Serial ATA hard drives: a question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ralph Alvy
  • Start date Start date
R

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?
 
Ralph said:
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?
Click to expand...

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

They're basically two different physical connection methods.
From what I can read online, SATA seems
to be preferred by people right now.
Click to expand...

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?
Click to expand...

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?
Click to expand...

Yep, if it wont take SATA drives currently.
 
Rod said:
Nope, if your current system wont accept SATA drives, it aint that easy.


Yep, if it wont take SATA drives currently.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the useful info. To the point, as usual.
 
Folkert said:
Thanks for telling us that your question was merely meant to glorify
Roddy.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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
 
Shailesh said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Ralph Alvy said:
It wasn't meant to glorify anyone.
Click to expand...
I simply like to thank those who give me the information I need.
Click to expand...

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.
Click to expand...

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