Some Silly Newb Questions

[Bovinicus]

I am not a newb, but there these two things that I always forgot when I build systems. Which side of the little LED and switch wires are positive and which are negative? Also, which way does the floppy cable plug into the floppy drive? I always just try one way, and if it doesn't work, change it. I want to know so I don't have to fiddle around with them next time. Thanks.

 

[arcenite]

With the floppy drive, the redline of the cable will almost always point towards the power input of the floppy... and with the LED's, I always put the side that doesn't have the metallic ends away from me and the text towards me....

 

[NelsonMuntz]

<< Which side of the little LED and switch wires are positive and which are negative? >>

In my experience, the colored wire has always been positive and the black or white wire has always been negative.


<< Also, which way does the floppy cable plug into the floppy drive? I always just try one way, and if it doesn't work, change it. >>

This one is a little trickier because, unfortunately, floppy drive manufacturers don't follow a particular convention with this. I usually make a guess and if I am wrong when I start the computer up the floppy light will come on and stay on and I shut the PC off and flip it around. The other guy sounded like he had a pretty good idea on this one though.

 

[igowerf]

I think I've thrown away a perfectly good floppy drive before because I couldn't connect the cable correctly.😱

 

[ODIE22]

When connecting the floppy drive cable if you can find a little number 1 on the circuit board at the connector pins then the red wire on the ribbon cable always goes to pin 1 on the drive. Some drives label pin 1, but some drives don't.