Power supply cables for SATA harddisk?

[amergin]

Guys just want to ask if there is a way to use existing ide power cables from the psu to connect to a sata drive?
I don't have the black connectors that are supposed to connect to sata drives, only the white ones which connect to ide drives.
Please help, I want to add a sata drive, I have 4 sata ports, one ide that's why I'm opting for a sata but my current psu does not have the black slim type connectors that connect to sata drives.

 

[ricket]

Guys just want to ask if there is a way to use existing ide power cables from the psu to connect to a sata drive?
I don't have the black connectors that are supposed to connect to sata drives, only the white ones which connect to ide drives.
Please help, I want to add a sata drive, I have 4 sata ports, one ide that's why I'm opting for a sata but my current psu does not have the black slim type connectors that connect to sata drives.

you can order an eide/sata power adaptor from a lot of places. the one thing that you have to watch out for is if your sata drive requires 3 volts as the ide power plug doesn't provide it. here is one amazon.com answer: http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SY-CAB40007-Molex-Power-Inches/dp/B0027AGK3M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1263043141&sr=8-1

 

[cjl]

Yep - typically desktop drives do not require 3.3V, but notebook drives do.

 

[amergin]

I've been looking into hard drives at pc stores and the desktop ones have 5v ratings, is this ok.
I've been searching for a good hardrive, westrn digital seems most recommended, Seagate had problems with the 7200.11??
But I've recently seen the Samsung Spinpoint F3 @ 1TB, the reiews are very good, anyone here using this drive?

 

[cjl]

5V is fine, yes. The adapter will provide both 12 and 5.5V, which should be adequate for nearly any desktop drive.

As for brands, WD is good, Seagate's 7200.12s are good (avoid the .11s though, as you figured out), and the Spinpoint F3s are quite good as well.