SATA Power question

Cjwinnit

B&

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Joined

Feb 1, 2003

Location

UK

• Apr 13, 2008

• #1

I'm considering getting a SATA hard disk for a rig but the PSU in it has no SATA connectors. Could use converters but is dependent on the new hard disk not needing the 3.3 volt line.

Are there any SATA hard disks on the market which require the 3.3 volt line?

 

JamesXP

Epic Fail Guy

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Joined

Apr 18, 2007

Location

England

• Apr 13, 2008

• #2

The 3.3v is only required if you wish to hotplug your drives.

 

Sam__

Member

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Joined

Mar 12, 2007

Location

UK

• Apr 13, 2008

• #3

JamesXP said:

The 3.3v is only required if you wish to hotplug your drives.

Click to expand...

+1

but i swear iv hotplugged using an adaptor... hmmm...

 

OP

Cjwinnit

B&

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Joined

Feb 1, 2003

Location

UK

• Apr 13, 2008

• Thread Starter
• #4

Cool, just checking (would suck to buy a drive that gets toasted )

 

gangaskan

Member

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Joined

Dec 18, 2003

Location

Lorain, ohio

• Apr 13, 2008

• #5

Sam__ said:

+1

but i swear iv hotplugged using an adaptor... hmmm...

Click to expand...

i think i have as well, however, i could be wrong lol.

 

nd4spdbh2

Member

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Joined

Nov 15, 2005

Location

Camarillo, CA!

• Apr 13, 2008

• #6

i know for a fact i have hotswapped with a 4pin molex to sata converter without probs... i honestly dont know why they have the 3.3v line going to it

 

~(o)-(0)~

Member

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Joined

Feb 8, 2005

Location

Qc, Canada

• Apr 14, 2008

• #7

ok, well I'll chime in, I've done it without problem a few times, but now, it seems to give me a BSOD If I try now, so just a word of caution

 

Moto7451

Senior Something

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Joined

Feb 24, 2004

Location

LA, CA

• Apr 14, 2008

• #8

nd4spdbh2 said:

i honestly dont know why they have the 3.3v line going to it

Click to expand...

I think it's for laptops more than anything. In theory future drives could use only the 5v and 3.3v along with low power motors/electronics. Also 3.3v is a handy voltage for SATA to flash card adapters.