SATA 2.0 hard drives in SATA 3.0 sockets

[CookyMonzta]

I have the Z68M/USB3 board with 4 SATA 2.0 sockets and 2 SATA 3.0 sockets. While currently dealing with a crippling error regarding Windows 7 in my primary hard drive (SATA 3.0)...

Installation of programs in Windows 7 hangs for 10 minutes before - Microsoft Answers

...I ran a test on my SATA 3.0 socket by plugging my second drive (a SATA 2.0 drive containing Windows XP) in the SATA 3.0 socket. I got a disk error upon reboot, and the system told me to hit CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart. Of course, the error repeated itself.

I want to know, can a SATA 2.0 hard drive run properly when plugged into a SATA 3.0 socket? Or it is a general rule that only SATA 3.0 devices will work in SATA 3.0 sockets, and SATA 3.0 devices can run while plugged into either a SATA 2.0 or SATA 3.0 socket?

[By the way, I plugged my SATA 3.0 hard drive in a SATA 2.0 socket, and I have the same Windows 7 software update installation problems as when I had the hard drive plugged into the SATA 3.0 socket. So far, it doesn't look as if I have a bad motherboard.]

[WilliamM2]

SATA 2.0 or 3.0 will work just fine connected to either port. SATA 3.0 is fully backward compatable.

[CookyMonzta]

In other words, a SATA 2.0 (3Gb/s) hard drive should have no problems running while plugged into a SATA 3.0 (6Gb/s) socket. I presume the SATA 3.0 hardware on the motherboard will readjust itself to run at SATA 2.0 speed with a SATA 2.0 hard drive plugged in.

If that is the case, then I definitely have a defective motherboard. I plugged one of my SATA 2.0 drives into a SATA 3.0 socket (with WinXP installed), and got a disk read error upon reboot. I'm beginning to believe this is why my machine couldn't read my external hard drive box with an eSATA cable plugged into the machine, and probably why I had so much trouble with the LAN drivers in February (re: Windows Update Error 8024402F).