how to tell if motherboard is SATA or IDE friendly?

[Willis]

David Armour wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'd like to add a second hard-drive to my Gutsy system. And I've read that SATA
> drives are nominally 'easier' to self-install (don't need to set jumper
> switches), although I've also seen various messages that suggest Ubuntu & SATA
> don't always play 'nice' with each other. (!)
>  
> But my dealer asked me if my motherboard supported SATA, and I haven't been able
> to find a on-line source for determining that. System/Preferences/Hardware
> Information and System/Administration/System Monitor supply lots of info that
> might mean something to someone, but apart from telling me that I've got a
> "Duron(tm)" processor rated at 1.6 GHz... 
>
> Do I have to look for something on the motherboard? 
>
> Any suggestions gratefully received.
>
>
>   
Look at your mother board and look at the wire connecting the hdd to the 
board.  If you have a 40 pin connector, about an inch and a half long. 
it is an ide and if it is a small connector, about a half inch in 
length, it is sata.  Hope that helps.