SATA vs SATA2

If I got this SATA2 mobo, would a SATA HDD still work with it? Or would I need a SATA mobo (or SATAII hdd)? If so, what would you recommend for a SATA mobo (or SATAII HDD)?

Yes SATA will work with a SATA 2 mobo... The difference in Sata 1 and Sata 2 is not very much

Heres a link that explains Sata and Sata 2.
http://www.sata-io.org/

Ok. Will it be harder to install? Someone told me to get a SATA2 hdd because he had a hard time getting his SATA hdd to work with his SATA2 mobo...

Sata 150 drives will be easier to install. Some Mobos require a bios update to work with the newer sata 300 maxtors. You can pop in a sata 150 into a sata II controller without doing anything ( im doing it now). If you have a sata II drive you may have to change a jumper to get it into sata 150 mode for older mobos. Personaly i dont care, the sata II will just fill up the hd cache 2x faster, You wont see an improvement since the hd still can only do 50-60 megs a second anyway, just hook it up to dma66 and you still will be good

The term SATA II has grown in popularity as the moniker for the SATA 3Gb/s data transfer rate, causing great confusion because, quite simply, it’s a misnomer.

The first step toward a better understanding of SATA is to know that SATA II is not the brand name for SATA’s 3Gb/s data transfer rate, but the name of the organization formed to author the SATA specifications. The group has since changed names, to the Serial ATA International Organization, or SATA-IO.

The 3Gb/s capability is just one of many defined by the former SATA II committee, but because it is among the most prominent features, 3Gb/s has become synonymous with SATA II. Hence, the source of the confusion.