Page 1 of PC advice needed please guys...

Just installed a DVD-Writer in my PC, and it works fine. Though I had to put the 40pin IDE cable into the back of it from my DVD-Rom drive as I did not have enough connectors. I also have a CD-Writer which is still connected. From looking at my motherboard I can`t see any more space for another IDE cable....

So my question is, can I get an IDE cable with four connectors on it to run my DVD-Writer, DVD-Rom and CD-Writer from? Or are there any other options?

Any advice appreciated.

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"The Internet is a communication device that allows people the world over to bitch about movies and share pornography with one another."

Ben
Your motherboard should have two IDE sockets and the usual configuration would be hard drive ( Master ) and DVD rom ( Slave ) on IDE 1 and DVD Writer ( Master ) and CD-Writer ( Slave) on IDE 2.
Remember almost all DVD Writers also are CD writers so you could always remove the cd writer.
If you have 2 hard drives you probably will have to do that to accomodate the second hard drive anyway, where a different configuration would apply.

hth P.

I have got two hard-drives - as well as the 3 CD drives. IDE 1 goes into both hard-drives, and and IDE 2 to the DVD-Writer and CD-Writer, leaving the DVD-Rom not working. I want to copy DVD`s that I have created myself, so that is why the need for the DVD-Rom (it takes too long to copy to hard-drive then back to the DVDR).

I know what you mean about removing the CD-Writer, but it is so new, it would seem silly to, to be honest.

So I assume there is no way around this then?

Cheers Kywy.

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"The Internet is a communication device that allows people the world over to bitch about movies and share pornography with one another."

Nothing very straight forward that I `m aware off, although if it is I`m sure we`ll both find out ;-)
Obvious solution re the CD Writer is to sell it on. and recover some of the cost of the DVD writer.,
What make and spec is the CD-R, as I actually had a call tonight looking for a decent 2nd hand one.

P.

if you wanted to attach more IDE devices.. your motherboard needs to be a RAID board...

you can buy a controller card which slots into a PCI slot.. and you can attach up to 4 devices to this..

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=33743

There you go ! ;-))

Thanks Haggis, much as I had hoped ( vague recollections of a daughter board add-on rather than a PCI card )
Life was much simplier when I was system building ( for fun and experience only, of course )

P.

Isn`t the RAID system just for harddrives though? Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks?

"Short for Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks, a category of disk drives that employ two or more drives in combination for fault tolerance and performance. RAID disk drives are used frequently on servers but aren`t generally necessary for personal computers."

Anil
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Site Reviewer and International Lover
http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/

This item was edited on Monday, 12th May 2003, 09:26

oooh.. did you look that up anil?...

RAID can be used to ways... you can set up a RAID system using two identical discs to increase speed and performance...

Or like i have.. you can just use it as 2 extra IDE channels.. You are right about the fact that you have to channel your hard drives through the raid card though.. but thats no problem is it!

So let me get this right.... if I plug in the PCI Controller Card that you`ve mentioned Haggis, I can then run the DVD-Rom through that? It just becomes two extra IDE channels right?

I`m a bit confused...

Thanks for the help by the way! :-)

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"The Internet is a communication device that allows people the world over to bitch about movies and share pornography with one another."

>>>oooh.. did you look that up anil?...

Haggis, hence my original question. I`ve never used an addon RAID card and I thought it might work the same way as onboard RAID where IDE channels 3&4 have to be partnered with the same type of HD as 1&2.

I know that the onboard RAID IDE channels will not work (not on Gigabyte mb anyway) purely for HD to work as the config mentioned you`ve got running.

Anil
_______________________________________________________
Site Reviewer and International Lover
http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/

This item was edited on Monday, 12th May 2003, 12:34