IDE SATA adapter

[deso]

I'm building a new PC which will have 4 SATA ports on the mobo but only 1 IDE port, which I will use for the DVD Writer. I want to salvage 2 of the hard drives off my old system so I've looked at IDE to SATA adapters, but I'm a bit confused. Some cost around �20 and others are as cheap as 99p. Some suggest they plug into the IDE socket on the mobo(?) and others that they plug into the back of the hard drive itself then into a SATA port on the mobo with the supplied lead. Is anyone using these adapters? Can you tell me what's what, and do they work OK? Thanks

[vehelpfulguy]

I assume the 2 hard drives you want to move to the new PC are IDE.

Well you could buy a new SATA DVD drive (there are plenty of good ones available for less than �20).

That frees up the IDE port on the m'board.

Then you could plug the 2 IDE hard drives into the IDE port on a dual IDE cable.

No need for any IDE to SATA convertors then.

[vehelpfulguy]

btw, for really technical PC questions like yours try this web site (you do have to register):

http://www.micromart.co.uk/

Select Forum on the left, then register for the forums, then see the forum called "System Builders and Upgraders".

Some really techie guys hang out there.

[ACtheTROLL]

The ide port is usualy just that ... and not ultra (uses a 40 way ribbon rather than 80.

this means that it will be quite slow
and will need jumpering (master & slave rather than c/sel

the adapters come on both flavours ... pata>sata and sata>pata the difference in price ... well it could be made up in postage. (�12 is about par)

don't be tempted to mix optical and HDDs on the same chanel either .... you will always run at the speed of the slowest device)

how about a usb enclosure ... you can pay as little as a couple of quid .... and on a disc 160Gb or less the heat factor shouldn't be an issue on the fanless models. if you just use them for odds and ends

this sort of thing
http://www.google.co.uk/products?hl=en-GB&q=us b+hdd+enclosure&scoring=p

if you're not backing up critical data ... good enough