Difference between Hitachi 100GB/7200 SATA & ATA interfa

[Delmarco]

I'm shopping around on eBay and the internet for the Hitachi Travelstar 100GB at 7200rpm drive for my T41 and I noticed that there are actually a ATA and a SATA interface for the same exact drive.

The sellers aren't specifying the importance of the differences. But I noticed that the forum members here praise the SATA interface and that the SATA costs more than the ATA.

Hitachi 7K100 100GB (HTS721010G9SA00) this is the SATA.

Hitachi 7K100 100GB (HTS721010G9AT00) this is the ATA

Is there a performance difference between them or is it to do with IBM T4x series compatibiity?

Or it doesn't matter?


thanks guys,
Del.

[Aroc]

The SATA drive requires a SATA controller and a SATA connector. None of the T4x's have the SATA connector. The T43 and T43p have the SATA controller, but instead have a SATA to PATA bridge. So in effect the entire line of T4x's take PATA drives (or plain ATA or ATA6).

To use a SATA drive you'd need one of the Z60's or the new T60's. All other thinkpads use plan ATA drives.

Does this help?

(edit: ) I read your sig. How are you using two PCI slots? Is this via a special docking station? Or have you just confused the PC Card slots with the PCI slots?

[Delmarco]

sorry I meant PCMCIA card sots...

Thanks.
So I need ATA for my T41?

Thanks.
Is ATA lower grade than SATA or inferior to it in any way? I wonder why ATA is always about $50 - $100 cheaper than SATA?

[Aroc]

short answer: No.

longer answer: No, not for the uses that likely comprise the scope of your question.

[Delmarco]

Thanks Aroc.