What is a Sata Hard Drive?

Hard drives using SATA connectors are the next generation in hard drive technology and should replace hard drives using EIDE connectors within the next few years. SATA hard drives are the same size and shape as EIDE hard drives and are installed in exactly the same way with one big difference: one SATA port connects to one SATA hard drive, so there's no need to deal with the messy master and slave configuration scheme. It is not necessary to set any jumpers, terminators, or other settings on this drive for proper operation.

The jumper block adjacent to the SATA interface connector is for factory use only. With a Serial ATA interface, each disc drive has its own cable that connects directly to a Serial ATA host adapter or a Serial ATA port on your motherboard. Unlike Parallel ATA, there is no master-slave relationship between drives that use a Serial ATA interface.

You can use a Serial ATA drive in the same system with Parallel ATA drives as long as both interfaces are supported on the motherboard or with a host adapter. This makes it easy to add Serial ATA compatibility to your existing system without removing existing Parallel ATA disc drives. A Phillips screwdriver and four 6-32 UNC drive mounting screws.

A Serial ATA interface cable (sold separately). Maximum length is 39 inches (1 meter).