There is difference between SATA and PATA HDD but no difference between the formatting..
I'm pretty sure for a PATA you have to set a jumper.
There are many different features that are special about the Pata Hard Drive. These special features include, but are not limited to, they are older, and their max capacity is 250 GB.
Not much. Different name mostly.
yes. pata and ide are the same thing.
Yes. If your computer does not support PATA directly, you will need to purchase a PATA to SATA adapter board.
A serial hard drive is the same as a SATA hard drive. SATA is Serial ATA, and PATA is Parallel ATA.
A PATA connector
Sata is a different kind of disk. If your computer onlyhas a PATA drive connection you won't be able to run SATA. You should be able to find a SATA disk controller or upgrade your motherboard.
To connect PATA cables from the motherboard to a CD drive, first ensure the computer is powered off and unplugged. Locate the PATA connector on the motherboard and the CD drive; then, plug one end of the PATA cable into the drive and the other end into the motherboard. Make sure the drive is set to the correct jumper configuration (Master or Slave) as needed for your setup. Finally, connect the power cable to the CD drive and power on the computer.
The most important reason the PATA connector is present is the PATA connector can be used for EIDE drives such as a CD or DVD drive.
Rear of the drive
yes