SATA compatibility

mdwaits

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May 27, 2005
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I have a Seagate Barracuda 80 gig. I've filled it up and want to get another HDD. I've lost track of component compatibilities. I've been seeing HDDs that are SATA150. Will I have a problem if my current HDD is SATA100 (i'm assuming since sata had just come out when i built my computer?) Also, what is the difference between barracuda 7200 and new 7200.7? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
 

pat

Expert
Your HDD is IDE, the interface is SATA. this is the same as if you put a CDROM, which is ATA33 on an ATA133 connector. It works! Hurray! You are assuming, and lacking of information. This is dangerous! Never assume if you dont know! Start to learn, then you wont have to assume. So, for your information, SATA interface support bus speed up to 150MB/s. Anything that plug on the SATA interface and run between 0 and 150 will run at the maximum speed the HDD can get. If the HDD, in the future, go faster than 150, then it wont run faster than 150, limited by the SATA interface. IDE drive, either SATA or P-ATA run at about 60MB/s.

Diff between the 7200 and 7200.7? well, 7200.7-7200=0.7... of course, more information can be found on Seagate web site, or by using google, which I wont do for you.

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jim552

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May 1, 2003
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We will start with the "simpler answers" and then progress from there.

">Will I have a problem if my current HDD is SATA100"

SATA as IDE is designed to be backword compatible. Of course in ALL CASES this does not work, but I have installed SATA in extensively varying conditions and equipment since their release and have found no significant compatibility issues.

">what is the difference between barracuda 7200 and new 7200.7?"

The ".x" that occurs in Seagate Model Names is an indication of the generation that drive is a member of. Barracuda drives have been around for some time, and have gone through several generations and that number is just a way of indicating that.

Specific differences between the generations have to be researched.

Basically, a bigger number is better.

THIS NUMBER HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ROTATIONAL SPEED. Any speed increased achieved is specific to what that particular generation brings to the table.

">Will I have a problem if my current HDD is SATA100"

Well I KNOW that your current hard drive is NOT "SATA100" as that has never existed.

It is furthermore doubtful that it is "SATA-150", but it is possible as the Barracuda family spans multiple interfaces.

Most likely your hard drive is using the regular old IDE interface everyone was used to. Probably the ATA-100 specification.

Any new drive that you would get could keep with the IDE standard, or you could just go to SATA. I, personally, am a big fan of SATA and put those in whenever I can. (Mostly for the purpose of pushing the technology for future benefit.)

The best way is for you to determine the model number of your hard drive go to the Seagate site and plug it into the search.

The information on the Seagate site will explain the interface type and just match it.

For additional clarification,
Since 1989 when the "IDE/ATA" specification was officially adopted it has been consistently referred to as "IDE".

Based upon "common usage of the last 10+ years" "IDE" is understood to be referencing the "IDE/ATA Specification"

"PATA", often seen as "P-ATA" as well, is a rather new monicker that has been formulated and, I would assume, patterned after the "SATA" thing.

"PATA" is what is commonly referred to as "IDE".

"P" stands for "parallel", and "S" stands for "serial".

The "ATA" is the shared portion of the standards in question that is essentially the programatic interface. "ATA" stands for "Advanced Technology Attachment".

Then "IDE" was first implemented there was only one type so most likely for the sake of simplicity people just stuck with one name.

Now that is changing, and so are some of the common names.