Table 3-3 SATA hard drive characteristics
Serial ATA hard drive characteristics
Number of pins/conductors in data cable 7/7
Number of pins in power cable 15
Maximum data cable length 100 cm (39.37 in)
Data interface voltage differential 400 mV–700 mV
Drive voltages 3.3 V, 5 V, 12 V
Jumpers for configuring drive N/A
Data transfer rate 6.0 Gbps
Always use an HP-approved SATA 6.0 Gbps cable because it is fully backwards compatible with the
SATA 1.5 Gbps drives. Current HP desktop products ship with SATA 6.0 Gbps hard drives.
SATA data cables are susceptible to damage if overflexed. Never crease a SATA data cable and never
bend it tighter than a 30 mm (1.18 in) radius.
The SATA data cable is a thin, seven-pin cable designed to transmit data for only a single drive.
Cable management
Always follow good cable management practices when working inside the computer.
● Keep cables away from major heat sources like the heat sink.
● Keep cables clear of sliding or moveable parts to prevent them from being cut or crimped when the
parts are moved.
● When folding a flat ribbon cable, never fold to a sharp crease. Sharp creases can damage the wires.
● Do not bend any cable sharply. A sharp bend can break the internal wires.
● Never bend a SATA data cable tighter than a 30 mm (1.18 in) radius.
● Never crease a SATA data cable.
Cable management
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