Parallel ATA facts for kids

An ATA/ATAPI connector on a computer's motherboard.

These are 80-pin and 40-pin cables used to connect drives inside a computer.

Parallel ATA (often called PATA) is a way that computer parts talk to each other. It's used to connect storage devices like Hard disks, solid-state drives, and CD-ROM drives inside your personal computer. Think of it as a special highway for data to travel between these parts.

For a long time, this technology was simply known as ATA or IDE. But in 2003, a newer, faster way to connect drives came out called Serial ATA (SATA). To tell the old one apart from the new one, the original ATA was given a new name: Parallel ATA. The word "parallel" means data travels on many wires at the same time.

What PATA Does

PATA connects storage devices directly to your computer's motherboard. This lets your computer read and write information to your hard drive or CD-ROM drive. It was a very common and affordable way to do this for many years.

Connecting Devices with PATA

PATA uses wide, flat ribbon cables to connect devices. These cables have many wires inside them. Because of how they work, PATA cables can only be about 18 inches (46 centimeters) long. This is why PATA connections are almost always found inside a computer case. You wouldn't use PATA to connect an external hard drive, for example.

PATA's History and Evolution

The idea behind PATA started with something called Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE). Over time, this technology got better and was renamed Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA). Later, it was updated to handle more types of devices, like CD-ROM drives, and was called ATA/ATAPI. Even though its name changed, many people still called it IDE.

Why PATA is Less Common Now

Today, PATA has mostly been replaced by Serial ATA (SATA). SATA cables are much thinner and can transfer data faster. This makes SATA more popular in new computers. However, you might still find PATA in older computers or when working with older hardware.

Images for kids

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  This is a 1992 computer motherboard. You can see slots where cards would be added to connect things like hard drives using PATA.

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  Here's an 80-pin PATA connection on a small hard disk.

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  This picture shows two types of PATA cables: a 40-wire cable (top) and an 80-wire cable (bottom). Both use a 40-pin connector.

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  This image shows the differences between PATA connectors.

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  This is an adapter that lets you connect a PATA device, like a DVD-RW drive, to a computer using a USB cable.

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  Compact Flash cards, often used in cameras, are actually a tiny version of the ATA interface.

See also

In Spanish: Integrated Drive Electronics para niños