Difference between SATA and IDE interface?

[wing70301]

Hello all,

I didn't really know where to put this, so I stuck it here. If this is the inappropriate place, please move it to where it needs to be. Moving on...

I have a big question for you guys. I'm looking to buy an external hard drive. At first, I was going to buy the Lacie Rugged HD, but realized that I could buy a 2.5" HD and a 2.5" HD enclosure for much cheaper. However, I've come into a bit of a problem. This is the HD I want to get:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822145113

Notice that the interface is Serial ATA (Found in the column on the right, under specifications). Here's the enclosure I want to get:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817146604

Now, notice that the internal interface of this enclosure is IDE (Found in the column on the right, under specifications).

So my big question is, will this hard drive work with this enclosure? I don't know the difference between IDE and SATA, if there is any, so I'm coming to you guys. Thanks for the help!

 

[Sun Baked]

Sata is Serial.

IDE, ATA, PATA, ect. are Parallel

Just get the PATA version of the drive ... since that seems to be how Macally ships them.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822146200

Edit: don't know if that is the exact drive.

 

[wing70301]

Thanks for the reply, but I'm not exactly sure what PATA is, either. I want to make sure that what I get works, since I'm going to be spending a good chunk of change on it. So please explain to me the whole IDE-SATA-PATA-Whatever deal, please. Thanks a lot!

Edit: Whoops! Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[yg17]

PATA is the same as IDE.

SATA's completely different

 

[SmurfBoxMasta]

W/O going into all the technical details, suffice it to say that the interface connectors (& power too) on SATA and IDE drives are way different and cannot be mixed & matched.

Therefore, if you wanna use that HD, you will need a case that has an internal SATA interface. Likewise, if you wanna use that case, then you will need to buy a HD with an IDE interface...........

but SATA has the faster throughput capabilities of the 2 interfaces, so I'd go for that if at all possible, and use the Firewire port (not USB) to connect it to the computer

 

[wing70301]

Thanks for your replies and knowledge, everyone!

W/O going into all the technical details, suffice it to say that the interface connectors (& power too) on SATA and IDE drives are way different and cannot be mixed & matched.

Therefore, if you wanna use that HD, you will need a case that has an internal SATA interface. Likewise, if you wanna use that case, then you will need to buy a HD with an IDE interface...........

but SATA has the faster throughput capabilities of the 2 interfaces, so I'd go for that if at all possible, and use the Firewire port (not USB) to connect it to the computer

Thanks SmurfBox. I definitely will use firewire to connect the external to my MBP. The only drawback with the whole enclosure deal is that newegg doesn't seem to offer any 2.5" SATA-interfaced, external enclosures with firewire output interfaces. Thus, I'm going with the IDE enclosure.