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    Still no available SATA to IDE converters/adapters for laptops?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Creutz, Feb 18, 2010.

  1. Creutz

    Creutz Newbie

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    Hi,

    I've browsed through this forum (and other forums) and seen threads from a year or two ago about SATA to IDE converters for laptops. In none of those old threads have I read about anyone having used a converter/adapter.

    It's now 2010 and I was wondering if someone (or someone you know) had already found and tried a converter/adapter? I have a laptop that only takes IDE HDs. I'll be replacing it next year but really need space for the 10-12 months that I'll still be using it. I have an unused SATA HD (I'm not planning to use it as an external HD because I'm already using two other external HDs for storage/backup) that I'd like to use for now with my laptop.

    The converter/adapter from cooldrives.com was mentioned a lot in this forum and other forums but haven't come across anyone who has actually tried it.

    Thank you.
     
    Creutz, Feb 18, 2010
    #1
  2. leslieann

    leslieann Notebook Deity

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    Even if you find one, is there room in the laptop to fit it?
    I have several laptops around the house, some working, some not, and I don't think a single one has enough room for an adapter to fit in there.

    You need to expect at least 1/4in of space to slide the drive away from the connector. Then you need a way to mount it in place.

    Most adapters like this are meant for use in small form factor pc's and such. Not in a laptop.
     
    leslieann, Feb 18, 2010
    #2
  3. K-TRON

    K-TRON Hi, I'm Jimmy Diesel ^_^

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    Why not just upgrade the harddrive to a Samsung HM160HC.
    It is a 160gb 5400rpm drive which is the fastest you can get for the PATA interface.
    It is a cheap drive, you can get it new for around $50-60

    K-TRON
     
    K-TRON, Feb 18, 2010
    #3
  4. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    like K-Tron said ,get the samsung... jsut make sure ur laptop doesn't have a BIOS limit on hard drive space. ....
     
    sean473, Feb 19, 2010
    #4
  5. garetjax

    garetjax NBR Freelance Reviewer NBR Reviewer

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    Why would the BIOS limit hard drive capacity? Wouldn't that be more for the type of OS you're running?
     
    garetjax, Feb 19, 2010
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  6. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    well some laptops in the PATA erra were limited by BIOS to about 120GB.... so those laptops couldn't use the 320GB PATA drives.
     
    sean473, Feb 19, 2010
    #6
  7. garetjax

    garetjax NBR Freelance Reviewer NBR Reviewer

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    Interesting! I didn't know that. Thanks! :)
     
    garetjax, Feb 19, 2010
    #7
  8. User Retired 2

    User Retired 2 Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    You could consider swapping out your optical drive and using a caddy with the sata-to-pata chip on it. See benchmark results. A Scorpio black (SATA) over a sata-to-pata bridge outperforms a HM160HC (PATA) with the combo likely cheaper than purchase of the HM160HC.
     
    User Retired 2, Feb 19, 2010
    #8
  9. jh87

    jh87 Newbie

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    if the space is a problem, how about using a 1.8" SATA drive in the 2.5" IDE drive space? There are some good 1.8" SSD deals recently. There is a long thread here about how to upgrade the 1.8" IDE drive to 1.8" SATA, but I am not sure if it is useful for the 2.5" IDE.
     
    jh87, Mar 5, 2010
    #9
  10. Alex

    Alex Super Moderator

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    Alex, Mar 5, 2010
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