ATA33 or 66 as default?

[daveleau]

I just installed a new hd and it works fine. I was curious what 'side effects' would occur if the drive was set to ATA66 w/o the proper hardware compliments. I did not see any way to dissable the ATA66 on this drive (Maxtor 20 GB 7200 RPM). Is it still being shipped with the 66 disabled? thanks for any help.
Dave

[OK]

I'm not sure what you mean here. Your MB only has UDMA 33? I also have an UDMA 66 HD and only UDMA 33 interface. Works fine, I guess the drive autodetects the interface.

[daveleau]

Yeah that is what I was wondering. I was wondering if it autodetected or if there was a setting to change to have the hd work at 33 v/s trying to work at 66 and hamper performance.

[Ygor]

I also have one ata 66 drive. They default to ata 33 w/o the 80 conducter cable to enable the ata 66.
I'm waiting on the promise ata 66 card to arrive so I can enable that!

[daveleau]

Thanks a bunch guys. That makes sense. Is the cable that comes witht the Maxtor (has one blue cannection and one black) ATA 66 for both connections? I have two ATA66 drives (one is 5400 & the other is 7200). Thanks-Dave

[xtant]

Yeah, each pin has a ground wire associated with it. They were having problems with signal interference between wires so they stuck ground wires in as insulators.

[Ygor]

Most likely it is. I didn't get a cable with mine, but I hear it comes with the Promise controller that's on the way.
The weird thing is that it's still a 40-pin cable but has 80 conductors. No one has said so, but I am guessing each pin has a ground wire in the cable.