SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Discussion about Modding the XBOX, including hardware and software hacks.
User avatar
XC-3730C
Posts: 264
Joined: Thu May 15, 2014 6:27 am
Been thanked: 11 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by XC-3730C »

So the Agestar STI-2 SATA/IDE adaptor is the best? What is a good place to get them in the USA?

I need a good SATA to IDE adapter for use with a 2TB drive that is quick (especially boot up times) and reliable.
shloader
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2017 7:25 pm
Location: Woodland, WA - USA
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 15 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by shloader »

XC-3730C wrote:So the Agestar STI-2 SATA/IDE adaptor is the best? What is a good place to get them in the USA?

I need a good SATA to IDE adapter for use with a 2TB drive that is quick (especially boot up times) and reliable.
While it's been said the Kingwin ADP-06 is the same adapter under the a different brand, I've noticed in pictures it's using a Genesys Logic GL830 chip rather than the J Micron JM20330, though the PCB looks nearly the same. Recent reviews for the Kingwin aren't encouraging and the Agestar is a hard find anywhere. It is, though, just another JM20330 implementation.

I have one of these Agestar adapters in my lab box and I can tell you that whether your boot times will be decreased is indeed a crapshoot. Using a more commonly available adapter I get from eBay, there was one Xbox I did a 2TB upgrade where the boot times were parity with an IDE drive. The only issue was the Samsung 605 DVD-ROM drive was incapable of reading discs anymore. I nailed it down to the DVD-ROM Drive's circuit board, changed it, and though it could once again read discs the boot times were of the extended variety. There was another time when I first started trying to clone a 2TB drive using Chimp so I booted using a modified EvoX bios that bypassed the DVD-ROM check because I was booting with two SATA drives connected. Not only was the boot-up faster, it was so fast it stuttered and rushed through the flubber animation and booted three to four seconds faster than an IDE drive on average. I've also noticed normal boot times if I simply take the DVD-ROM drive out on a hard modded box.

So I think the culprit here on the boot time issue is the DVD-ROM drive itself. I think what separates one JM adapter from another is implementation (ahem - soldering quality). Maybe some others with time and a chip modded box can confirm my observations but I think if we really need faster boot times we need to come at this from the DVD-ROM drive. Maybe there's a firmware modification that can be made. Else, just gotta use 'Quick' IGR rather than 'Compatible'.

As for the adapter I use I can only identify it by the image, maybe someone knows a model for it but when I look for it on ebay to restock I simply pay close attention to all the details on the PCB. What sold me on trying this was the soldering quality. Have used seven so far with drives from Samsung, Seagate, and Western.
Attachments
s-l500.jpg
I make a conscious effort to use terms that can be googled.
Xbox modding is really about understanding the nomenclature, and a good HeXEn disc.
Drinking while posting happens. It's not like drinking and driving; try to be understanding.
Tom M.
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 6:04 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by Tom M. »

I have 6 different Xboxes all with Agestar STI-2, DuoX2 (Xecuter) and SATA SSD Kingston V300. They all boot exactly the same and yes, different DVD drives, different Xbox versions. Some DVD drives are even not reading at all but boot into Evolution X is absolutely flawless.
scroeffie
Posts: 322
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 1:08 pm
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by scroeffie »

how do i make shure the adapter doesnt come loose over times ,because it happens to me that the connection gets loose over times !!
User avatar
XC-3730C
Posts: 264
Joined: Thu May 15, 2014 6:27 am
Been thanked: 11 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by XC-3730C »

@shloader,

Is there a BIOS that I can load onto my X3 chip to skip the DVD ROM check?

Also, do any of the SATA adapters you have tried not require an 80-pin IDE cable?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

shloader
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2017 7:25 pm
Location: Woodland, WA - USA
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 15 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by shloader »

Xecuter 5035, as I understand, is fine with or without. Don't know what affect that particular bios would have on not having a DVD-ROM drive on boot time.

As for the 80-Wire cable, that's not something I would even try to work around anyway. The speed-up benefits are there and those cables aren't that hard to find. Will admit the cables I find I actually have to move the slave connector more toward the motherboard connector cuz flipping it around doesn't seem to ever work for me.

@scroeffie

I just fold excess cable behind the adapter. If you don't have excess cable, any kind of ESD pad or like material should work. Just make sure you're putting a few layers of electrical tape on the back of the drive if there's any possibility the power connector solder points could short out on the drive.

@The Whole Boot Time Issue

Yeah we can all agree it's a pain while you're still setting your software up but after we've got it dialed, is it really an issue? Hit the power button, make some coffee, pour a cocktail, and it's all good. Just make sure your got a start-up playlist. Just my thoughts, just my harmless thoughts, but I often feel it's an issue much ado over nothing.
I make a conscious effort to use terms that can be googled.
Xbox modding is really about understanding the nomenclature, and a good HeXEn disc.
Drinking while posting happens. It's not like drinking and driving; try to be understanding.
User avatar
XC-3730C
Posts: 264
Joined: Thu May 15, 2014 6:27 am
Been thanked: 11 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by XC-3730C »

@shloader,

Thanks for the reply. I wanna put the Xbox motherboard in a desktop case, and switch between 3 hard drives. Other than an X-tender (which is hard to find, and I am unsure if it can utilize 80-pin IDE cables), what are my options on switching between hard drives? Perhaps a mobile rack, or some sort of switch...

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

User avatar
Lion
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 1:15 pm
Location: Poland
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by Lion »

Can anyone give me a link to a working SATA adaptor on Aliexpress / Gearbest / Banggood? :)
scroeffie
Posts: 322
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 1:08 pm
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by scroeffie »

User avatar
Lion
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 1:15 pm
Location: Poland
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by Lion »

Unfortunately the shipping would be too expensive for me.
I'm looking for an adaptor from directly China (with a free shipping).
hawsey
Posts: 508
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:25 pm
Has thanked: 47 times
Been thanked: 30 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by hawsey »

Has anyone used these cheapish wish ones £3
http://www.wish.com/c/5776117e392ac376d9784618

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

User avatar
Albatross
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:56 pm
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by Albatross »

I've got a couple of them, they boot my 500gb hdds (seagate & western digital) without problem but they wouldn't boot my 2tb drive, one of these which are a similar price boot the 2tb hdd though.
hawsey
Posts: 508
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:25 pm
Has thanked: 47 times
Been thanked: 30 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by hawsey »

Cheers :-)

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

hawsey
Posts: 508
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:25 pm
Has thanked: 47 times
Been thanked: 30 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by hawsey »

Albatross wrote:I've got a couple of them, they boot my 500gb hdds (seagate & western digital) without problem but they wouldn't boot my 2tb drive, one of these which are a similar price boot the 2tb hdd though.
Do you use 80 wire cables ? If so which one ? I've just ordered that adapter you linked to , cheers.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

User avatar
Albatross
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:56 pm
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by Albatross »

I'm using this 80 wire cable, its a bit of a hatchet job though & am not sure of its longevity as I've stripped the braiding off it to allow for greater flexibility - that said I've been using it for over three months now without an issue.
80.jpg
hawsey
Posts: 508
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:25 pm
Has thanked: 47 times
Been thanked: 30 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by hawsey »

Looks fine :-) do you have a link where you got it please

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

User avatar
Nextelhalo
Posts: 725
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2012 5:55 am
Location: Yoyorast Island
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 77 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by Nextelhalo »

Was recently successful with Kingwin ADP-06 Bridge Board SATA to IDE (PATA) Adapter 7+15 Pin SATA and an 80 pin cable on a WS750GB Black drive. Had to play with the jumper settings on the adapter but all it fine so far, boot times were noticeably slower but no bid deal. Running this on a 1.4GHZ Trusty and so far so good. Thanks to all for keeping this thread going, it helped me out a ton.
Halo LE Blue (Japan Black jewel) v1.0 1.0GHZ Trusty 128 RAM 640GB Blue-White P/E LED's
White v1.4 X3 CE with X3 CP 500GB Blue-white P/E LED's Blue Jewel
Debug kit untouched
Jobobn
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 6:32 am

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by Jobobn »

Hey folks, I'm currently running into an error while upgrading my Xboxes to SATA drives, and I could definitely use some help.

I've gotten the hard drives installed with a SATA/PATA adapter, 80-wire IDE cable, etc., and the system boots up fine, if a bit slow. However, if I soft-reset (L + R + Back + Start), I get error code 7. Is this likely because the SATA/PATA adapter I'm currently using isn't very compatible? Currently using a Kingwin ADP-06 adapter.

Thanks for any help, guys!

Specs:
v1.0 Xbox
v1.4 Xbox
Both Evox M8+ bios
Western Digital Caviar GP WD5000AACS 500GB
Seagate Barracuda 2TB ST2000DM006
80-wire IDE cable

P.S.
Anyone know the best method of lubricating/best lubricant for the v1.0 GPU fan? The one I'm currently working on is NOISY.
Jobobn
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 6:32 am

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by Jobobn »

Good news, everyone!

I managed to resolve my issues, and gained a good number of insights in the process.

First off, I resolved my Error 7 issue by switching to the IND-Bios 5004 bios on both of my Xboxes (v1.0 and a v1.4). IND 5004 has a longer boot-up sequence, and this seems to give the SATA/PATA adapter longer time to engage the hard drive and respond to the boot-up sequence. This also has resolved the soft-reset issue I was having before.

Secondly, I ordered a different brand of SATA/PATA adapters from Amazon before I'd resolved the issue via changing bioses, and found that they work just as well as the Kingwin adapter I had started with, but cost half the price (when you buy the dual pack)!

So, for those looking at this thread closer to 2018 and want some updated info and links to working adapters, here's what works for me on two separate Xboxes, and a link to adapters that work for cheap.

Functioning Setup:
v1.0 and v1.4 Xboxes

IND-Bios 5004 (Evox M8+ had many crash errors on setup/reboot!)

Kingwin ADP-06 SATA/PATA adapter(expensive option, doesn't seem to function any better for the increased cost)

Alternately: HDE SATA/PATA adapter (much cheaper if you buy a two pack. Also, Prime shipping!)

24" 80-Wire IDE cables (18" should reach, but don't go any shorter than that)

2TB Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM006 hard drive

500GB Western Digital Caviar GP WD5000AACS hard drive (It should be noted that, at the time of this writing, this drive has began to fail after only 3 days of use. I'm in the process of RMAing it, and the failure is almost certainly unrelated to its use in the Xbox, but I felt it fair to include this info.)

Notes:
The HDE adapters don't fit as snugly onto the hard drives as the Kingwin adapters. I would suggest the (sparring) use of a hot glue gun at a few points to lock the adapter onto the hard drive. This should keep it from coming lose and give it some stability so it's not putting sheer forces on the SATA port.

While this is not recommended in many cases, I installed the 80-wire IDE cable in reverse, with the blue connector connected to the hard drive and the black connector attached to the motherboard. It functions fine in this configuration for me, but you will need to do some clever folding of the cable to get all the connectors and ports to align properly. There are several tutorials online that were very helpful for me on this.

Links:
Working and well-priced adapter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JV ... UTF8&psc=1

Happy Modding!
Tom M.
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 6:04 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: SATA Adaptor Compatibility thread

Post by Tom M. »

I wonder what is the cause of the slow boot times on many of these SATA converters. Because there is no delay on Agestar STI-2 with both magnetic and SSD drives. Of course it could be those large 2 TB drives that cause the delay / or even BIOS? From my experience, using Xecuter BIOS, absolutely no delay whatsoever even when using reset on controllers. But I I said I am not using those big 2 TB drives. Those might be the issue? Or even softmodded consoles behaving not as good as modded ones?
Post Reply