Can i just change sata ports like that?

[computerbuildin]

So I know that that is a retarded noob question I know, I know. But im just not all that good with this stuff and after i noticed that i have my hdd and disc drive in my sata 3 instead of my sata 6 (which is better) can i just shut down, unplug my psu and switch my cords around and start up like nothing happened? besides the fact its faster in sata 6

 

[exdeath]

Maybe. Might run into unmountable boot volume BSODs if the controller vendor and driver is different if not using a generic MS SATA/AHCI driver.

You have a mechanical HDD though, you could be on SATA I and it wouldn't matter; walking the bits across the street would be faster than either.

 

[corkyg]

I do it weekly - but, it does require me to change the boot order in BIOS.

 

[taltamir]

It is theoretically possible for it not to work...
However there is no harm in trying.

Do it, if you turn on the computer and get a blue screen it didn't work.
If you turn on the computer and windows runs it worked.

If you have multiple drives you will need to change boot order in bios so that it is the same as it was before (the OS drive is not necessarily first, windows tends to muck things up and put its boot loader on another drive on a multi drive system)

 

[VirtualLarry]

If you are referring to a mechanical HD and an optical disc drive, DONT BOTHER.

They are not limited in any way by a SATA 3Gbit/sec connection.

The only reason to use a 6Gbit/sec connection, is with an SSD that also supports SATA 6G.

 

[computerbuildin]

Well, my hdd supports sata 6 gb/s thats the thing. I only have 1 drive and and optical drive. a 500 gb wd caviar blue to be exact.

 

[Elixer]

Well, my hdd supports sata 6 gb/s thats the thing. I only have 1 drive and and optical drive. a 500 gb wd caviar blue to be exact.

It is a gimmick, they can't transfer data that fast, so there is no point at all...unless you feel like do a big RAID array.

Kinda like putting a speedometer that goes 120 MPH on a tricycle.

 

[Bill Brasky]

You can if you really want to, but it won't make a lick of difference. Do you have some time to waste?

 

[taltamir]

Well, my hdd supports sata 6 gb/s thats the thing. I only have 1 drive and and optical drive. a 500 gb wd caviar blue to be exact.

Mechanical HDDs have yet to max out SATAv1 (1.5gbps).
They "supported" SATAv2 (3.0 gbps) and later v3 (6.0 gbps) as a gimmick to sell drives to the ignorant but it serves no purpose. They drive is the exact same speed on both

 

[Coup27]

HDDs advertised as SATA 6Gbps annoy me. The optical drive industry never "updated" their drives to SATA 3Gbps.

 

[taltamir]

well... one thing though. Wouldn't a SATAv3 HDD have an advantage in the rate of filling up the cache?
Modern drives have 32-64MB of RAM cache on it for caching writes which will fill up as fast as the interface will go. Anything more and it will slow down to the actual write speed, but for such small writes it should theoretically benefit you, should it not?

 

[Coup27]

Well I suppose it would, but I think the real life benefit of that is very small and it's more a marketing decision than a technical one.

 

[taltamir]

Well I suppose it would, but I think the real life benefit of that is very small and it's more a marketing decision than a technical one.

I would agree with you there.
If you are actually noticing the drive's write speed as a user it is because it is writing enough data to be a sustained write and not a burst. (there is a bit more to it but I don't think I need to write up several paragraphs for something we all agree on)

 

[Topweasel]

I do it weekly - but, it does require me to change the boot order in BIOS.

This should only matter if dealing with multiple hard drives.

 

[taltamir]

I do it weekly

why?

 

[corkyg]

why?

I have three duplicate OS drives in mobile racks with external power switches. Each is connected to a different SATA port. Only one OS drive runs at a time. So, there is inherently a port switch every time I change drives.

 

[taltamir]

I have three duplicate OS drives in mobile racks with external power switches. Each is connected to a different SATA port. Only one OS drive runs at a time. So, there is inherently a port switch every time I change drives.

Why?

I would understand if it was 3 DIFFERENT OS drives in the racks (I would have used GRUB)... but why 3 copies of the same OS?

 

[KingFatty]

I have three duplicate OS drives in mobile racks with external power switches. Each is connected to a different SATA port. Only one OS drive runs at a time. So, there is inherently a port switch every time I change drives.

Do you have any more information on those Vantec things - they have their own displays?

 

[thelastjuju]

Marketers resort to this trick all the time.. Pick a random statistic, double it, give the public the impression its faster.. even when not a 1% gain can be measured :sneaky:

Even my 64mb cache WD Black drive performs identical to its 32mb counterpart. Not a measurable difference to be found.

 

[El Norm]

Just swap the port, if it doesn't boot swap back. You will probably not see much performance improvement at since the only benefits would be cache reads but at least it makes you feel fuzzy inside.