2 IDE, 3 HDs and 1 DVD-RW

[Alexis]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Hi guys,

I recently bought a big HD to satisfy my storage needs, and I installed it
very happily, but Windows XP (sp2) lost my DVD-RW in the process!

Here is my configuration as given by the BIOS:
- primary IDE:
master:HD1 (XP installed here)
slave: HD2

- secondary IDE:
masterVD-RW
slave: HD3

I also checked the jumper on the DVD-RW, it is set as Master, and I tried
both slave and cable select for HD3, but still nothing, Please note that I
soon as I disconnect HD3. Windows start to see the DVD again. Odd, ain't it?

Alexis

 

[peter]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Hi,

I think you are using a 40Pin 40Wires flat ribbon cable for your DVD/RW and
HD3.
If yes, first buy a new 40Pin 80Wires flat ribbon cable to replace the 40
wires cable.
Set the jumpers of the DVD/RW & HD3 to cable select (CS), then connect the
HD3 to master and the DVD/RW to slave.

If you still want to use the old 40 wires flat ribbon cable, jumper the HD3
as master and the DVD/RW as slave and then connect them to the cable
accordingly.
For most mobo BIOS, the DMA mode of the slave drive cannot exceed UDMA mode
3 when using a 40 wires ribbon cable. The fastest mode for most DVD/RW is
UDMA mode 2. So, to obtain best performance, it is better to connect the HD3
as master so that it can run at UDMA mode 5 when using the 40 wires cable.

--
Peter


"Alexis" wrote:

> Hi guys,
>
> I recently bought a big HD to satisfy my storage needs, and I installed it
> very happily, but Windows XP (sp2) lost my DVD-RW in the process!
>
> Here is my configuration as given by the BIOS:
> - primary IDE:
> master:HD1 (XP installed here)
> slave: HD2
>
> - secondary IDE:
> masterVD-RW
> slave: HD3
>
> I also checked the jumper on the DVD-RW, it is set as Master, and I tried
> both slave and cable select for HD3, but still nothing, Please note that I
> soon as I disconnect HD3. Windows start to see the DVD again. Odd, ain't it?
>
> Alexis
>

 

[br549]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

"Alexis" <Alexis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8E1448C9-D025-4A96-80EF-2DDD4BAE2563@microsoft.com...
> Hi guys,
>
> I recently bought a big HD to satisfy my storage needs, and I installed it
> very happily, but Windows XP (sp2) lost my DVD-RW in the process!
>
> Here is my configuration as given by the BIOS:
> - primary IDE:
> master:HD1 (XP installed here)
> slave: HD2
>
> - secondary IDE:
> masterVD-RW
> slave: HD3
>
> I also checked the jumper on the DVD-RW, it is set as Master, and I tried
> both slave and cable select for HD3, but still nothing, Please note that I
> soon as I disconnect HD3. Windows start to see the DVD again. Odd, ain't
> it?
>
> Alexis

Just reverify the jumpering, if it happens to be a WD drive then there are
settings for a single drive as master and also a dual master or slave as
with your HD3 and DVD-RW.

 

[Alexis]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

"Peter" wrote:
> If you still want to use the old 40 wires flat ribbon cable, jumper the HD3
> as master and the DVD/RW as slave and then connect them to the cable
> accordingly.

Thanks, that did it

> I think you are using a 40Pin 40Wires flat ribbon cable for your DVD/RW and
> HD3.
> If yes, first buy a new 40Pin 80Wires flat ribbon cable to replace the 40
> wires cable.

just a question: would a 80 wires cable generate better speed?

 

[peter]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

No, but a 80wires cable can allow you to set the drives to cable select and
without the limitation of transfer speed for the slave drive. It means that
if the slave drive is a HD of ATA100 or ATA133 then the rate transfer mode
will be UDMA mode 5 or UDMA mode 6. But if you are using 40 wires cable, the
transfer rate is limitied to UDMA mode 3 thus reduce the performance of the
HD.
--
Peter


"Alexis" wrote:

> "Peter" wrote:
> > If you still want to use the old 40 wires flat ribbon cable, jumper the HD3
> > as master and the DVD/RW as slave and then connect them to the cable
> > accordingly.
>
> Thanks, that did it
>
> > I think you are using a 40Pin 40Wires flat ribbon cable for your DVD/RW and
> > HD3.
> > If yes, first buy a new 40Pin 80Wires flat ribbon cable to replace the 40
> > wires cable.
>
> just a question: would a 80 wires cable generate better speed?
>
>

 

[Alexis]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

"Peter" wrote:
> No, but a 80wires cable can allow you to set the drives to cable select and
> without the limitation of transfer speed for the slave drive.

So, correct me if I am wrong, using a 80 wires cable only maximise speed if
you use 2 drives? There is no loss with a single drive?

And please allow me to follow with some more questions (its quite rare to
find an expert!)

- Do you know a good resource explaining UDMA modes (3, 5, 6, ...) and how
they affect speed?

- Is it possible to use more than 2 drives per IDE channels? I guess not, so
the number of HDs/DVDs supported by most mobos is 4 max? Any solution if you
want to use more?

 

[peter]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Hi,

Pls read from this link:
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/modesUDMA-c.html

Not exactly, some modern mobo support 4 SATA drives together with 2 IDE
channels (Primary and secondary), that is, it supports 4 SATA HDs, 2 ATA100
or ATA133 Hds and 2 optical drives. Or a totall combination of 8 drives of
which 4 of them must be SATA HDs. If you want to add more HDs, you can use
PCI-IDE controller cards.

The different of the old 40 wires cable and 80wires cable:
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/conf_Cable80.htm

--

Peter


"Alexis" wrote:

> "Peter" wrote:
> > No, but a 80wires cable can allow you to set the drives to cable select and
> > without the limitation of transfer speed for the slave drive.
>
> So, correct me if I am wrong, using a 80 wires cable only maximise speed if
> you use 2 drives? There is no loss with a single drive?
>
> And please allow me to follow with some more questions (its quite rare to
> find an expert!)
>
> - Do you know a good resource explaining UDMA modes (3, 5, 6, ...) and how
> they affect speed?
>
> - Is it possible to use more than 2 drives per IDE channels? I guess not, so
> the number of HDs/DVDs supported by most mobos is 4 max? Any solution if you
> want to use more?