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Friday, February 5, 2010

One thing we want to do with this blog is to help educate our customers about our products. To that end, we're going to post helpful tips that can help you to pick the right item. For example, in the last year, we have started stocking several hard drive enclosures. While they are fairly simple to use, it's important to buy the right type of enclosure for your hard drive. Do you have a SATA drive or an IDE (also called PATA) hard drive? Here's how to tell.

This is what a SATA hard drive interface looks like. The power and data cable connectors are L-shaped, with flat metal contacts.









An IDE hard drive has round pins in its power and data connectors.

All hard drives require a connection for both power and data. The power connector is what connects the hard drive to the motherboard (or "host") to send data, and the power connector plugs the hard drive into the computer's power supply unit. Some SATA drives will have both types of power connectors: SATA and  Molex (for IDE drives). If your SATA hard drive has both types of power connectors, you only need to connect one or the other, but not both.

Additionally, when using an IDE hard drive in an enclosure, the jumper needs to be set in the Master position on the jumper bank. Your hard drive should have a sticker that shows the jumper bank settings. More info on jumpers can be found in the second list down below. 

Finally, why all the fuss over IDE or SATA? Here's a quick breakdown:

  • SATA stands for Serial ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment).
  • SATA technology is newer and will eventually replace IDE. Currently, we are in a transition period between the two interface types, and that's why some hard drives have both Molex and SATA power connectors. The power connectors must connect to the computer's power supply. Some power supplies are intended for either SATA or IDE, and may not have plugs for both types of connectors. Adapters for power supply plugs are available as well. 
  • The SATA interface transmits data faster than the older IDE type, and uses a smaller cable. Because the cable is less bulky, it promotes more efficient air circulation and cooling in a computer case (always a good thing).
  • SATA drives do not require setting jumpers. Only one drive can be attached to a SATA cable, so there is no need to identify it as a Master (primary) or Slave (secondary drive).

  • IDE stands for Integrated Drive Electronics. Since the introduction of SATA, IDE has also been retroactively named PATA, for Parallel ATA. 
  • IDE technology is older, and is being replaced by SATA.
  • IDE drives use wide, flat cables usually called ribbon cables, which allow up to two drives to be connected to the motherboard (or "host") via one cable. Because two drives can be used with one cable (and thus, one motherboard connector), the drives must be marked as either Master (primary) or Slave (secondary) drives. This is accomplished with jumpers, which are tiny plastic and metal "caps" that fit over jumper pins on the drive itself. When the jumper cap is on, these pins connect a circuit, and allow the host computer to identify the drive as master or slave. Whenever an IDE drive is the only drive present on the cable, its jumper should be set to Master. Also, when you are using an IDE drive in an enclosure, the jumper should be set in the Master position.
  • IDE drives usually have a sticker showing the correct position for the jumper to set it as Master or Slave. If the sticker doesn't show this, you can Google "jumper settings" and the brand and model number of your drive to find out what the settings should be.







by: Shop HDE

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