Can SATA 6.0 replace SATA 1.5 HD?

[jiroband]

I am going to recycle my old Dell desktop computer from 2004 to use as an emergency back-up computer. It has a Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 (ST380013AS) HD that I want to replace, and then reinstall Windows XP. The old HD is SATA 1.5 Gb/s. Can I replace it with a Western Digital WD Blue (WD5000AAKX) SATA 6.0Gb/s? Will the old motherboard and hardware - and Windows XP - recognize this new drive? Will the new HD be recognized, but not operate at its rated potential? Any other suggestions for an inexpensive replacement HD for this system?

Thanks!

 

[COLGeek]

Yes, it should work just fine in the older system.

 

[John_VanKirk]

Hello,

Can't comment on your MB and hardware since you didn't mention their model numbers or the Dell Model.

The WD 500GB AAKX is backward compatable with the SATA 1.5 Gb/s controllers. Should be no problem. It will transfer data at the slower rate.

Some of the WD SATA 3 Gb/s drives need to be jumpered pins 5-6 to put them in 1.5 Gb/s mode, but there is no mention of the SATA III drives requiring a compatability jumpered mode.

 

[k1114]

I've never heard of a sata hdd having backwards compatibility issues. It will not be slower. 1.5Gb/s = 192MB/s, I have that same model aakx and it tops out at ~120 MB/s (using sata 3 [6Gb/s] connection). Other 500gb 7200rpm hdds will be similar speeds.

 

[fzabkar]

If your old system has a VIA VT8237 SATA controller, for example, then it will not play with a 3Gbps or 6Gbps HDD unless that HDD can be restricted, either via jumper or firmware, to a SATA interface rate of 1.5Gbps.

 

[John_VanKirk]

Here is the WD Blue info sheet and clicking on the jumper settings shows you the WD ones requiring a jumper to run at 1.5 Gb/s.

http://support.wdc.com/product/install.asp?groupid=606&lang=en They list it as OPT1.

 

[jiroband]

Thanks so much for your suggestions, everyone!

 

[unreal9400]

Yes