IDE to SATA connections

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Computer__GUY

Computer__GUY

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Dec 15, 2013
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I am giving a super old computer a new IDE hard drive for a family member. So, hard drives have two cables leading to them, a power cable and data cable. The PSU I am doing this upgrade from only has a spare 4-pin molex connector. If I get a molex to SATA (Not IDE) power connector will that work or do IDE hard drives use a different power cable than SATA. As for the data cable could I use a SATA cable or do IDE hdd use a different data cable as well. Please help I am really confused?!
 
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Sakkura
You're right about powering the HDD using a 4-pin molex power connector. But no, you cannot transfer the data with a SATA cable. You need an IDE (PATA, parallel ATA) cable. They're the old flat ribbon cables (and they kinda suck compared to SATA cables).

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RealBeast

RealBeast

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Sep 13, 2010
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You can use a Molex to SATA power adapter, but the problem will be if the motherboard has a SATA data port or only IDE. In other words, both the power and data connections are different and while you can use an adapter on the power, adapters do not work as well on the data connection. I would try to find an old IDE drive instead if the old drive does not work, something like THIS.

 
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Sakkura

Sakkura

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Aug 22, 2011
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He says he's getting an IDE hard drive, so that should work fine with an old motherboard with IDE ports.

 
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RealBeast

RealBeast

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Sep 13, 2010
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He says that he is really confused, and I think that he needs to clear that up and exactly what he is trying to do before actually doing anything. There would be no purpose to use a Molex to SATA power adapter on an IDE drive, so none of it makes any sense yet.

He needs to work through what he is actually trying to do.

 
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Sakkura

Sakkura

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Aug 22, 2011
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You're right about powering the HDD using a 4-pin molex power connector. But no, you cannot transfer the data with a SATA cable. You need an IDE (PATA, parallel ATA) cable. They're the old flat ribbon cables (and they kinda suck compared to SATA cables).

kSeGzSU.jpg
 
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