Re: not enough IDE port for 3 device

arrayprofile@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

Hi there, I just bought a Seagate IDE 400G hard drive and wanted to use
it as my second hard drive. My Dell desktop already has a SATA hard
drive. Unfortunately after I bought this hard drive, I found out that
my system board only has 1 IDE port which has already been used up for
2 device: a DVD ROM and a DVD burner. So now my question is:

1. can I use an IDE hard drive together with a SATA hard drive all
togther?
2. Can I try to get a IDE interface cable that has 3 connectors (1
master, 2 slaves) for connecting my IDE hard drive, in addition to the
2 DVD drives? I searched google, in one occasion (Years 1999 post) that
1 IDE port can only connect up to 2 devices, is that still true now? I
called DELL support, the guy said I can use this configuration, but I
am not sure if he really knows this.
3. If I can use such a cable, where can I buy it? My 2 DVD drive is on
the top on the computer, and the hard drive is at the bottom of the
computer, so I need a cable that is extened quite a bit on the 3rd
connector.
4. My system board does has a floppy drive port which looks like an IDE
port, can someone know for sure a floppy drive is an IDE port which I
can use to hook up my hard drive?

If I know this cause so many problem, I would have bought a SATA drive
instead. really pissed off


First, before spending any money, double-check that your MB really only
has one IDE port. Most MBs have one IDE controller which supports two
IDE ports and, therefore, four IDE devices.

{Other than the above thought, I don't disagree with any of the other
replies.}
--
Cheers, Bob
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: XP-Startprobleme
    ... IDE Port laufen hast und somit die zweite als Slave laeuft. ... HDD starte bleibt der ...
    (microsoft.public.de.german.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: ide disk not found on SATA port
    ... We've only now discovered that the board had 1 IDE port and he only ... So, he bought a IDE ... Although - to be truthful - if the motherboard is not recognizing the ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • not enough IDE port for 3 device
    ... I just bought a Seagate IDE 400G hard drive and wanted to use ... DVD drives? ... IDE port can only connect up to 2 devices, ...
    (comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage)
  • Re: IDE drive doesnt work in system with SATA drive
    ... I have the DVD drive as primary master and the IDE hard drive as secondary master. ... So it appears there's something flaky with the secondary IDE port except that I had previously successfully formated the drive booting off the Western Digital utility floppy. ...
    (alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus)
  • Re: problem with my new sata hard disk
    ... yesterday i brougt new sata hard disk along with all ide to sata ... like an IDE drive. ... My guess would be the converter is not the right type. ... You should check the instructions for the adapter, ...
    (alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt)