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basskozz

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URGENT: How to find out what SATA or IDE ports are available in XP ?

Is there software available or some way of displaying what SATA & PATA (IDE) ports are available on a computer thru XP ?

I am going to install a new HD in my friends computer but I need to know if he has any IDE or SATA ports available to install the HD before so I know which HD type to order (SATA or IDE)... Is there a way to find this out in XP w/out having to open the case?
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dianthonym
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Download the Belarc Advisor.  It will let you know everything and anything about his system.  

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

All he has to do is download install and run the program.  A neat little printable page displays with all the details of his system.
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basskozz

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I downloaded/installed/RAN Belarc Advisor, and while this is a nifty little app, I can't see where it shows available IDE and/or SATA ports ?
With Dell or HP, you can enter your service tag number on support website and get system information detail. What make/model of your system?
No it's not a Dell or HP... and that doesn't matter because what I am looking for is a SOFTWARE application that can run (in XP) and tell me how many SATA + IDE ports are on the board and how many of them are being used... Thus giving me the number of available ports.

Thanks
SOLUTION
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PUNKY
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XP has an inbuilt facility for giving detailed hardware information. Use Start | Help and Support. Then select System Information from under Tools. One of the listed options is then "Find information about the hardware installed on this computer". Selecting it will provide hard disk type (SCSI, SATA, PATA) as well as partition information and disk model numbers. If you know the motherboard then you can determine how many ports are still available and what type they are.
PUNKY,
I am familiar with CPU-Z, but I knew it didn't supply SATA+PATA port info so I didn't even try it.  But here goes...

Manu: Micro-Star International
Model: MS-6738

Radar07,

The process you gave gives the same info as Belarc Advisor... Not very useful. :(

http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=KM2M_Combo-L

"On-Board IDE
        
"       An IDE controller on the VT8235 chipset provides IDE HDD/CD-ROM with PIO, Bus Master and Ultra DMA 66/100/133 operation modes.
"       Can connect up to 4 IDE devices"

Answered !
I find it hard to believe that there aren't ANY software apps available that can pull the IDE/SATA port info directly and display that info...
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Delphineous Silverwing
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