Re: IDE Y-Cable?

Timothy Daniels <TDaniels@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
<lonewolfcsu@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I recently built a new PC and have run into a small problem.
I have a harddrive and a DVD drive, both of which need to
be connected to my motherboard via an IDE cable. The
DVD drive is located at the top of my tower, and my harddrive
is located at the bottom of my tower (behind an intake fan).
I have a single IDE connector on my motherboard, and
it's right in the middle.

So, basically, what I need, is an IDE cable where the main
connector is in the middle, instead of on one of the ends.
Does anyone make these?

Also, I know about controller cards, but all my PCI slots are
taken up by other hardware. All I have left open is PCIEx1
slots, and I can't find a controller card that will go into one of
those.

As a temp solution, I've mounted the HD into a 5.25" slot
with a mounting bracket, but I'd like to ultimately be able to
place it back behind the intake fan.

Suggestions are much appreciated.


You have several choices. If you're willing to switch to a
SATA hard drive, you can use a controller card that goes in
a PCIEx slot:
http://www.siig.com/product.asp?catid=14&pid=1002

These are even made for connection to SATA drives in
external cases:
http://www.siig.com/product.asp?catid=14&pid=1018

But the cheapest way is just to use a standard IDE
cable and plug the middle connector into the motherboard
controller socket and use the outer connectors for the drives.

That wont necessarily give enough room between
what were intended to be the drive connnectors.

The drives will have to be jumpered as Master and Slave,
of course, rather than using Cable Select. Be aware,
though, that this "flouts the standards", but it works.

Not necessarily, some motherboards dont like that.

If the shorter segment of the IDE cable isn't long enough, go with a
longer cable.

Those arent usually longer between the drive connectors by much.

Be aware that this again "flouts the standards". If you can't find a
longer 80-wire ribbon cable, use an 80-wire "round" cable. Be aware that
this also "flouts the standards", but who the hell cares?

Anyone with a clue, thats who.

It makes a hell of a lot more sense to add a fan
to the drive mounted in the 5.25" drive bay stack.

Here is a place that sells "round" cables at a good combination of wide
selection and low price:
http://www.svc.com/cables-ata-100-133-round-cables.html
These cables have 40 signal wires and 40 ground wires,
just like 80-wire ribbon cable, and each signal wire is twisted
together with one of the ground wires. I use the ones with
the braided wire aluminum shields for added protection from
EMI, and I've had no problems with them in 2 1/2 years.


.

Relevant Pages

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  • Re: Whcih drive is which on IDE cable?
    ... Simply look at the jumpers on the back of the drive and remove the one that's jumpered as the Slave, unless you would happen to have the OS installed on it, which then you would remove the Master. ... Cable Select uses a special cable that uses a CSEL signal by grounding pin 28 to the IDE controller on the motherboard and the wire for pin 28 only goes to the middle connector. ... If you swap the drives between the connectors on the CSEL cable, the drives Master/Slave configuration will swap on the drives as well. ... Unlike the old cables, with the 80-conductor cable, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)