Hi, havn't built a computer for a while and have just got a new motherboard. To connect the hard drive do I use both the serial ATA connector AND the IDE connector? or does the ATA connector replace IDE? Thanks, Mark
The SATA connector is to be used on its own. Though I believe you can hook up both a SATA drive (using the SATA plugs on the motherboard) and a standard IDE drive using the conventional IDE ribbon leads. You dont need both leads for one drive though. Note that ATA is a synonym of IDE. Just like UDMA and Adapti is. Your new lead is serial ATA, hence SATA. The old IDE drives were parallel ATA, hence PATA. SATA is marginally faster. SATA is basically ATA-7 whilst PATA is ATA-1, ATA-2 etc. Its the same for DMA. DMA5 is ATA100 or ATA-6. Thats where the synonym comes from. EIDE came in around ATA-4 I think. The new thin lead is generally called the SATA lead and the old ribbon cables IDE. I dont know if thats the proper official naming but its what most people use.
As you can see that Zeus has explained you most of the bit but there are some points that I wants to point out as well.... 1. That connector and cable will depend on the HDD. If its SATA then you have to Buy/attatch Sata Cable or vice a versa. 2. Before buying anything make sure that your motherboard supports it because there are lots of thigs that have been changed in the computers from time to time. 3. You dont have to set pins in the SATA HDD and selection of master drive will be done from your BIOS if you attatch more than one. Its just from where you select the boot device...
Wait up just a second. Are you referring to the data cable or the power cable? As already mentioned, the data cable will determine the connection. For power, if you're given a choice, use one or the other, but not both. Both options are there for convience if you don't have a power supply with SATA power connectors. If you do, make sure to make use of them, since there's no other devices outside of SATA drives that can use those power connectors.
