Need Info please

[FenderG101]

Ok, I have a windows 98 with FAT32 and I am gonna upgrade the hard drive soon. I need to know what to look for to know if the Hard drive will be compatible with my computer. My computer has IDE connectors and the Hard Drive I am looking at This Hard Drive says that the Interface is IDE Ultra ATA 133, Does it matter if it IDE Ultra ATA 133 or 130 or anything like that? Willthose be compatible with my computer?

 

[TRDCorolla1]

I never heard of an ATA 130, but you should be fine with that hard drive. Even if your IDE controllers run on ATA100, it will still work.

 

[MikeReiner]

What motherboard do you have?

Your motherboard must support ATA133 to use that hard drive.
(like if it only supports ATA100, it wont be able to use that drive.)

 

[Jamxx]

I don't think that's correct. If you have a ATA133 hard drive, and the motherboard only supports ATA100, then you should be able to use it, it just won't operate at its fastest speeds.

 

[MikeReiner]

I don't think that's correct. If you have a ATA133 hard drive, and the motherboard only supports ATA100, then you should be able to use it, it just won't operate at its fastest speeds.

I tried to use an ATA133 drive in a computer that only supported ATA66 once, didn't work. So I tried it in another computer that only supported ATA100, didn't work.
So finally I tried it in my dad's computer which DID support ATA133, picked it up like a charm. Sadly, I only had the drive for the older computer which couldn't even use it.. so it got returned.

 

[Jamxx]

Hm, well I can't refute that. I just did look at something online, and it said they were backwards compatible...

 

[MikeReiner]

Hm, well I can't refute that. I just did look at something online, and it said they were backwards compatible...

Really? hm. Mind linking me to where you found that info?

 

[TRDCorolla1]

IT will work. In your case, you went from an ATA133 down to the old IDE's at 66. THat's a huge gap. I've personally used an ATA133 drive on a ATA100 controller before. The controller was an add in IDE card on an older computer. Worked great.

 

[FenderG101]

So you are saying if it is 133 it will work...and if it is 100 it will probably work for sure? oh and do they have to be backwards compatible?

 

[lhuser]

ATA 133 only means that it trnasfers 133MB per second (orso they think)

It will work anytime. If you have an ATA 133 on a PC only supporting ATA 66, it will just go on ATA66