Adapting a SATA Raptor WD360 for an IDE board

shayser

This is an IDE to SATA adapter I'm thinking of getting. Will it connect to a standard power supply? Looks like a floppy connectior. There is an optional power adapter if it doesn't.



However, wikipedia says this:

In 2003, the first incarnation of the Raptor series: the WD360GD.[2] It featured a capacity of 37 GB on a single platter, a Serial ATA interface and was the first ATA drive to operate at a spindle speed of 10,000 revolutions per minute. Like many early SATA drives, the Raptor was not a "real" SATA drive because it was really a PATA drive that used an 88i8030C interface bridge chip from Marvell. However, this fact did not significantly hamper the Raptor's performance. WD360GD raptors do not use the 3.3 V Serial ATA power line. There is no need to use a SATA power connector as it will not be fully utilized.[1]
As is usually the case for hard drives featuring a faster spindle speed, the Raptor outperformed other ATA drives and in some situations was able to even reach the performance of contemporary 10,000 rpm SCSI drives. SCSI drives still outperformed the Raptor in multi-user scenarios, but for high-end home computers it fared very well. For enthusiasts' systems, the Raptor also had the key advantages of low noise and temperature levels compared to similarly performing drives.
All WD360GD drives with Part Number WD360GD-00FNA0 (December 2003) and earlier cannot accept SATA latch cables as the SATA data connector does not have the required rails. So SATA latch cables cannot fit to the connector and only normal cables can be installed...
WD360GD raptors with the marvell 88i8030-TBC PATA to SATA bridge chip such as WD360GD-00FNA0 (December 2003) and earlier, are limited to UDMA 5 transfers. In Linux, "applying bridge limits" is displayed and then it allows transfers up to UDMA\100. In windows they are reported as UDMA 6 but give a burst rate of 104 MB/s while WD360GD with the 88i8030-TBC1 chip are reported as UDMA 6 and give a burst rate of 122 MB/s, close their theoretical limit of UDMA 6. Those raptors limited at UDMA 5 were bought for SATA I 150 MB/s support but they only support the legacy PATA UDMA 5 at 100 MB/s.

CHW

The floppy power connector on the board is to power the board; it has nothing to do with powering the SATA device connected to it. You will still need to supply power to the SATA device in the normal way.

Is this what you're getting at?

Your power supply will need a floppy power connector on it, or use something like a molex>floppy adaptor to get the power to the board.

shayser

Sorry I wasn't so clear. Wondering if I can take power from a standard PSU for this sata adapter.

CHW

If your power supply has a floppy connector on it, then yes, the connection on the board you posted is designed to take this type of connector.

You mention an optional power adaptor - this will probably adapt from either a SATA power connector or 4-pin peripheral power connectors (or Molex) to the floppy connector (or mini-connector); it just changes the shape of the end connector, not any voltages. So you will need to use this adaptor if your power supply is relatively new and hasn't got a mini-connector on it.

Loads of info at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_power_supply

shayser

Great, thanks for putting me straight!

This is the drive:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/sata-hard-drive-a-kick,626-6.html

and the machine it's going into is a few years old and has the psu I need (I think!).

Adder1

shayser wrote: »

Great, thanks for putting me straight!

This is the drive:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/sata-hard-drive-a-kick,626-6.html

and the machine it's going into is a few years old and has the psu I need (I think!).

the connector to the board is usualy supplied with the sata adapter if not they are avaible in maplins. Looking at the drive on the site the molex connector in your computer should plug straight in don`t plug in both types of connectors though as this could damage your drive the molex power connector for the drive is the one with the 4 pins

shayser

Gotcha... adapter OR drive, not both.

CHW

No, I think Adder1 means not to plug two power connections (from your PSU) into your SATA drive.

Setting it up, plug IDE<>SATA board into your motherboard.

Plug floppy power connection (from PSU) into the IDE<>SATA board.

Connect your hard drive to the IDE<>SATA board using a SATA cable.

Connect your hard drive to your PSU using EITHER a SATA power connector OR a molex 4-pin connector (the hard drive you've linked has both options).

shayser

OK

Thanks a lot to the two of yis!

This is my board:

http://uk.shoppydoo.com/price-motherboards-asus_p4s8x_mx.html

It says it has a SATA controller!! But it says RAID. Would this be ok for the single drive.

EDIT: Another listing for the SAME part number gives a different spec

I look at the board tomorrow.

Adder1

Yes this will be okay for single drive just install drivers for sata and you should be fine
if you have service pack 3 this may contain sata drivers already, not sure about this though and yes I did mean not to plug two power connectors into your sata drive as CHW says. Sorry for not making it clearer