Question about IDE connections, any help? :)

[Sav]

Hi,

Building my first computer, I have my CDRW set as master and DVD set as slave on IDE #1. Can I set a zip and HD on IDE #2 with out problems / performance hits. Or would the HD perform better on an IDE by itself. Also there seems to be some problems fitting the IDE #2 to both the zip and the hD, is there an extender to extend the IDE cable so it can reach the zip? Also the HD has to be master right, it cant be slave?


- Thanks for all your help guys
- Sav

 

[Bill Kunert]

Personally I'd set the hard drive as master on 1, dvd slave on 1, cdrw master on 2, and zip slave on 2. There seems to be a problem having both cd devices on the same ide controller if you plan on copying directly from the dvd player to the cdrw.
Bill

 

[Sav]

I am having problems fitting this, is there a way to extend IDE cables?

Thanks for your help Bill

 

[bacillus]

<<Can I set a zip and HD on IDE #2 with out problems / performance hits>>
yes,there should not be any hdd performance degradation if you have a newish board. better if on ide #1 though!

<<is there an extender to extend the IDE cable so it can reach the zip?>>
afraid not but you should be able to get a longer ide cable though not ideal &amp; may cause some problems. some folk have configured it so that the master is at the center connector &amp; slave at the end of cable without problems but unlikely to work with ata66/100 ide cable. you can but try!

<<Also the HD has to be master right, it cant be slave?>>
correct!

 

[Bill Kunert]

I think you can get longer cables but I understand they shouldn't exceed, I think, 18 inches. I had to move my hard drives and dvd, cdrw drives around in my case so I could set them up the way I wanted them. I have a full tower and had to raise my hard drives and lower my dvd and cdrw drives so the cables would reach between units.
Bill

 

[Wallysaurus]

Sav,
I agree with Bill's setup advise. No you cannot extend them. You can, however, buy longer ones, to a point. How long are the ones you are trying to use?