# Hard drive compatibility question... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 7, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-compatibility-question/556414 "2010-10-07T21:43:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-compatibility-question/556414/1 "2010-10-07T21:43:56Z")
I have an HP media center pc running windows xp (PCM7350N). The hard drive is starting to grind and get noisy so I’m wondering which of the hard drive specs need to be the same to replace it. It now has a Samsung SP2504C 250 mb SATA-300 7200 RPM with an 8m buffer. Will this hd from Amazon be a compatible replacement? **Western Digital 320 GB AV SATA 7200 RPM 8 MB Cache Bulk/OEM AV Hard Drive WD3200AVJS** here’s the amazon link with more info: > **[Amazon.com: Western Digital 320 GB AV SATA 3 Gb/s 7200 RPM 8 MB Cache Bulk/OEM...](https://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Cache-Drive-WD3200AVJS/dp/B0013O10XI)** > > WD hard drives have helped enable the digital content revolution since they first began shipping to Microsoft Xbox in 2001. Today WD is a leading manufacturer of consumer electronics storage and WD drives can be found in a multitude of digital video... I have replaced a hard drive before so I’m not coming at this as a total ignoramus. I am just unclear on what specs have to be the same so I don’t get one that won’t work. Thanks to all who reply. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-compatibility-question/556414/2 "2010-10-07T21:50:17Z")
Is this great debate material? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-compatibility-question/556414/3 "2010-10-07T21:51:18Z")
It will be compatible but not as quick, your old drive was a SATA-II drive (denoted by SATA-300) meaning it is the second iteration of the technology. The drive from Amazon doesn’t state that it is SATA-II so it probably isn’t. The drive will work with no problem, it just may not be as fast as your old drive. Your old drive running at 300MB/s and the one from Amazon running at 150MB/s if it is indeed plain SATA. You can also get SATA-III drives now which run at 600MB/s (I think) but these would likely require a motherboard upgrade to get their full potential. P.S. You posted this in the wrong forum, it should be in General Questions. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-compatibility-question/556414/4 "2010-10-07T21:53:53Z")
You don’t want the AV series. Is this the system drive? Do you have only one drive? If not, what are the others? ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-compatibility-question/556414/5 "2010-10-07T22:02:57Z")
Meant to put this in GQ. Mod please move if you need to. Yes, this is the system drive and the only one. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-compatibility-question/556414/6 "2010-10-07T22:05:56Z")
How about this one: > **[Amazon.com: Western Digital 320 GB AV SATA 3 Gb/s 7200 RPM 8 MB Cache Bulk/OEM...](https://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Cache-Drive-WD3200AVJS/dp/B0013O10XI)** > > WD hard drives have helped enable the digital content revolution since they first began shipping to Microsoft Xbox in 2001. Today WD is a leading manufacturer of consumer electronics storage and WD drives can be found in a multitude of digital video... Does the 8 mb buffer need to be the same? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-compatibility-question/556414/7 "2010-10-07T22:10:54Z")
> [@pohjonen](#): > > How about this one: > [Amazon.com: Western Digital 320 GB AV SATA 3 Gb/s 7200 RPM 8 MB Cache Bulk/OEM AV Hard Drive- WD3200AVJS : Electronics](http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Cache-Drive-WD3200AVJS/dp/B0013O10XI/ref=sr_1_17?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1286487192&sr=1-17) > > Does the 8 mb buffer need to be the same? 16MB or 32MB buffer would be better and will cause no compatibility challenges.