Extending IDE cables?

[davidprout]

Does anyone know if it is possible to buy an extension lead for an IDE cable? I've got 2 HDD, a DVD writer and a DVD Rom in my machine. I want the 2 HDDs on separate cables and the 2 DVD drives on separate cables, but all the IDE cables I've found aren't long enough to reach from one HDD to one of the DVD drives - the distance is too far by about 10cm. So, I was wondering if there's an IDE extension cable available in the UK and whether that is my best choice or should I just get a separate IDE controller card?

Thanks.

 

[jonifen]

You can buy longer cables... I got mine from http://www.acemobilecomputers.co.uk (a long time ago when I lived just up the road from it)... think it only cost me a few quid.

 

[the_music_man]

and get round ones too

 

[davidprout]

I've had a better (?) idea. I'm going to spend £3.99 on a bracket that will allow me to put a 3.5" IDE drive in a 5.25" bay in my PC - I've got 2 spare bays, so this will work just fine. This will allow me to put the drive nearer the dvd rw or dvd rom and the cable will then reach without a problem.

 

[jonifen]

yeah thats a good idea... you could possibly turn the cable around? so it'd be like this:

|mobo|---------------|hdd|-----------------------------------|cdrom|


(the amount of hyphens '--' shows the longer part of the cable). I know this works with the older 40wire ide cables, but it may with the 80wire too.

 

[davidprout]

I did originally try turning the cable around, and although it reached the drivers were no longer detected... don't know why... could be the cable or motherboard.

I'm going to get a bracket tomorrow, so that'll sort me out

 

[jonifen]

Ahh right, I remember doing that once with an older 40pin cable and it worked... I assume you're using an 80pin cable? Or if you're using a 40pin, perhaps it doesnt work like that anymore...

Seeing as that doesnt work, the brackets would be much better