Serial ATA Adaptor

[NJLOAD]

I?ve tried searching for this and do not do well when looking at pictures. Is there an adaptor that will allow you to connect a Serial ATA hard drive to a regular ATA ribbon? I have a computer I use to test Hard Drives for viruses and with the newer Serial ATA drives, would like to be able to test them also.

Any help or part numbers appreciated.

 

[CalvinHobbes]

You could probably get an SATA PCI card for the price of an adapter. You'll also need an SATA power cable (depending on the drive).

The only adapters I've seen are IDE to SATA not the other way around.

 

[metallibloke]

Link

I think this is what you mean. Its a UK website so its not much good to you, but at least is shows that what you want exists.

EDIT: Oh hang on. The more I look at it, the more I think its for IDE hard drives plugged into a SATA motherboard slot. Cant make up my mind. Sorry if its not what you're after.

 

[NJLOAD]

metallibloke, I saw this site, thus the reason I said I'm not sure looking at pictures in my posting. Yea, I'm not sure if this is what I'm looking for or not. If it comes down to buying an adaptor and cables, that would be fine.

 

[Zepper]

The adapter that meta linked connects a PATA drive to a SATA controller. I've never seen the other way around as it's so cheap for a PCI SATA controller card - less than $20. shipped. It's almost the same price for a PCI PATA controller now so the adapter idea is not longer needed - only those obsessed with airflow would bother now - I'd sooner get round cables.

.b.h.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: Zepper
The adapter that meta linked connects a PATA drive to a SATA controller. I've never seen the other way around as it's so cheap for a PCI SATA controller card - less than $20. shipped. It's almost the same price for a PCI PATA controller now so the adapter idea is not longer needed - only those obsessed with airflow would bother now - I'd sooner get round cables.

.b.h.

They *do* make them (I know there are some older threads asking about them, and I found a couple before), but frankly it's almost easier to just get a PCI SATA controller unless you *really* have to have it on that particular IDE controller.

 

[ribbon13]

Or you get the proper adapter. I've been mulling over getting one to put a WD4000KD in an Xbox for a standard-def content storage/display device

 

[Zepper]

Sorry rib, but that's PATA drive to SATA controller adapter too (note the female 40-pin connector). OP wants other way around.

.bh.

 

[ribbon13]

Oops. Copied the wrong link. But still. There you are. They exist.

 

[Zepper]

Amazing, but still more expensive than a SATA controller. I can't imagine that they sell many - except to those who purchased a nice Plextor SATA burner only to find that their integrated SATA controller was incapable of supporting ATAPI drives and that they lacked an open PCI slot.

.bh.

 

[NJLOAD]

Thanks folks, never thought about PCI SATA controller card, I think I still have an open slot. Looks like the way to go.

 

[NJLOAD]

Just had a thought, once again looking at the pictures, does the adaptor also supply the power and data capabilities, where as the PCI card only supplies the data. If that were the case then you would also need a power cable using the PCI card. Kinda new to the Serial type hard drives.

 

[Zepper]

Many Sata drives still have standard power connectors, some have both SATA and standard power connectors - few have only the SATA style power connector. In any case, you can get an adapter from standard drive power (4-pin Molex) to SATA drive power connector. You should be able to get a SATA power adapter from the same place you get the controller for under $5.00. Few SATA controllers come with the 'Molex to SATA' power adapters or even a full complement of data cables - keeps the price for the card down. If the prices of power adapters and extra data cables are too high at Newegg, check places like Computergate.com for both the controller and the cables and adapters - perhaps the bottom line will be better than at Newegg (for example) which tends to mark cables up a bit much.

.bh.

 

[ribbon13]

Well, if the Plextor PX-760SA still has the same problems, then they're fscking up. The first gen just used the same bridge chip used in most of the IDE-2-SATA adapters (SIL3611) which are compatible with all ATA/UDMA modes (hard drives), but the ATAPI (opticals) support is limited to SIL controllers, and some Intel chipset controllers.

Another example was the one I provided, like an Xbox which only has IDE and no PCI ports. But still, I'll give you applications for such an adapter are esoteric. Maybe on-chipset PATA that's not connected to the PCI bus?

 

[Zepper]

It's a problem with first gen SATA integrated controllers from nVidia, Via, etc - not the Plexy SATA burners. If you were lucky enough to have a SiliconImage SATA chip on your mobo then you were all set (usually added to support a second pair of SATA connectors). Elsewise you had to buy a SI PCI SATA adapter to run your Plexy SATA burner. All SATA II is supposed to support ATAPI.

.bh.