IDE Hard drive with Dell MB using ATA

[GTT1]

I have ordered Dell system and would like to add my Seagate 250G Barracuda 7200.10 - 7200rpm - 16Mb Cache IDE Hard Drive to it.

Would I use something like this
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1070704&CatId=508


Will it work just as well as an SATA drive? Am I better off trying to sell my IDE and buying a new SATA HD, if so any idea what my used drive would bring?

[KorruptioN]

If it's a brand-new Dell, it may not have PATA ports.

[willy]

You can always 'externalize' it ... Buy an external HD enclosure to house your IDE HD.

[GTT1]

If it's a brand-new Dell, it may not have PATA ports.

By PATA port I assume you mean the standard IDE port. I am assuming they don't thats why I am wondering if the Sabrent SBT-RDIT Silicon Image Ultra ATA 100/133 IDE RAID PCI Controller Card I linked to would solve that?

Thanks Willy I already have an external USB enclosure but to clumsy for use as anything but backup, desk space is limited.

[KorruptioN]

oh. yeah.

[gman]

Usually, there will be a PATA interface because that is what your DVD/CD drive connects to. However, you may need to replace the PATA cable and the PATA hard disk performance may be slow down by the DVD/CD drive.

In addition, I would worry about you cannot probably put an extra hard drive into Dell's case.

[Fahrenheit]

Usually, there will be a PATA interface because that is what your DVD/CD drive connects to. However, you may need to replace the PATA cable and the PATA hard disk performance may be slow down by the DVD/CD drive.

AFAIK, most current shipping Dells do not have a PATA controller as SATA optical drives shipped with the systems now.

[KorruptioN]

In addition, I would worry about you cannot probably put an extra hard drive into Dell's case.

I am pretty sure Dell provides you with an empty drive bay for an extra hard disk.

[GTT1]

I am pretty sure Dell provides you with an empty drive bay for an extra hard disk.

There is lots of room
http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/vostrodt_200mt?c=ca&cs=cabsdt1&l=en&s=bsd

Vostro 200 Mini Tower
Externally Accessible
Video: 1 DVI, VGA and 1 S-Video (with add-in PCI-Express video card)
USB: 10 USB Ports (4 front, 4 back, 2 internal)
Audio: Six back-panel connectors for line-in, line-out, microphone, rear surround, side surround, two front-panel connectors for headphones/microphone, integrated 7.1 channel sound
Network: Integrated 10/100 network interface
56k PCI Data Fax Modem (optional)

Expansion Slots
PCI: 2 Slots
PCIe x1: 1 Slot
PCIe x16 (Graphics): 1 Slots

Chassis
300 Watt DC Power Supply
3.5" Bays: 3 bays (one external; two internal)
5.25" Bays: 2 bays
Memory DIMM slots: 4 available

Dell has had some terrific deals, just grabbed this system for $359.00 plus tax. DEAD NOW, but another seems to come every week

PROCESSOR Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Processor E2140 (1.60GHz, 1MB L2 Cache,English
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows XP Home,English
MEMORY 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz - 2DIMMs
HARD DRIVE 160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
SOUND CARD Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
VIDEO CARD Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3100
OPTICAL DRIVE Single Drive: 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
MONITOR No Monitor

[max88]

Usually, there will be a PATA interface because that is what your DVD/CD drive connects to. However, you may need to replace the PATA cable and the PATA hard disk performance may be slow down by the DVD/CD drive.

In addition, I would worry about you cannot probably put an extra hard drive into Dell's case.

I am pretty sure Dell provides you with an empty drive bay for an extra hard disk.

All Dell mini towers or larger can hold at least two internal hard drivers and two internal optical drives. However its slim desktops can hold only one internal hard drive and one internal optical drive.

An IDE controller would be a better choice, the hard drive bay is to far away from optical drive bays to share the only IDE cable. Unless hard drive is mounted to the empty optical drive bay with help of 5.25" brackets.
http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=002778&cid=IO.524

[GTT1]

MAX88

Thanks for that link any idea how that card would compare to the one in my first post?
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1070704&CatId=508

[max88]

I have not used any of the cards, but would choose the Sabrent one from tigerdirect for its smaller size.

[rogeryen]

Just got the Vostro 200, the problem is that the power supply doesn't have 4-pins either, but the MB does have an ATA port, and the DVD-RW is using SATA as well. What can I do to get around the power problem though? Thanks for answering.

[crimsona]

Way better off just trying to trade off the 250 IDE for a 250 SATA

Otherwise, sell off the 250 and buy a new SATA drive - that price difference is likely to be less than the cost of a controller + power adaptors

[Snowy]

Thought I'd look in monoprice.com since they usually do cheep cables/adaptors

And well never used it but how about this??
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10407&cs_id=1040701&p_id=2663&seq=1&format=2&style=

Assuming you have a connector in there for a floppy disk drive that is?? :)

IDE is faster than SATA on small file transfers I wonder if connecting it to a SATA port slows it down????

[rogeryen]

Way better off just trying to trade off the 250 IDE for a 250 SATA

Otherwise, sell off the 250 and buy a new SATA drive - that price difference is likely to be less than the cost of a controller + power adaptors

Thanks for all the replies!!!
Yeah, it is actually the floppy port not an ATA port...

Mine's a 160G+80G IDE...how likely possible is it to trade an IDE for SATA, on BST I guess??

[nightwolf]

Assuming you have a connector in there for a floppy disk drive that is?? :)

the floppy power plug is to power the SATA adapter, it will not power the hard drive also, still requires a power plug for the drive.

[Snowy]

the floppy power plug is to power the SATA adapter, it will not power the hard drive also, still requires a power plug for the drive.
Oops my bad I think your right still need drive power still it seems a cheep way to do things :)
Weird I cannot find a SATA to Molex power converter :(

[rogeryen]

Oops my bad I think your right still need drive power still it seems a cheep way to do things :)
Weird I cannot find a SATA to Molex power converter :(

Yeah everywhere I searched they have all the 4pin to SATA connector but not the other way around! :(

[crimsona]

Thanks for all the replies!!!
Yeah, it is actually the floppy port not an ATA port...

Mine's a 160G+80G IDE...how likely possible is it to trade an IDE for SATA, on BST I guess??

1 physical drive or 2 drives?

If 1 drive, doable, if 2, hard. But makes it easier to sell.

I sold my 120 Gig IBM (deathstar for everybody else, rock solid for me for 5 years) for $35 on Craigslist Vancouver a week ago, had 2 buyers lined up in case one flaked.

An 80 gig might go for 20-25, and a 160 gig might go for 35-40.

That'll pay for most of a brand new SATA drive, plus you get new warranties

[rogeryen]

1 physical drive or 2 drives?

If 1 drive, doable, if 2, hard. But makes it easier to sell.

I sold my 120 Gig IBM (deathstar for everybody else, rock solid for me for 5 years) for $35 on Craigslist Vancouver a week ago, had 2 buyers lined up in case one flaked.

An 80 gig might go for 20-25, and a 160 gig might go for 35-40.

That'll pay for most of a brand new SATA drive, plus you get new warranties
unfortunately, I have 2 physical drives, but I just posted on BST hoping to trade the two of them for one 160G SATA, would that be easier?
And yeah, selling 80G for 20 and 160 for 40....hope I can get the trade instead...