Setting up my new computer. NEED help!

[EpsiIon]

Hi, I have an Epox EP-8K7A set up with all my new components and, when I went to turn on the computer for the first time, at POST, it said "Primary IDE channel no 80 conductor cable installed." Then, below that, it says "Floppy disk(s) fail (40)". It properly detected my hard drive and my DVD-ROM drive, but it can't see the floppy. I don't think the floppy's dead because the lights on (not that that REALLY means anything), so it must either be that my floppy cable is bad or not seated properly. But I already made sure it was well-seated.

I need some help. Should I just go out and get a new floppy (I bought this one OEM) and try that? Or do you have any suggestions for me?

Oh yeah, the reason I mentioned the motherboard was because of the red LED's, which display error codes during POST. Well, the code it gave me was 7F, but that's not in the manual, so I'm pretty confused.

Thanks a lot for your help!
Epsilon

 

[splice]

Your floppy cable is not installed right if the LED is always on. the 80 conductor cable means you have a 40 conductor cable on an ATA/66 or ATA/100 drive. You should have gotten a 80 cond. ribbon with the 8K7A

 

[EpsiIon]

Well, I did the cable with the MB. But I also ordered a separate rounded cable -- could that be the problem?

I'll try to re-seat my floppy cable now.

Thanks!

 

[sohcrates]

try all FOUR permutations of plugging your floppy cable in, if it says floppy disk fail AND your floppy light is on that means that the cable is definitely in backwards

 

[EpsiIon]

Oh, something else just ocurred to me. Could it actually, physically *hurt* the motherboard to install the floppy cable backwards, or would it just do something like it's doing now...

Epsilon

 

[EpsiIon]

<< try all FOUR permutations of plugging your floppy cable in, if it says floppy disk fail AND your floppy light is on that means that the cable is definitely in backwards >>



Oh! Ok. Thanks.

 

[sohcrates]

i've messed it up plenty of times and never hurt a mobo...it's just that your floppy won't work when it's wrong

 

[splice]

Ohh yeah... It'll fry the board.. heh, j/k. no, don't worry about it.

 

[EpsiIon]

Ok, well. The floppy works now. Should I worry about the ATA cable? What sort of adverse effects might it have on my system?

Thanks!
Epsilon

 

[EpsiIon]

bump

I'd like to know about the Ultra ATA cables...

Epsilon

 

[sohcrates]

WELL, if you've got ata100 hard drives (or ata66) and your running them on ata33 cables they're not going to be transferring as well as they could. it's a waste, so i'd break down and pick up some 80 pin cables ASAP

 

[EpsiIon]

<< WELL, if you've got ata100 hard drives (or ata66) and your running them on ata33 cables they're not going to be transferring as well as they could. it's a waste, so i'd break down and pick up some 80 pin cables ASAP >>



Oh, so they're 33 cables, then? I think I know what I did wrong. I've already got the cables! Yay! Thanks a lot!

Epsilon

 

[sohcrates]

hmmm.. well, hope it works out. let us know

 

[EpsiIon]

It all works now. Yay! Just had to switch out the wrong cable and then it all went off without a hitch!

Thanks a lot for your help!
Epsilon