/ˈpæ-tə/ or /ˈpɑː-tə/
n. “An older parallel interface standard for connecting storage devices to a computer’s motherboard.”
PATA, short for Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment, is a legacy interface used to connect storage devices such as HDDs and optical drives to a motherboard. It uses parallel signaling with a wide ribbon cable (typically 40 or 80 wires) to transfer data between the device and the system.
PATA was the dominant storage interface before being largely replaced by SATA, which uses serial signaling for higher speeds and simpler cabling. PATA supports master/slave device configurations on a single cable and requires manual jumper settings to configure device priorities.
Key characteristics of PATA include:
- Parallel Data Transfer: Uses multiple wires to send several bits simultaneously.
- Legacy Interface: Largely replaced by SATA in modern systems.
- Master/Slave Configuration: Supports two devices per cable with manual jumper settings.
- Lower Speeds: Maximum transfer rates typically up to 133 MB/s (ATA/133).
- Compatibility: Compatible with older operating systems and motherboards that support IDE connectors.
Conceptual example of PATA usage:
// Connecting a PATA hard drive
Attach ribbon cable to motherboard IDE port
Set jumper to master or slave
Connect power cable to drive
BIOS detects drive on system bootConceptually, PATA is like an older, wider highway for data, moving multiple bits at once between storage and the CPU, but slower and bulkier than modern serial interfaces like SATA.