But in your case, yes, I wouldn't touch the SiI. Not to say I'm not using mine... I'm just very careful about what goes on there and back it up frequently. It's largely a read-only (read: my oggs) volume so I feel-semi safe...
WRT to duty cycling - it's completely irrelevant. SATA == PATA.
The difference is that SATA is PATA with a shift register[1]. This is why the interfaces can be converted either way. The only reason why SATA is (going to be) better is that it's the actively developed interface. No other reason. Maybe he was thinking SCSI? Most SCSI drives are built stronger and better, but if you read back a few days on the board here, you'll see me explaining that SCSI really has no particular market niche anymore.
[1] Shift register: a logic device that converts a parallel bus into a serial stream and vice-versa. If you've ever seen a printer extender, this is how it works. Easiest way to visualize this is a single lane highway with 8 roads approaching it from one side.
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|!| |!| |!| |!| |!| |!| |!| |!|
So lets say we have a PATA to SATA bridge (this is EXTERMELY common still... and also not-ideal) on your motherboard:
{Horizontal is the SATA bus}
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|!| |!| |!| |!| |!| |!| |!| |!|
|7| |6| |5| |4| |3| |2| |1| |0|
{ This is the PATA controller}
Okay... Here comes the clock pulse:
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_______________________>>_76543210 -->
|!| |!| |!| |!| |!| |!| |!| |!|
They all merged onto the highway and ones and drove away.
It's the exact opposite thing on most SATA harddrives (Seagates being a notable exception, it's also no secret I like Seagates) that all the bits drive along the highway one after the other, (this time coming in from the left) and they all turn off at their respective exits at the same instant. (going down into the drive)
Clear as mud? |
