SATA power connector.

[Jewels]

I just bought an additional hard drive, OEM naturally, and now I know I need to buy at least the interface cable. My current hard drive appears to have both connectors used; I see a white and black connector connected to it. I'm assuming only one is needed, so could I simply disconnect one and use it on my new drive? (I didn't build my current system myself).

 

[Evolv]

I don't understand. The white and black connector that you mention, is it the power cord going to the hard drive or is it the cord that connects your hard drive to your motherboard? Because if it's either one of those, you definetly need them in for your current hard drive to work.

 

[carnageX]

I'm thinking the white one he mentioned is a molex power adapter, while the black one is the normal SATA power adapter. Some SATA drives have both. If that's the case... Then you only need 1 of those plugged in. You should only have 2 cables coming off of your drive: Power, and data. On a SATA drive, both the power/data connectors are L shaped, the power L-connector being the longer one. So if you have a cord going to each L-connector, you don't need the molex plug (4 pin, flat on one side and rounted on the other side).

 

[atomic tofu]

there is a benefit to using the sata power, but if you don't need it, molex (white 4 pin) will do

 

[Jewels]

OK, well my new drive only has SATA power, so I'm assuming its safe for me to disconnect the SATA power from my current drive and use it for the new drive, unless the benefit of having both use SATA outweighs the benefit of less cabling. Should I buy another power connector?

 

[atomic tofu]

you could buy one of these

Newegg.com - molex to sata power

 

[Jewels]

What would the benefit be of purchasing one?
It's piqued my interest. If it's anything to do with hot swapping, I don't do that.

 

[atomic tofu]

well, buying an adaptor would do nothing more than allow you to have your new drive and your "current" drive both in use...as opposed to one not being used. Using a molex to sata negates the hotswapping benefit of sata

however, what you would really be losing out on is "staggered spinup":
Spin-up - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Jewels]

well, buying an adaptor would do nothing more than allow you to have your new drive and your "current" drive both in use...as opposed to one not being used.

My old drive has both molex and sata connectors connected to it. If I remove the sata connector and use it for my new drive, wouldn't that enable both drives to be in use at the same time?

however, what you would really be losing out on is "staggered spinup":
Spin-up - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If the benefit of staggered spinup outweighs the drawbacks of more cabling and price, I think I'll get one.

 

[atomic tofu]

staggered spinup helps and just makes your system more efficient...maybe you have 3 drives? 2 hd and 1 optical? adding more with staggered spinup means the system is less likely to sputter, stall and error out on start up and during many system operations

ah, old drive has molex so it would be using molex and new using sata...good to go