Tell me more ×
Super User is a question and answer site for computer enthusiasts and power users. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 3 down vote favorite

I want to upgrade my harddrive on my laptop. I'm not sure if it's SATA I or SATA II and I'm wondering how can I check if it's SATA II compatible. I am using a HP dv6500t

share|improve this question
As much as it is nice to know, It should not really change your choice on the hard drive to get, as it should be backward compatible. – William Hilsum Apr 3 '10 at 18:21
I was under the impression that the OP was asking if his laptop supported SATA II and not the hard drive: " I'm wondering how can I check if it's SATA II compatible." The crucial word being "it's" -- is "it" the hard drive or is "it" the laptop. Hmmm... – WesleyDavid Apr 3 '10 at 21:41
Check your chipset model(i.e. PM45) and google it for specifications. That's all. – Kafa Jan 2 at 8:37

3 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

Using Software Information for Windows (aka SIW), you can see what type of drive your computer currently has. I would download the "stand-alone" version, as that doesn't require you to install anything.

You can see below that for my laptop, I have a 120GB Western Digital WD1200BEVS, which is a SATA I (1.5 Gb/s) drive.

siw screenshot

share|improve this answer
up vote 0 down vote

The best way to answer any question about a PC's capabilities is to check the vendor's website (In your case, HP.com), search for your model and then inspect the specifications that are listed.

For example:

  1. Go to Hp.com
  2. Click "Support and Drivers"
  3. Select the "See support and troubleshooting information" radio button
  4. Put your laptop's model number in the "Enter Product Name / Number" field

From there, you have heaps of information, FAQs and other literature that is specifically related to your laptop.

In addition, follow these instructions to find the specific product specification sheet for your HP laptop.

share|improve this answer
up vote 0 down vote

In the case of a new harddrive - apart from being "good to know" - it shouldn't really matter if your computer supports SATA II or not as it was designed to be backwards compatible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SATA_II#SATA_Revision_2.0_.28SATA_3Gb.2Fs.29

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.