IDE PATA and SATA Drives

[algypalgy]

I didn't realise you could run IDE Pata and Sata hard drives on the same system, until I read this stream, so many thanks.

However,
1) must you run the two drives in a Master/Slave setup
2) If yes, should the Sata drive be the Master?
3)How can you tell whether the Sata controls are SATE 1 or SATA 2
4)I realise from other postings that SATA 2 can be run as SATA 1, but seem a bit of a waste. Is there a way to upgrade your Sata controlers?

Many thanks for any advise given.

Kind regards, algypalgy.

[Chewie]

1.
The IDE drive should be Master, as its going to be the one on the IDE channel.
2/3.
You wont need to have the sata as master, just need to install the raid drivers and follow the setup that should be with your MoBo booklet. If not, it is easy enough to find out how by using google.
Your MoBo booklet will tell you if you have SATA I or II.
Most Motherboards (when bought seperately) come witha floppy disk with RAID drivers on it. If not, your MoBo manufacturer should have them for download on its main website under any support/download options.
4.
SATA II can be run on SATA I board, as all your doing is limiting the theoretical maximum transfer rate from 300mb/s down to 150mb/s.
NOt that you'll ever get 150MB/s at any point. Be lucky if you even get 133 like IDE are maxed at :D

Although it may seem daunting when your not sure what your doing, it is pretty straight forward to install and set up a raid drive.
If you are setting one up as the main OS drive, make sure you have disconnected the curretn IDE drive containing your OS before you begin.
When your installed, you can then go into the bios and set the boot setup to run from the sata, and transfer any files you want over from the IDE drive before using windows to format it. This will give you a drive for all your files such as music/downloads etc which in the event of the main OS drive failing, you wont lose anything :wink:

[algypalgy]

Many thanks, thats seems very precise, and so quick.

Again thankyou, algypalgy

[Chewie]

NP, your welcome :D

[Nox]

There are no drives on the market that break 100MB/s transfer, yet. They are very close though, and there is a newly announced 15k SCSI perpendicular drive that will, but its probably atleast 6 months before its on the shelves.

However, it will limit the transfer from the cache on the HD, not that anyone will notice.

Nox