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Thread: Should I make the switch to SATA?

  1. #1
    Anodized
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    Default Should I make the switch to SATA?

    Whats up everyone, I just put together my first real computer build but I used some Pata hdds I had around the house to reduce cost. Now I've got a bit of money to spend again and I'm wondering if I should switch my OS drive to a Sata drive. Would this make a noticeable performance improvement or would another gig of ram be a better option?

    Here is my current setup:







    Oh and I'm running WinXP 32bit, thanks in reading!

    EDIT: Almost forgot, the ram I bought said it was 1066 (PC2 8500) but it seems to be showing something different, whats that about? Here's the ram I bought: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231144

  2. #2
    Ceann na Drochaide Bige! XcOM's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I make the switch to SATA?

    your memory modules are 1066 (PC2 8500) the EPP#1 reading is 533MHz running in DDR2 which is 1066 effective.

    as for the SATA vs PATA argument, yes SATA is much faster and easier to setup than PATA (Even though i've never had any problems with PATA personally, but i do know people that have problems regarding master/slave/primary/secondary)

    As for peformance, check your task manager, if your not using all your memory, then don't bother upgrading, you get to a point where adding more memory dosen't work as you will just have more memory to spare,

    I have 4GB and never seen it go over 2.8GB but then i was gaming, encoding a video for mobile using FFMPEG and encoding a dvd!

    If your not using all your ram i would recommend getting two SATA drives, the same size, order them together to get them close as possable for the batch No.s, and RAID them in RAID0, if you can afford it get 4 and do RAID0+1 then you get backup support.

    Personally i use 2 drives in RAID0 and a third drive which has a backup image for norton ghost based upon the raid, so i can rebuild it without having two wasted drives.


    Mary had a little lamb. It bumped into a pylon. Ten thousand volts went up its arse and turned its wool to nylon!

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Should I make the switch to SATA?

    I have an old 10K RPM SCSI drive sitting around, would that make any difference if I threw my OS on there? Of course I would have to fins an adapter first and hope the drive still works lol.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Should I make the switch to SATA?

    Depend on what model SCSI drive it is.

    Yes a good SATA drive would be well worth it. I recommend a WD 320GB Blue (AAKS models), WD 640GB black, WD 1TB Black, Seagate 7200.12 500GB or 1TB drives. These are the fastest drives out there available to regular customers (regular price).

    Also, your RAM currently runs at 800MHz (see Memory tab in CPUZ), you will have to go in BIOS and make it run at 1066MHz.

  5. #5
    Will YOU be ready when the zombies rise? x88x's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I make the switch to SATA?

    A new, performance SATA drive will most likely outperform an old SCSI drive, and will definitely give you a huge boost over the old IDE. I would recommed the 1TB Samsung SpinPoint F3. It is currently the highest performing sub-2TB drive on the market, consistently outperforming the 300GB Velociraptors. (So, yes, it'll outferform the WD Black and 7200.12 drives too )
    That we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.
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  6. #6
    One Eye, Sixteen Cores. Kayin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I make the switch to SATA?

    You could always switch to SAS...
    Project:Mithril, sponsored by Petra's Tech Shop and Sidewinder Computers-MOTM Nominee October '08




  7. #7
    Ceann na Drochaide Bige! XcOM's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I make the switch to SATA?

    Quote Originally Posted by x88x View Post
    A new, performance SATA drive will most likely outperform an old SCSI drive.....
    i beg to differ, SCSI drive are still faster than SATA is most tests, hence why there are now SAS drives comming to life, these are SCSI drives with SATA interfaces.

    SCSI Vs. SATA WD Raptor

    SCSI's will last longer, out peform SATA and if you really shell out and go for the mega stupiod powerful SCSI Ultra 4's with a dedicated Adaptec card you can get blistering speeds.

    I admit the price you pay for this is stupid,

    bit in context, if you have a SCSI drive already i would recommend using that, a controller card isn't that expencive.

    Personally i love scsi, it really freeks people out when you show them a MASSIVE ribbon cable thats stupid length and had 15 drives attached to it!


    Mary had a little lamb. It bumped into a pylon. Ten thousand volts went up its arse and turned its wool to nylon!

  8. #8
    Will YOU be ready when the zombies rise? x88x's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I make the switch to SATA?

    You are definitely correct, XcOM, that SCSI can be faster than SATA. My point was that an old SCSI drive is likely going to be slower than a new performance SATA drive. The performance of platter HDDs decreases over time, due to wear on the components, so two drives identical on paper, one brand new and one that has been in use for a year, the new one will outperform the old one.

    There is also more to consider than just the max speed of the interface, and the max throughput speeds for SAS are actually identical to those of SATA (since you mention SAS). For example, SCSI-320 may have a max throughput of 320MBps versus SATAII's 384MBps*, neither matters if the drive can't read or write at those speeds. Which, to my knowledge, no platter HDD can top 1Gbps (128MBps) yet, so the point is rather moot, but anyways...
    A SCSI drive might be spinning a lot faster and have a faster IO chip, but if the platter density of the drive is enough lower, it won't matter. Considering that the 10,000 RPM SCSI drive in question is considered 'old', I would guess that it is at least 2-3 years old. At that time, assuming a 3.5" drive, the platters in the drive are probably around 200-300GB, max. Even given the higher rotational speed, it will take the drive longer to read a given amount of data off a 300GB platter than it will a 500GB platter**. Other significant factors that affect drive performance (assuming no wear) are seek time, drive IO (ie, the rate that the IO chip on the drive can relay data between the heads and the controller), and controller IO. IDK about the first two, but the third is definitely an area that SCSI will offer an edge (unless you want to blow $200+ on a great SATA/SAS controller card).


    * SATAII = 3.0 Gbps = 3*1024*1024*1024 = 3,221,225,472 bps /8 = 402,653,184 Bps /1024/1024 = 384 MBps

    ** Current 500GB platter HDDs on the market are:
    Samsung F3 line
    All 1.5TB and 2TB drives
    If anyone knows of any sub-1.5TB 500GB platter drives other than the F3's, I would love to know, but to my knowledge, the F3's are the only ones that exist on the market atm.

    ..sorry if that was a bit of a rant..

    EDIT:
    I just found out that the 1TB Seagate 7200.12 also has 500GB platters. Looks like the F3 still outperforms it though.
    That we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.
    --Benjamin Franklin
    TBCS 5TB Club :: coilgun :: bench PSU :: mightyMite :: Zeus :: E15 Magna EV

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Should I make the switch to SATA?

    Thanks for the info everyone, I'll keep my eyes open for a good deal on a sata hdd or two.

  10. #10
    Ceann na Drochaide Bige! XcOM's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I make the switch to SATA?

    for the money, any SATA drive will do, SCSI is vastly overpriced, and in todays world, most people won't see any peformance difference between a super dooper SATA and a general SATA, not until you get the raptors and stuff, and even then thats only when your doing really IO intencive work.

    Any 320+GB hdd will do ok.

    @x88x:
    Your correct, old drives will wear down and generally lose peformance over time, SCSI drives tend to have a longer period before they start to suffer from this, i agree that yes a new SCSI vs SATA : SCSI would win, just like old SCSI vs new SATA : SATA would win.

    I enjoy this sort of disscussion, its not flaming or ranting, its very invigerating (Spelling)
    +rep x88x


    Mary had a little lamb. It bumped into a pylon. Ten thousand volts went up its arse and turned its wool to nylon!

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