Storage forum: Pin settings on a SATA drive...

If the drive is limited to 150GB in the data transfer mode and NOT a capacity limitation, why does my 200GB drive only show a size of 164GB? Similarly, my 250GB drive shows a size of 232GB.

As I write this, I do not know if the 250GB drive also is limited by pins 5 & 6.

If I were to remove these pins, would it effect the data on the drive? I would like to have the extra 50GB storage, but only if my presently stored data will be safe.

I have a western Digital 74 gig (10,000 rpm) on my motherboard. Can I use what they say is 300 Sata Or A Sata 3.0 gig HD on my GA-7NNXP from Gigbyte. I know what the specs say it could use up to 150/MBS Data Transfer Rate
I notice a lot off new MB Say SATA 3Gb/s, Would I be able to use a WD 150 Gig Raptor Sata 150 on The new Motherboards.

I would not like to buy a WD 150 gig 10,000 rpm HD and not be able to use on the new MB.

Any advice would be helpful.

Thank You Very Much

Wendell H

Would not be hapy to buy a hard drive today and when I go to upgrade my MB, CPU, Memory, Video Card, the end of this year and can not use any off my HDs inside my case. It is bad enough that the new MBs do not support IDE HDs. Just one IDE port and if you have IDE Rom Then you would not be able to use that port for a IDE HD.

Thank You For The Information:

Wendell H

I only see one IDE port unless I could get an IDE adapter for the pci slot and run it from there, Then I would only have one PCI Slot left. The Cards that I am using now I would like to still use them in my upgrading system( TV tuner card, Sound Card).

The few MB I checked out that I am intrested in only had one IDE port.

Both off my Computer have two IDE Raid, One IDe HD, One IDE for Rom, and two Sata wich is great. I have three OP Systems in my main Computer and one storage (one on IDE XP), (One on Sata which is my fastest drive 10,000 rpm XP), (One on IDE Raid Vista) (Storage Drive is on Raid two).

I wish I could get another MB that is compatable to my GA 7NNXP or My GA 7N400 pro 2, But Intel and it would have to be SLI.

I know there are a lot off MB out there, I have seen some with more than one IDE Port. (BUT) They are nothing like this Motherboard that I want to get and that is limited but I could learn from it like I learned from the last two from Gigabyte. This is the one I would like to get. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188013.

Any other MB that you have in mind that is compatable let me know please.

Thank You Very Much:

Wendell H

On my MB I have two IDE Ports 1 for Roms, 1 for hard drives, 2 raid IDE, 2 Sata. below is my MB and specs

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=1644&ModelName=GA-7NNXP

If I what you are telling me about Sata, all Sata is Master (when I start up my PC I notice that out off all ports IDE and IDE Raid the computer list Sata as the Main drive which I have my fastest drive and it is my main drive).

When I switch from one operating system to the next I go inside Bios and to Advanced Bios Features and set what I want to be the first boot drive. If it is Sata or IDE or Raid IDE.

I only know one way off having more than one operating system on my PC, especially on separate HD.

I would always like to have two or more Operating Systems, on separate drives on my PC.

At first I had One XP, One ME and Vista even though ME can not recognize the other two drive, because ME is Fat 32 But NTFS can recognize Fat 32.
I could not get ME to run on more than 1.5 Mb off ram or Dual Channel. ME was to run programs that XP would not run, So I am running Me on a seperate Computer.

Thats why I am checking now to see what I can and can not do with the new MB I would like to get.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188013

I do not want to buy any more HD for the computer I have now and can not use them on the new MB.

I hope I made my issue a little clearer:

Thank You Very Much:

Wendell H

It takes a while to sink in why that is so.

Bob