Adding SATA to "old" computer

[tromba]

I've been searching and reading here for a while and can't quite find this problem.... I've got an "old" Gateway (2.53 mhz machine) that doesn't have SATA connectors on the MB. I've got IDE and scsi, but it boots from the IDE. I'm getting a new drive and want to get an SATA drive, since I can use it on my next machine.

To get a SATA drive in the machine, I assume I can get a PCI controller card. I'm familiar with SCSI and know that if I wanted to boot from an added SCSI drive, I'd need a SCSI card with a bios.

I could just add an SATA card and add this SATA drive as an extra, but it would fit in the case better to replace the IDE it's now booting from.

So, is it possible to boot from an SATA drive that's added from a controller card and what card does it take to do this?

 

[angry_ducky]

I just read THIS ARTICLE about SATA on Wikipedia. It says, near the end, "It is, however, possible to purchase convertors that attach to the rear of the SATA hard disk and will allow it to function as an IDE drive."

It also says, "SATA drives may be plugged into Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) controllers and communicate on the same physical cable as native SAS disks." But since you don't have an SAS controller, this defies the purpose.

 

[qwertycopter]

So, is it possible to boot from an SATA drive that's added from a controller card and what card does it take to do this?

Yes, you should easily be able to boot from a SATA drive attached via a SATA adapter. These adapters are generally plug-and-play unless you intend to use them for a RAID. Search newegg for "SATA adapter" (example )

 

[dougie_boy]

I've got an "old" Gateway (2.53 mhz machine)

thats pretty fucking slow...

anyhow. depending on the card i cant see why not. that and the boot up options in ur MB bios. those are what u need to find out. sata controllers are pretty nifty. get a sata2 card tho. faster.

 

[tromba]

Yes, you should easily be able to boot from a SATA drive attached via a SATA adapter. These adapters are generally plug-and-play unless you intend to use them for a RAID. Search newegg for "SATA adapter" (example )

So a card like this one, one added, will show up in bios as once I can select to boot from?

 

[angry_ducky]

I've got an "old" Gateway (2.53 mhz machine)

thats pretty ****** slow...

Yes, indeed, it is. I didn't know that Gateway was around during the days of 2.53MHz CPUs.

He probably means a 2.53GHz P4 or Celery, which is an old CPU, but more than enough for typing documents and watching pr0n. I'm typing this on a P4 1.6 with 768MB DDR266 and a GF2. It won't play Oblivion at 1600x1200 max detail (it won't run it at all, actually), but it's great for normal computing and it beats not having a computer (my POS is broken).

 

[tromba]

I didn't know that Gateway was around during the days of 2.53MHz CPUs.

I guess that could have been a mis-typed "G"... (and I'm watching TV at the same time and not good light on the keyboard....

He probably means a 2.53GHz P4

Yep, that's the one....

 

[qwertycopter]

So a card like this one, one added, will show up in bios as once I can select to boot from?

Yes, but shop around, read reviews. Find what you need.

 

[tromba]

Yes, but shop around, read reviews. Find what you need.

I've been doing that -- not a simple task. There's drives with good prices that are SATA-300, and lots of controllers aren't. Searches often bring up hundreds of items and it's been hard to wade through it all. I don't necessarily want RAID, and it's been real time consuming shopping around. Still at it.

Anyone have recommendations for SATA-300 card that isn't so cheap it'll have problems?

 

[Hawkeye22]

If you're not planning on running raid, a SATA-150 should be fine as no single drive can even reach those speeds. A SATA-300 drive can run at 150 with no problems. Later when you do get a new mobo, you can get one that comes with a SATA-300 controller and drop the drives in.