Video Card covering SATA ports.

[LightningRider]

Hey guys

I recently got a 9800GTX and a Samsung F1 1TB hard drive.

When I went to install them tonight, I found that I can't use more than 4 of my 6 SATA ports because the 9800GTX is covering them. I already have 2 SATA hard drives and 2 SATA DVD-RWs.

I can connect them if I use right angle SATA connectors, however the problem is that the SATA ports are shaped so that I can only use right angle connectors on the ports on the right side of the 6 (see the picture to see how my SATA connectors are positioned and you will see what I mean). If I put right angle cables on the left connectors, the cable ends up covering the right connector so that I can't use it. So basically I can't use the top 2 left SATA ports with the 9800GTX because it is simply too big! The bottom two (left and right) cables are not restricted by the 9800GTX, so those are no problem, it's just the top and middle two that need to use right angled cables.

I'm thinking 3 solutions:

1) If I can take off the red connectors (the thing the cable plugs into) and turn them around so that if I plug in a right angled cable, the cable will be coming out on the other side instead of covering the right slot. Although I'm scared to try this because I'm thinking I could maybe damage the SATA slot or the hard drive if I end up doing this.

2) I'm wondering if they sell different types of right angled cables that point out in the opposite direction. This way I could buy this cable and attach them without doing anything.

3) I take out the Raptor X. This is going to be a last resort.

Anyways so basically I'm wondering if I can turn those slots around so that I can use a right angled cable on it without damaging anything (if anyone has experience with this). And secondly, if I can't, are there different shaped right angle cables I can buy that will meet my needs?

Thanks a lot guys, I would really appreciate any help.

http://img175.imageshack.us/my...age=satadiagramtq3.png]

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The image above should help explain to you the positioning of the SATA ports and what I want to do. If anything is not clear please tell me so I can try to explain better.

 

[jaqie]

That would alter the pinout of the ports and possibly fry some expensive electronics, letting out the magic blue smoke.

The easiest solution would be to get a pcie x1 or pci sata2 card, not very expensive.
The next solution would be to create a shunt out of the built in ports. Desoldering them from the mobo, soldering in a 7 wire piece of ribbon cable to the through hole solder pads on the mobo, cut to two inches or so, solder the sata plugs onto the end of the shunt wire, and heatshink insulate the shunt wire and connector.

 

[LightningRider]

Hmm, I was afraid that reversing the connector would do something like that. I guess that is out of the question.

I'm not really into soldering either heh...

I thought of a SATA card also but I'm not sure how much it's worth to keep the Raptor X in there anyways now that I have the F1. I'm thinking for now I will just ditch it. I shouldn't need anymore HD Space with 2TB drives until I upgrade to a new motherboard anyways... which I will make sure has a better position for the SATA ports!

And I guess I will keep my IDE 120GBer for a download dump.

Well thanks, I really was just looking for someone to tell me that taking off the SATA connectors and flipping them is a bad idea.

If there are anymore ideas that will be great though.

 

[PolymerTim]

Originally posted by: LightningRider
2) I'm wondering if they sell different types of right angled cables that point out in the opposite direction. This way I could buy this cable and attach them without doing anything.

Hehe, well I think option 2 is your best bet. I wasn't sure if you can buy those, but I went looking and discovered they are referred to as "left angle" connectors (as opposed to "right angles", go figure). Newegg has a couple but are ridiculously priced. Here are a couple options I found you may want to consider. Good luck!

http://www.satacables.com/html...ft_angle_to_strai.html
http://www.satacables.com/html...gnal-left-to-righ.html

 

[Arcanedeath]

Your best bet in this situation is to use "Left" angle cables and run them under the card they do make them as PolymerTim noted, they are a bit hard to find but you can get them and that would solve your situation in this case.

 

[Synomenon]

Performance-PCs carries left angle to straight and left angle to right angle SATA cables in different lengths.

 

[LightningRider]

Yeah I went looking for those cables today but I didn't find any in the local shops.

I live in Canada so it seems it might be even harder to find them. :/

I've decided to get rid of the Raptor anyways, it was too noisy. Running the OS off the Samsung F1 now. If I ever get another hard drive for this machine though, I will definitely have to get those cables first.