西部数据硬盘资料2579-001151(2)

西部数据硬盘资料

WD Hard Drive Interface Guide

Not sure which drive is right for your computer? This guide helps you determine the right type of drive and interface using these three questions:

Which internal drive is the right choice: SATA or PATA?Which internal drive is compatible with my operating system: SATA or PATA?Which external drive interface is the right choice: USB, FireWire®, eSATA, or Gigabit Ethernet?Which internal drive is the right choice: SATA or PATA?

SATA

Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives are quickly becoming the new standard in hard drive technology.

Motherboard manufacturers now include SATA inputs on their boards. Because of their considerably narrower cables, SATA hard drives provide increased airflow and less clutter in the computer system compared to PATA drives. Some older computer system motherboards don’t have SATA ports, but a PCI SATA controller card can be installed to add support for SATA drives. If you don’t know whether your computer has SATA ports on the motherboard, refer to your computer or motherboard documentation or contact the motherboard manufacturer.

PATA

Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA or Parallel ATA) hard drives have been the standard in the computer industry for more than 10 years. Some newer computer system motherboards don’t have PATA ports, but a PCIPATA controller card can be installed to add support for PATA drives. If you don’t know whether your computer has PATA ports on the motherboard, refer to your computer or motherboard documentation or contact the motherboard manufacturer.

Maximum data transfer rate

Devices per cable

Jumper block150MB/s or 300MB/sOne8-pin (no Master/Slave settings)100MB/sTwo10-pin (single, Master, Slave, and cable select (CSEL) settings)

Which internal drive is compatible with my operating system: SATA or PATA?Your operating system, as well as your hardware, must support the hard drive you choose: Operating System

Windows® VistaTM

Mac® OS X

WD SATA Hard Drive CompatibilityWD PATA Hard Drive CompatibilityCompatibility may vary depending on the user’s hardware configuration and operating system.Other helpful information is available in the WD Knowledge Base at :

What issues should I be concerned about when using a drive larger than 137GB? (Answer ID533)Are PATA hard drives larger than 137GB supported in Mac systems? (AnswerID927)

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