Identify how many Sata III ports in use possible with Windows 7?

[obrienimages]

I hope I selected the proper catagory for this question.

I am running Windows 7 Professional and would like to add an SSD to my system. Before I purchase the SSD I want to be sure I have an available SATA III port open on the machine. Is there a simple way to view this info utilizing Windows 7 (ie without having to open up the machine and looking around for SATA III ports)?

I'm new to adding hardware to a PC. Thanks in advance for any help

 

[Barman58]

The only simple way of checking is obtain the reference for your system motherboard, search the net for the specification of the motherboard which should list the number and type of ports - the motherboard information should be in the documentation that you had with the system, Alternately you could use a tool like CPU-Z, Speccy, or HD Monitor which all show the motherboard ifo, ( they also list the installed hard drives and may show the unused ports, I have all six ports in use so cannot confirm this)

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

The only simple way of checking is obtain the reference for your system motherboard, search the net for the specification of the motherboard which should list the number and type of ports - the motherboard information should be in the documentation that you had with the system, Alternately you could use a tool like CPU-Z, Speccy, or HD Monitor which all show the motherboard ifo, ( they also list the installed hard drives and may show the unused ports, I have all six ports in use so cannot confirm this)

Speccy only shows ports in use.

 

[TechnoMage2016]

I hope I selected the proper catagory for this question.

I am running Windows 7 Professional and would like to add an SSD to my system. Before I purchase the SSD I want to be sure I have an available SATA III port open on the machine. Is there a simple way to view this info utilizing Windows 7 (ie without having to open up the machine and looking around for SATA III ports)?
I'm new to adding hardware to a PC. Thanks in advance for any help

Why would you have to "look around" for SATA III ports? SATA ports are always clustered together, and today, with new PC's, you probably won't find any SATA II ports. If even one is a SATA III port, they all will be SATA III.
And, if your PC is old enough (sorry you decided NOT to tell us the make and model of your PC. Knowing that simple info would make answering your questions so much easier) if there is even one SATA II port on your motherboard, then they will ALL be SATA II.

If you don't like to, or are afraid to, open up your PC, then how are you going to add another drive?

Sounds to me like you really need to OPEN up your PC and make sure it has the space and power cables available for a new (additional) drive. Some PC's do, and some PC's don't.

Some economy PC's have only just enough resources to support the original HD and DVD and that's all.
For instance, I'd not be adding anything to a PC that has a 250 watt Bestek power supply.

And, every SSD I've seen so far, is a 2.5" drive (laptop drive size) and must have an adapter (spacer) to allow one to be installed into a 3.5" drive bay. I have two of those.

Just a few thoughts, from an old PC tech.

Good Luck,
TechnoMage

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Why would you have to "look around" for SATA III ports? SATA ports are always clustered together...

Not always. A few older boards put the SATA ports in more than one location.

...If even one is a SATA III port, they all will be SATA III...if there is even one SATA II port on your motherboard, then they will ALL be SATA II...

That isn't necessarily true. I'm posting this from a desktop PC with a P9X79 WS motherboard that has two Intel SATA III, two more SATA III ports from Marvel chips (that run slightly slower than the native Intel SATA III ports), and four Intel SATA II ports. Boards with both SATA III and SATA II ports were pretty much the norm for a few years after SATA III was introduced.

I agree that if one finds opening up a PC to determine how many SATA ports are available too intimidating (which is odd since it should be opened up from time to time to blow out the dust), then one probably should reconsider the swap. However, even looking at the board to see what ports are available will not tell you if they are SATA III or SATA II unless you have the board's manual to identify the color code used to differentiate between the ports (on some boards, even that won't work, such as the X99 WS/USB 3.1 board I'm going to be upgrading to; you have to use the manual to determine which some SATA ports are which). Adding to the complication is not all SATA ports can be booted from (the Marvel ports in my current computer are an example of ports that can't be booted from).

As you pointed out, we will need to know the make and model of the computer to give any accurate advice.

 

[Megahertz07]

Not always. A few older boards put the SATA ports in more than one location.



That isn't necessarily true. I'm posting this from a desktop PC with a P9X79 WS motherboard that has two Intel SATA III, two more SATA III ports from Marvel chips (that run slightly slower than the native Intel SATA III ports), and four Intel SATA II ports. Boards with both SATA III and SATA II ports were pretty much the norm for a few years after SATA III was introduced.

I agree that if one finds opening up a PC to determine how many SATA ports are available too intimidating (which is odd since it should be opened up from time to time to blow out the dust), then one probably should reconsider the swap. However, even looking at the board to see what ports are available will not tell you if they are SATA III or SATA II unless you have the board's manual to identify the color code used to differentiate between the ports (on some boards, even that won't work, such as the X99 WS/USB 3.1 board I'm going to be upgrading to; you have to use the manual to determine which some SATA ports are which). Adding to the complication is not all SATA ports can be booted from (the Marvel ports in my current computer are an example of ports that can't be booted from).

As you pointed out, we will need to know the make and model of the computer to give any accurate advice.

Please edit your profile with ALL your hardware specs.

I also have a Z86 MoBo that has two SATA III and four SATA II.
Best way to find out is to read the MoBo manual.

 

[mrjimphelps]

SATA ports are easy to identify when you look at the motherboard. Your computer's BIOS will tell you how many there are, but I don't know if it will tell you whether they are II or III. But I believe that information is printed on the motherboard, by each port.

You definitely should buy a SATA III SSD. You can connect it to a SATA II port, if that is all you have; it will run at the slower SATA II speed.

If you have no SATA III ports, you could buy a SATA III controller card, and install some SATA III ports in your computer:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?N=100007607%20600022631&IsNodeId=1&Submit=ENE

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

SATA ports are easy to identify when you look at the motherboard. Your computer's BIOS will tell you how many there are, but I don't know if it will tell you whether they are II or III. But I believe that information is printed on the motherboard, by each port.

You definitely should buy a SATA III SSD. You can connect it to a SATA II port, if that is all you have; it will run at the slower SATA II speed.

If you have no SATA III ports, you could buy a SATA III controller card, and install some SATA III ports in your computer:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?N=100007607%20600022631&IsNodeId=1&Submit=ENE

I'm not saying a mother board won't have the SATA ports marked whether they are SATA II or SATA III but I have yet to see one that was. Usually, it's done with a color code unique to that board.

Not all controller cards can be booted from. Usually, only the more expensive ones can be booted from. Even if you can boot from one, you won't gain any boot time speed, and may even loose some, since the card has to boot its own BIOS in addition the BIOS of the motherboard, adding to the total boot time.

As you said, running an SSD even on SATA II will be faster than any HDD. It is best to install the SSD on the same port the current boot drive is installed on. That way, there will be no doubt the port can be booted from and will be the fastest port on the board if there are a mix of SATA II and SATA III ports on the board.

 

[Layback Bear]

Well, I don't want to guess.

**We need to know what motherboard you have.
We need your system specs.
Use this tutorial to get your basic System Specs.

By Brink
System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

Please note:
A ssd will run quite well using Sata II if you don't have Sata III.

Jack

 

[sdowney717]

My bios screen shows the available sata slots for drives. Populated or not, listed as sata1, sata2, etc...

This PC here has six sata available to use.

 

[Layback Bear]

Once again your system specs are needed.

Jack