VOGONS


SATA2PATA adapters experience

Topic actions

First post, by Comos

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I recently run into a problem where I needed another PATA2SATA and my existing adapter from Vantec (CB-SP200) based on the JMicron bridge I could not get anymore.
Recently I got a adapter from Lindy :

https://www.lindy.com.au/sata-adapter-for-mainboard-ide-slot

where I thought it's a dual ATA Host mode for connecting a SATA device,but instead of that, one port is configured in Master mode and other in Slave mode.
Also this was recognized by the used chips JMH330 and JMH330S.However the PCB board seems to be universal and based on the number 20330-2 I could dig,that it has been made by eMegatech:

http://web.archive.org/web/20130813100430/htt … er/20330-2.html

sadly the pdf could not be digged out.
There are several unused jumpers on the board,where some of them can be traced down, but those around the bridge chip it can be worse.Does somebody have a same adapter but fully populated?Also if somebody has a full datasheet for the JM20330 or JMH330/S I would be gratefull.For now with no luck with Lindy, I got a adapter from Startech, currently the PATA2SATA2, where it does have the dual ATA Host mode,also Master/Slave mode selectable via jumper.The bridge chip is from SunplusIt SPIF22A, but don't have experience with this bridge chip realibility,any experience please?

Reply 1 of 52, by PC Hoarder Patrol

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Assume the missing pdf was for rev 2 (there's also a v1 & v1.3) so this might be the closest match for v2

http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/temp/JM20330 … ec_Rev.-2.3.pdf

and also http://www.jmicron.com/PDF/brief/jmh330s.pdf

Having used most of the sata to ide adapters from Startech I've found the PATA2SATA2 one to be the least reliable, to the point that on many motherboards its not even recognised. Both the single drive adapters IDE2SAT2 (Marvell chipset) and IDE2SAT25 (JMicron JMD330) are excellent.

The dual-port adapter I normal use is model ST-166 and is usually branded Dynamode or Lycom

http://www.lycom.com.tw/ST-166.htm

Reply 2 of 52, by cyclone3d

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Why buy the branded adapters?

I have used quite a few of the super cheap single PATA to SATA adapters from China that mount to the SATA drive and have not had a single problem:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-2-5-3-5-inch-Dri … NH/283624215267 (40-pin one, but they also make a 44-pin one for laptops)

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK

Reply 3 of 52, by kolderman

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

> where I thought it's a dual ATA Host mode for connecting a SATA device,but instead of that, one port is configured in Master mode and other in Slave mode

I would be happy with master/slave. I have one where one port is sata->pata and the other pata->sata. Disappointed.

Reply 4 of 52, by cyclone3d

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

So it looks like there are only 4 companies that sell/sold the IDE to 2x SATA adapters.

Syba SY-ADA45005 https://www.sybausa.com/index.php?route=produ … _id=352&page=24

Addonics ADEBIDE2SA https://www.addonics.com/products/adebide2sa.php

Vantech CB-SP200 (Nobody sells this anymore and Vantec doesn't even have any info on their web site)

Startech PATA2SATA2 https://www.startech.com/HDD/Adapters/IDE-to- … rter~PATA2SATA2

I also found one that plugs into the motherboard and has a SATA and an IDE out.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PATA-IDE-Dual-Drive- … 52/232339255499

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK

Reply 5 of 52, by PC Hoarder Patrol

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

The Addonics is just a re-brand of the Lycom (Marvell 88SA8052) I linked earlier. Opened a new boxed one for pics

Lycom ST-166_1.jpg
Filename
Lycom ST-166_1.jpg
File size
853.39 KiB
Views
10599 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
Lycom ST-166_2.jpg
Filename
Lycom ST-166_2.jpg
File size
1.86 MiB
Views
10599 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Reply 6 of 52, by LSS10999

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

This has always been a big problem with me when trying to add SSDs on old boards that don't support SATA. Eventually I stopped using them (due to too much uncertainties in regards of stability) and started using 40-pin IDE DOMs of adequate size instead (just that these are relatively smaller and more expensive, and you can only use one such DOM per IDE channel due to physical layout).

Personally none of the IDE/SATA adapters I ever owned were perfect as stability cannot be 100% guaranteed. Also, IDE/SATA adapters that allowed Master/Slave modes seemed rare as all adapters I owned are bidirectional ones (with one SATA port for drive, and the other SATA port for host, or use switches instead of two separate ports for toggling direction).

Sunplus-based ones cannot be used with hard disks. These adapters work at first, but after a while it'll stop working and emit I/O errors that would be permanently registered on the disk's SMART tables. These adapters seem to work better with optical drives. For that reason I often needed to actually look at the details of the adapter before buying, so that I don't end up buying another one with Sunplus chips.

JMicron-based ones work okay, although at times the disks can go sluggish (indicating some I/O issues around the bridge), but in over all I don't get I/O errors that would be registered on the disk's SMART tables like Sunplus-based ones.

I also had some adapters that used a much smaller chip labeled "IDE SATA DOF xxxxxx" (not sure about the chip's brand) but these also worked without major issues, similar to the JMicron-based ones.

Last edited by LSS10999 on 2023-01-09, 00:01. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 7 of 52, by Comos

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
PC Hoarder Patrol wrote:
Assume the missing pdf was for rev 2 (there's also a v1 & v1.3) so this might be the closest match for v2 […]
Show full quote

Assume the missing pdf was for rev 2 (there's also a v1 & v1.3) so this might be the closest match for v2

http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/temp/JM20330 … ec_Rev.-2.3.pdf

and also http://www.jmicron.com/PDF/brief/jmh330s.pdf

Having used most of the sata to ide adapters from Startech I've found the PATA2SATA2 one to be the least reliable, to the point that on many motherboards its not even recognised. Both the single drive adapters IDE2SAT2 (Marvell chipset) and IDE2SAT25 (JMicron JMD330) are excellent.

The dual-port adapter I normal use is model ST-166 and is usually branded Dynamode or Lycom

http://www.lycom.com.tw/ST-166.htm

Thanks for the JM20330 datasheet link, the JMH330 link is just a brief datasheet, no pinout and details.Isn't the JMH330 pin compatible with JM20330?
The adapter from Lycom ST-166 and SYBA seems also hard to get these days (listed as EOL), so I would give the Addoncs a try.
For now , the needed setup is : one SATA port for the DVD drive and other one for a HDD.Yesterday I tested the Startech on a industrial PC (VIA chipset) and the DVD drive got recognized in BIOS, so today I'll test also the HDD.

Reply 8 of 52, by looking4awayout

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

I used to have a SATA to IDE adapter on my RDD. It was made by Delock, used a Marvell chipset and ran quite well, had no particular issues with it, unlike the previous adapter featuring the infamous SunplusIT chipset, that only ran in PIO mode.

However, for better compatibility and speed, I recommend you to use a PCI SATA controller. On my RDD I use a Promise SATA300 TX2 Plus, as I use Windows XP. If you use Windows 98, you can use the SATA150 TX2 or TX4. Both support Native Command Queuing (which gives an hefty speed boost) and have an excellent compatibility. I have no experience with Silicon Image SATA cards, because mine caused the system to freeze whenever it attempted to boot from it.

My Retro Daily Driver: Pentium !!!-S 1.7GHz | 3GB PC166 ECC SDRAM | Geforce 6800 Ultra 256MB | 128GB Lite-On SSD + 500GB WD Blue SSD | ESS Allegro PCI | Windows XP Professional SP3

Reply 9 of 52, by Comos

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
looking4awayout wrote:

I used to have a SATA to IDE adapter on my RDD. It was made by Delock, used a Marvell chipset and ran quite well, had no particular issues with it, unlike the previous adapter featuring the infamous SunplusIT chipset, that only ran in PIO mode.

However, for better compatibility and speed, I recommend you to use a PCI SATA controller. On my RDD I use a Promise SATA300 TX2 Plus, as I use Windows XP. If you use Windows 98, you can use the SATA150 TX2 or TX4. Both support Native Command Queuing (which gives an hefty speed boost) and have an excellent compatibility. I have no experience with Silicon Image SATA cards, because mine caused the system to freeze whenever it attempted to boot from it.

First I also went with Promise SATA150 TX2 way, but the problem is,that I use this PC for HDD maintenance and several older tools can't detect HDD on extra addresses,where the Promise HBA provides.For H2DAT and other more recent it's not a issue, but for older tools which only count with the standard PM,PS,SM,SS addresses yes,so I had to stick with secondary IDE port and to use a SATA2IDE,where Im able to work with both SATA and also IDE HDD.

Reply 10 of 52, by The Serpent Rider

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

I use one of these cheap bidirectional adapters and have no problems: https://www.ebay.com/itm/IDE-to-SATA-ATA-100- … OEAAOSwWxNYr7RP
If you need to use it with something else, see below.

looking4awayout wrote:

and you can only use one such DOM per IDE channel due to physical layout).

Just buy 40-pin IDE gender changer. Usually DOM has Master/Slave switch too.

P.S.
I think SSD SATA drives via adapter are very efficient, compatible and cheap solution. Some newer SLC/MLC drives in 8Gb-32Gb capacity range are very fast for any old system.

Last edited by The Serpent Rider on 2023-09-03, 14:54. Edited 1 time in total.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

Reply 11 of 52, by kaputnik

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
cyclone3d wrote:

Why buy the branded adapters?

I have used quite a few of the super cheap single PATA to SATA adapters from China that mount to the SATA drive and have not had a single problem:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-2-5-3-5-inch-Dri … NH/283624215267 (40-pin one, but they also make a 44-pin one for laptops)

Also using a few of those super cheap noname China adapters, never had any trouble whatsoever either. Even got one in one of my original Xboxes. Could be considered some kind of litmus test, if it works with that, it should work with anything.

Reply 12 of 52, by Blzut3

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

My personal experience with the cheap China adapters is that they work fine* for hard drives, but an SSD will be unbearably slow within a few days of usage. Perhaps mine is a dud, but honestly at this point in my life I'd rather just spend the $20 to have a known good controller with the Startech IDE2SAT2.

* I only tested for a few days before I just decided to pay for the Startech and never looked back.

Reply 13 of 52, by kolderman

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

The chances of getting a dud anything from China is rather high 😁

But the ones that work, work well in my experience. SSD or HDD. I love the ones that plug straight into the IDE port and don't require a PATA cable (yuck).

Reply 14 of 52, by marvias

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
The Serpent Rider wrote:
Just buy 40-pin IDE gender changer. Usually DOM has Master/Slave switch too. https://images.esellerpro.com/2485/I/931/medscaleAD […]
Show full quote

Just buy 40-pin IDE gender changer. Usually DOM has Master/Slave switch too.
medscaleAD-140a.jpg

This one wont work. You need cable version or version with connectors on PCB which swaps pins.

Reply 15 of 52, by The Serpent Rider

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

but an SSD will be unbearably slow within a few days of usage

That's not an adapter problem most likely.

You need cable version or version with connectors on PCB which swaps pins.

You're right. One of those should do: https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-5-IDE-PATA-DOM-40- … 5.c100005.m1851

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

Reply 17 of 52, by matze79

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Blzut3 wrote:

My personal experience with the cheap China adapters is that they work fine* for hard drives, but an SSD will be unbearably slow within a few days of usage. Perhaps mine is a dud, but honestly at this point in my life I'd rather just spend the $20 to have a known good controller with the Startech IDE2SAT2.

* I only tested for a few days before I just decided to pay for the Startech and never looked back.

Use old Sandforce SSDs, they don`t need TRIM and wear leveling works well, also garbage collection is pretty good.
They also compress every piece of data to save writes. And but less stress on cells

I use one in Apple Mac G5 and also on P3 with Windows 98.. runs very good, with some newer SSDs i had curious problems... eg ultra slow..

https://www.retrokits.de - blog, retro projects, hdd clicker, diy soundcards etc
https://www.retroianer.de - german retro computer board

Reply 18 of 52, by Blzut3

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
matze79 wrote:

Use old Sandforce SSDs, they don`t need TRIM and wear leveling works well, also garbage collection is pretty good.
They also compress every piece of data to save writes. And but less stress on cells

I use one in Apple Mac G5 and also on P3 with Windows 98.. runs very good, with some newer SSDs i had curious problems... eg ultra slow..

To me it's still easier to just pay the extra $15-20 for the Startech and not have to worry about what drive I'm using. 😜 The drive in question is a Kingston HyperX Fury 120GB. While it's a Sandforce SF-2281 based MLC drive, I'm going to guess that's not old enough. Generally speaking the drive is nothing special besides having relatively high endurance rating for the price at the time of purchase. Can't remember if I had similar problems with the 500GB Intel drive I had laying around, but I think I did (of course since Windows 98 doesn't support larger than 128GB this would have been just trying to work with gparted). In any case, I've been using the Startech adapters for some time now and never had any problems with performance since.

Reply 19 of 52, by The Serpent Rider

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Use old Sandforce SSDs, they don`t need TRIM

Actually they do need TRIM and it was a major problem on early firmware when it didn't worked properly.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.