IDE And SATA - Help?

[Rambo]

Ok, I have never seen or used a HDD which uses SATA. I have only worked with IDE configured drives... So, I don't quite understand everything...

I've looked at the Hdd 101 and found this under definitions:

Serial ATA, this refers to drives qualifying under the ATA specification (again, essentially non-SCSI drives) and make use of a seven-pin (three ground, four signal) IDE connection.

Does this mean that the SATA cable uses an IDE port? Would this mean that if I was to buy a SATA drive, could I use an IDE cable to connect it to my motherboard (which doesn't have SATA)?

Thanks

 

[apj101]

Does this mean that the SATA cable uses an IDE port? Would this mean that if I was to buy a SATA drive, could I use an IDE cable to connect it to my motherboard (which doesn't have SATA)?

firstly. No

What you are refering to as ide, is infact parallel ata. The term ide is just

This is simply an abbreviation for integrated-drive-electronics which is a physical attachment interface

So both SATA, and PATA are a forms of ide.
You have PATA, SATA uses a different connector.

 

[Rambo]

firstly. No

What you are refering to as ide, is infact parallel ata. The term ide is just

So both SATA, and PATA are a forms of ide.
You have PATA, SATA uses a different connector.

Ok, I understand now. Thanks apj101

EDIT: Quote from Hdd 101: "It is often incorrectly used to describe a specific type of IDE/ATA interface known as Parallal-ATA (see PATA)."

LOL! I get it now!