Are internal laptop hard drives interchangeable?

On One Hand: Not All of ThemInternal laptop hard drives come in two form factors: IDE and SATA. IDE and SATA are not interchangeable, according to laptop hard drive maker Seagate. Thus, before attempting to replace your notebook's hard drive, you should determine which type of drive your motherboard uses.On the Other: IDE/ATA Not Seen MuchMost modern laptop manufacturers use the SATA format for their hard drives because it offers faster access times than IDE. Seagate became the first manufacturer to phase out the use of the IDE standard. Thus, any new hard drive is probably interchangeable with a recently made laptop.Bottom LineNot all laptop hard drives are interchangeable. Thus you should check your laptop's user manual to find out which form factor it uses. Before purchasing or using a secondhand hard drive, make sure it has the same form factor as the one accepted by your motherboard.Source:Seagate: How Do I Install a Drive in a Laptop or Notebook Computer?Yahoo!  more