1

After looking at all of the information that I have from the web. I find that it is okay to hookup a SATA III device to a SATA II port or vice versa. The only thing that I have not being able to find from anybody nor looking at the different computer parts store is a cable or some type of adapter where I can hookup one end of the cable to the Sata III port (lets say on the HDD) and the other end of the cable to the SATA II port.

I really don't want to add a PCI card to the cost of my rigg if all that I have to do is to hookup one of my drives to the SATA II port. My MB has two SATA III ports and four SATA II ports. I want to connect both the SSD and HDD to the SATA III ports and the optical drive to one of the Sata II ports.

The SSD, HDD, and OD are all SATA III, so how can I hookup one to the SATA II port?

Hennes
  • 65,142
Amateur Comp Builder
  • 21
  • For all you saying SATA is backwards compatible, it is not in the 2011 and 2012 Macbook pros. Specifically in the DVD drive slot. People remove the DVD drive and place a Sata III SSD only to see it disconnect after 5 minutes. Only SATA II ssds and hdds will work. That is why the OP needs a convertor and is asking this question. – zwei7 Jul 04 '23 at 04:14

5 Answers5

11

SATA III devices are backwards-compatible with SATA II. You can plug any SATA III device into a SATA II port.

Note that you will experience a reduction in (theoretical) performance, as SATA II is an older, slower standard (3 Gb/s as opposed to SATA III's 6 Gb/s).

nc4pk
  • 9,117
  • 14
  • 60
  • 71
1

The SSD, HDD, and OD are all SATA III,
so how can I hookup one to the SATA II port?

You simply connect the SATA data cable.

(Note that I wrote SATA cable, not SATA II or SATA III cable. The cable and plugs are the same for all three SATA versions).

Hennes
  • 65,142
1

You stated a need for:

...a cable or some type of adapter where I can hookup one end of the cable to the Sata III port (lets say on the HDD) and the other end of the cable to the Sata II port.

The truth of the matter is, that there is no special SATA adapter cable required for SATA III device to a SATA II port (Or the other SATA combo for that matter). Your motherboard supports both SATA types and you simply connect the SATA cable from the device to the port you want.

It would be best to hook up SATA II devices to the SATA III ports form maximum theoretical performance (so I would not waste a SATA III port on say a DVD writer if I had available SATA II ports), but you can mix and match devices to those ports.

Carl B
  • 6,650
0

You can connect sata III hard drive to sata II port but windows xp won't work properly.I know from my experience what happens then is that windows xp will lag.So use it if you wanna install windows 7 or newer on this hard drive.

0

Forums point to this product allowing SATA III ssds to work with the SATA II optical bay port. I haven't tested it, but it is cheap. Tell me if it works out. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B003YVP8VS/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_3?smid=A1UCLUF7KW7AYG&psc=1

zwei7
  • 585
  • 1
  • 3
  • 14