[RESOLVED] SATA hard drives in IDE motherboard? ;)

[iPrank]

Is there any way to connect SATA HDD in older (IDE only) motherboards ?

[RobDog888]

Yes, there are converter card available although you will still get a bottle neck with the converter since the PCI socket may limit the data flow.

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=...ff&oi=froogler

[iPrank]

Great ! May be my old system will live a little longer with that.

Right now I desparetly need more RAM and HDD space. But don't have enough money for a complete system upgrade. I think I'll buy a SATA HDD with the converter so that when I upgrade the full system it will work too. (even if they removes IDE slots from newer moterboards).

[RobDog888]

I was looking for mobos today and all that I have seen have had both IDE and SATA sockets. I'm sure it will be a long while before they remove the ATA IDE sockets.

[iPrank]

Thanks.

I'll go for an IDE drive then.

[RobDog888]

But I thought you wanted to use a SATA drive connected to an IDE mobo?

[iPrank]

I just need another HDD for my current system, that I can use in my newer system (when I buy it), by spending minimum amount of money.

I thought if m/b companies stop supporting IDE, my new HDD will become prety much useless and I need to buy another SATA HDD too.

But as you are saying, they will not stop support for IDE in near future, I'll not spend money in the converter. I'll buy an IDE HDD for my current system, and use it in my new system.

If I need SATA for speed, I can always buy it later when I can save money.

[RobDog888]

Ok thats true and a good way to look at it. I just see that SATA drives are so cheap now that it may be just as much to get a SATA drive and converter for the same price as an ATA drive of similar size?[/color]

[iPrank]

No. here,
SATA + Converter >> IDE

Edit: With the price of a 80GB SATA and the converter, you can buy a (almost) 160GB ATA.

[RobDog888]

But the SATA will be faster.

Still, if money is a big issue then go for the IDE. 7200 rpm with 8 mb cache if you can.

[iPrank]

Ya. I'll go for a Baracuda.

[RobDog888]

Thats a Seagate drive?

[iPrank]

Yes. Sorry for the spelling.

Barracuda

[RobDog888]

but its SATA drive.

[iPrank]

Sorry. Link updated.

[RobDog888]

Five year warrenty is great! Do they have a modle like that with 8 mb cache instead of 2? Also look for Ultra ATA/133 as its faster if your board supports it.

[iPrank]

Where do you see the cache info ?
I have found 3 80GB models under 11.5ms seek-time. None of them has cache info.
Datasheet is in the right menu.

http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,716,00.html
http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,614,00.html
http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,581,00.html

Search page: http://www.seagate.com/products/discselect/index.html

[RobDog888]

They dont show it so its probably 2Mbs. I even found the data sheet but its not listed there too.
http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...85,716,00.html

Probably if its more the 2 it will be listed.

[iPrank]

They don't show it for desktop SATA drives either.
http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,645,00.html
http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/...81,587,00.html

[RobDog888]

Maxtor drives do show it.

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/Ma...ktop%20Storage