, they look like they do the same thing. Do they? Can I order the
cheaper one and get the same result?
Many thanks.
Click to expand...

Theoretically they are all the same. In real life I dont know since
Ive never seen anyone do a test on various brands with various systems
to see if one was more compatible or not. What Ive seen is ALL of them
seem to have some problems on SOME systems. Before I bought this one
the one I posted --- I looked at ones at newegg etc and they all had
posts from lots of people who had great success with them and a few
people who say they cant get them to work at all on their system. Now
it would be great if at least they isolated the cause --- hard disks ?

I doubt it since with mine Ive used a lot of different disks - brands
and sizes. And I even used the 40 gig WDs in raid config on my sata
controller using the adaptors on my PATA WDs. They all worked.
Well I didnt use a Seagate cause I havent owned one recently.

Controller? I dont know Ive only used them on the one SATA controller
on the ASUS a7n8x deluxe which I think is by Sil Image.

Ive seen the same few complaints of not having them work at all with
expensive and inexpensive units. Actually when I bought them there
were all around the same price around 40-30. Some people were even
selling the ones I posted much higher. It was just that Monoprice.com
was on Ebay selling them real cheap. Thats just the way it was --- the
same thing with Promise Raid controller cards etc. Youd see the same
card sold online etc for $40-50 and at a few cheap dealers for $15 and
on ebay for around that much by the cheaper dealers. So it wasnt a
reflection on the quality of the units.

I would say from the posts Ive seen -- when you get them you are
gambling but its a small gamble, A few people seem to have problems
with them and I dont know what the factors at play there. All I know
is Ive had 100% success. Havent tried ANY ATAPI devices though.
Ive posted before that Ive never had good luck with ATAPI devices on
the add on controllers period - even when they werent SATA . Other
claim theyve had success -- not with SATA+converters but ATAPI on an
ADD ON second regular IDE controller - which I havent had good success
with.

Your best bet is to get it from some place you can return them easily
but it seems as if the risk is small. I would be pissed off though if
I had paid $25-40 each and they didnt work !
 
John; thank you for your reply. What is the difference between your
recommendation, and this one:
http://www.mittoni.com.au/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/1383

To me, they look like they do the same thing. Do they? Can I order the
cheaper one and get the same result?
Many thanks.
Click to expand...

If you don't have a free IDE connector you might consider a
PCI SATA controller card rather than the adapter... they're
not much if any more expensive and would also allow more
drives, including making it easier to use a cable routed out
the back of the system for an external drive.
 
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