[gentoo-user] Re: Questions about SATA and hot plugging.

[Grant Edwards]

On 2010-12-16, Mark Knecht <markknecht@×××××.com> wrote:

> Your cables are perfect for internal drives. Keep in mind that the
> internal connectors are only spec'ed for 50 insertions in their
> lifetime.

In my experience, the real lifetime is closer to 5.  In 25 years of
dealing with computer cabling and connectors, the surface-mount
internal SATA connectors on motherboards are by far the most fragile
ones I've ever come across.  In years and years of dealing with SCSI,
IDE/ATA, floppies, and several flavors of MFM and RLL cabling, I don't
ever remember one of them breaking. I've seen quite a few internal
motherboard SATA connectors break -- or even get pulled off the board.
And it's not just me, I've seen other people break them just as much.
IMO, they're gargabe.  Other than the fragile surface-mount
connectors, I do like SATA.

OTOH, back when a decent PC cost you $5K, a few dollars on a good
connector wasn't a big deal.  These days when you have to build a
Motherboard for $20, you just can't put $5 worth of connectors on it.

> They aren't made to be messed with very much.

Very true.

-- 
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