SATA/PATA question

[hewybo]

I'm about to start a new build in order to learn more about this stuff. Will have (probably) P5N32 Deluxe, E6600, 7900GT (x2?), etc. Here's my question: I have heard that SATA and PATA do not play well together. Is this true? What's happened is, I have been testing Vista RC1, installed on a Seagate 320G SATA 3.0 HDD.

I want to install XP Pro over top of Vista, then transfer some files and settings from old system to new. With current configurations, my easiest way is to put files, etc., on a PATA HDD, then install it alongside SATA. Then either migrate the files to the SATA, or install another SATA later, and transfer said files to it.

Is this feasible? If so, what jumper settings on the PATA? Or will they co-exist peacefully til I get the second SATA? I have used exclusively IDE drives to this point, and would like to avoid any hair-tearing-out scenarios, as I am very limited in the hair dept. already.

Thanks, all-

 

[Nodsu]

SATA and PATA can coexist just fine. The problem is usually the stupidity of the BIOS (it wants to boot from PATA first and you have no settings to change it) or the OS+BIOS (the drive numbering goes wrong and you cannot boot).

You just have to do some research on how exactly the BIOS of your motherboard works with SATA+PATA. Does it enumerate PATA drives before the SATA ones, can you change the boot order etc..