What is this connector called

[james cullen]

Hello All.

I know this has nothing to do with windows 7, however I may install if the machine can run it, but can anyone tell me what the connector is called on this hard drive?

It's a Hitachi Travelstar Model IC25N030ATCS04-0 , it's an ATA/IDE connection in an old Dell Inspiron 8500. Iv'e been looking to put an SSD drive in but don't know if any have these types of plug in connectors, it's abit like the way a ram module or pcie card connects.

Does anyone know if there is a small sized SSD drive with this type of connector on?

Cheers

James

 

[linnemeyerhere]

James,
I've been looking and it's not IDE and obviously not sata. By chance does that pin type connector remove off the drive?

 

[Mellon Head]

I don't know of any SSD with that connector on it. Most are SATA2 or SATA3. That connector looks like an old style IDE adapter and it might even pull out of the drive, leaving a standard ATA/IDE connector behind.

I don't think you'll be able to put an SSD on your PC without getting a SATA card for it, and you'll need one that's able to boot from the attached drive. Some can't.

 

[james cullen]

Ah, thanks guys it was a connector that pulled off the ATA/IDE connector, silly me!

I'll let you know if it works with an ssd, I have one that has ATA/IDe connectors.

Thanks again.

Cheers
James

 

[james cullen]

it does not work, no bootable devices.

 

[Britton30]

You have a SSD with a IDE connector?

 

[james cullen]

yeah this

Free Shipping Kingspec SSD 2 5" IDE Pata 32GB KSD PA25 6 032MS FOR Laptop 2YW | eBay

 

[Mellon Head]

Wow. I didn't think they made them with PATA connectors.

No bootable device might just mean that there is nothing on the drive to boot with. Have you tried to install Windows, or Linux on it? Or maybe your BIOS doesn't have the IDE connectors turned on.

 

[james cullen]

ah, ok, I'll try to install win XP pro.
Thanks

 

[james cullen]

Ok, it's installing

 

[Mellon Head]

Good. Let us know how it works out.

 

[james cullen]

Well there ya go I have an ssd installed and operating win xp pro, I wonder if I could get win 7 to work?

 

[Mellon Head]

I don't see why not. You'd be best to use the SSD as an OS drive, and install your programs and such to a second normal spinning drive. That's what I do, and I think that most of us with SSDs do that. I've also moved my user folders to a second drive for fewer writes to the SSD. You also don't fill up your SSD with the "AppData" folder that Windows likes to cram everything into.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18629-user-folders-change-default-location.html?filter

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/70822-ssd-tweaks-optimizations-windows-7-a.html?filter

 

[james cullen]

Thanks

Yeah, I was thinking that with the machine being so old, win 7 may not work on it.

It's not a production laptop or gaming just a bit of a play thing, only room for one drive so won't have many programs or data, maybe surf the net and use it in the kitchen for storing recipes, nothing major realy just seeing if I could breath new life into it.

Must say though it really does move along now compared to the tired old 4200rpm HDD, marvelous improvement.

Thanks again
James

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Good job with the ssd drive. If the laptop has a sd card reader then watch for the largest class 10 sd card you can afford the go on sale to use as additional storage.

 

[Britton30]

Good job, I didn't know SSD had PATA connectors either, maybe it's an early one that used to cost $1800 or so. Well done on the PC.

 

[Mellon Head]

It's always great when you can find a new use for old hardware. Great that you got it working.