Hardrive Cable

**abu_has_the_power** · 10-26-2003, 04:31 AM

Originally posted by neattairoski@26 October 2003 - 03:39
You can get 2 different IDE ribbon cable. One has just black connectors on all ends and the one you need has one blue one where it connects to the motherbooard.

The normal IDE ribbon can be used for cd roms and i think zip drives.

If you just use a normal one for your hard drive, u might get an error like "80 cable not connected" Im not to sure about the exact error message but you will get something like that.

If you have an older pc it might be ok to use a normal cable.

ok, i have the cable that has 1 end goin into the mobo, and 2 connectors into the hd's. now, i can get a extension cable? wat's it called. where can i get it?

**sparsely** · 10-26-2003, 05:10 AM

Originally posted by I don't remember
You can get 2 different IDE ribbon cable. One has just black connectors on all ends and the one you need has one blue one where it connects to the motherbooard.

The normal IDE ribbon can be used for cd roms and i think zip drives.

If you just use a normal one for your hard drive, u might get an error like "80 cable not connected" Im not to sure about the exact error message but you will get something like that.

If you have an older pc it might be ok to use a normal cable.

no, no , no.

It doesn't matter.
There are two types of IDE cables. The older 40 wire cable, and the newer 80 wire, 40 pin cable. If your devices were manufactured
in the last several years, the latter is what you want. It's very easy to tell them apart. The colored connector ends are simply to try and
help idiot-proof the setup, it doesn't matter what color they are.
It's also quite easy to tell which end goes to the motherboard, as the two drive connectors are more than halfway up the cable.

**abu_has_the_power** · 10-26-2003, 05:22 AM

ok, so there is no extension cable thing for ide cables?

**sparsely** · 10-26-2003, 05:32 AM

I'm not sure, really.
I'm sure somebody probably makes one, but I've never seen such.
You can get IDE cables in several lengths, though.

**abu_has_the_power** · 10-26-2003, 05:37 AM

the hd rack will be 7-8 optical bays away from the bottom master harddrive. now, are there any cables that will have that length? that's 7-8 optical bays up... i don't have a ruler handy. sory