SATA needs a different power connector than PATA?

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Steve_Oaks

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Dec 17, 2002
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So I just got my first SATA drive from the Egg and it appears as though it uses a different power connecter than PATA. Is there by chance an adapter I can purchase or do I now need a new power supply?
 
Yeah this is the good old OEM unit. Packing peanuts, anti-static bag, piece of tape and the hard drive. :D
 
Steve_Oaks said:
Yeah this is the good old OEM unit. Packing peanuts, anti-static bag, piece of tape and the hard drive. :D
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You sure your PSU doesn't have a SATA power connector lurking somewhere? Most made within the past couple of years have a good chance of having at least one.

Anyway yeah adaptors are a dime a dozen, can probably pick one up on ythe cheap from your average online retailer. Retail stores like Best Buy should carry them as well...
 
Blue Falcon said:
You sure your PSU doesn't have a SATA power connector lurking somewhere? Most made within the past couple of years have a good chance of having at least one.

Anyway yeah adaptors are a dime a dozen, can probably pick one up on ythe cheap from your average online retailer. Retail stores like Best Buy should carry them as well...
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Built the PC about three years ago. I would not go any less than a Seagate hard drive, this cost me getting SATA at the time. So as it happens this is my first SATA drive. And the crappy PSU does not have a Molex plug. I checked every wire coming out of it.
Best Buy sell the darn connector for $16! Comp USA does not even list one on their site, and after many instances of calling retail to check on an item, and getting bogus info, I no longer do that anymore. I found a great little site that sells SATA connectors and cables. I payed about 1.50 for a connectore (i bought a secondary at that great price) a like $6 for shipping. So I will be out my new HD (yes it is seagate) for another three bussiness days :mad:
The happy part of this story is that the drive this is replacing did not completely fail (did I mention this is my third WD that has failed while my first seagate just keeps on tickin'?) before I was able to recover its contents.

Thanks all!
 
You dont have to use a sata power connector, a regular molex one will do just fine.
 
hity645 said:
You dont have to use a sata power connector, a regular molex one will do just fine.
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how do you suggest fitting a normal molex onto a sata drive? What size hammer do you use, or are you suggesting hardwiring and a soldering iron? :D

OP needs a molex-> SATA dongle.
 
Bullitt said:
how do you suggest fitting a normal molex onto a sata drive? What size hammer do you use, or are you suggesting hardwiring and a soldering iron? :D

OP needs a molex-> SATA dongle.
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Quite a few SATA drives have power connections for the sata power and the molex one. Though in this case because he is asking I am guessing the drive doesn't have both.
 
I'd have to say the one's with both are in the definite minority. Besides for the hot-swap ability, you really want a sata power connector and not the molex.
 
Too late now but compusa does sell the power adapters. I think they are like 8 or 9 bucks. The nice thing about the sata power connectors is that the notebook sata drives use the same plug. A true sata power connector also has a new voltage going to the jack but none of the currect drives need it. They just use the 12 and 5 volt.
 
Bullitt said:
how do you suggest fitting a normal molex onto a sata drive? What size hammer do you use, or are you suggesting hardwiring and a soldering iron? :D

OP needs a molex-> SATA dongle.
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Every sata drive Ive bought has had both sata and molex. I used to assume the molex was there just to weed out old parts, and used the sata exclusively. Then I ran outta sata and tried the molex, worked fine. I didn't know drives shipped with just sata, my new 400gb drive has both.
 
drizzt81 said:
all wd drives have both. obviously not the OP's drive.
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Yea prob a seagate drive. I want to say maxtor branded drives have the molex connector. Samsung may not have it anymore too. Not sure about the others.
 
swatbat said:
Yea prob a seagate drive. I want to say maxtor branded drives have the molex connector. Samsung may not have it anymore too. Not sure about the others.
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even my p80s did not have a molex anymore.
 
swatbat said:
Yea prob a seagate drive. I want to say maxtor branded drives have the molex connector. Samsung may not have it anymore too. Not sure about the others.
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My Maxline IIIs don't have molex either.

 
unhappy_mage said:
My Maxline IIIs don't have molex either.

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Good to know. Most of the time when I order a sata drive I end up ordering a power adapter just in case. I have like 5 or 6 sitting around right now.....
 
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