Before you buy a Seagate hard drive, determine the type of drive interface required by your computer system. This page tells you how to determine which interface you need. It also describes size, capacity and speed limitations.

Interface Types

The interface is the method by which one piece of equipment communicates with another. In this case, the hard drive must communicate with the computer that uses it.

There are three interfaces for most computers: ATA, SCSI and Fibre Channel. More information about each of these interfaces can be found in the detailed interface information section below.

Determining the Interface

You can tell which interface you need by looking at the connectors on the back of your current hard drive, or on the drive controller card installed in the computer. Each interface has a different type of connector.

ATA Connector

ATA interfaces use a 40-pin connector. If your current hard drive or controller card has this type of connector, you need an ATA drive.

Serial ATA Connector

Serial ATA interfaces use a 7-pin terminal connector. If your current hard drive or controller card has this type of connector, you need a Serial ATA drive.

SCSI Connectors

SCSI interfaces use one of three types of connectors. If your current hard drive or controller card has one of these types of connectors, you need a SCSI drive.