Editing Parallel ATA (section)

=== Primacy and obsolescence ===
Parallel ATA (then simply called ATA or IDE) became the primary storage device interface for PCs soon after its introduction. In some systems, a third and fourth motherboard interface was provided, allowing up to eight ATA devices to be attached to the motherboard. Often, these additional connectors were implemented by inexpensive [[RAID]] controllers.

Soon after the introduction of [[Serial ATA]] (SATA) in 2003, use of Parallel ATA declined. Some PCs and laptops of the era have a SATA hard disk and an optical drive connected to PATA.

As of 2007, some PC [[chipset]]s, for example the Intel ICH10, had removed support for PATA. Motherboard vendors still wishing to offer Parallel ATA with those chipsets must include an additional interface chip. In more recent computers, the Parallel ATA interface is rarely used even if present, as four or more Serial ATA connectors are usually provided on the motherboard and SATA devices of all types are common.

With [[Western Digital]]'s withdrawal from the PATA market, hard disk drives with the PATA interface were no longer in production after December 2013 for other than specialty applications.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.myce.com/news/western-digital-stops-sales-of-pata-drives-69960/#! |title=Western Digital stops sales of PATA drives |work=Myce.com |date=2013-12-20 |access-date=2013-12-25}}</ref>