ATA Cable

[Funkyb]

Is there any problems with fitting the ATA cable backwards, i.e. plugging the blue end into my HD/CD and the other end into the motherboard?
I ask because I connect my HD and CD-rom on one cable and my DVD-R on the second cable. The cable between HD and CD-rom will only reach if it is in backwards.

Cheers

 

[XeoNoX]

not recommended, for connecting any HD that uses Ultra DMA higher than 66, you should always put blue into mobo 1st when using DMA 100 or higher, i forgot the reason why, but i remember it had something to do with the way the 100/133 cables were designed. If you use the statndard DMA 66 cable you can plug in backwards.

 

[ElementalDragon]

actually..... if i remember correctly, it's not recommended to EVER connect your hard drive and CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive on the same IDE cable...... something about drastically decreased performance installation's from CD or somethin? i don't remember exactly. can someone else back me up on that one?

 

[Admiral Michael]

I would connect both optical together. As to the backwards cable Id say just try it and see. I think I used to have one in backwards, now Im on SATA.

 

[Funkyb]

Thanks all for the info. Will connect both opticals together and do what I can to connect the cables the correct way round.

 

[mlakrid]

Plus cables are very inexpensive...

 

[Electronic Punk]

I am doing HDD and Optical on the same cable in my Vista rig, but thats just becuase I am trying to ditch cables, might change it around depending on whats looks best later on though!!

 

[ElementalDragon]

if you want nice looking cables, EP (though they cost a very small fortune for a cable), i'd say go with the Antec Cobra Cables. nice rounded cables and stuff..... really look nice in a case if you're really trying to keep it looking neat and clean. just from looking on PriceGrabber..... think they have 26" cabes for like.... $14. like i said.... little expensive, but look great. If you want me to, i could take a picture of it for ya when i open up my computer again to install my new power supply that will hopefully be here relatively soon.

.....can't really think of anything on-topic to say since he already decided to connect the two optical drives on one cable...... hope it works out well for ya though. one of the good things about SATA. if you want to, you could even connect both optical drives to a different IDE channel..... though to me that's a little too much wire going through the case just to do so.

 

[dreamliner77]

actually..... if i remember correctly, it's not recommended to EVER connect your hard drive and CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive on the same IDE cable...... something about drastically decreased performance installation's from CD or somethin? i don't remember exactly. can someone else back me up on that one?

That was true pre Win2K. 2K and XP can handle different DMA modes on the same controller.