Question How can I install an old 40-pin CD-ROM drive on a new motherboard with SATA ?

dsmith43

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Jan 25, 2018
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I'm putting together a new computer with an older tower case with a new Gigabyte Aorus B450 Elite motherboard and have an internal CDROM drive that won't come out, I think it's hard connected into the case. Yes, it's that old. It's got a 40-pin connector on the back of the drive, but the Aorus B450 doesn't have a 40-pin connector on the motherboard that I can plug it into so I can't use the drive cable. It powers up fine though.

Do they make a 40-pin to SATA connector cable, and where can I get one? I can't hook it up yet because my new video card won't arrive from Amazon until Thursday this week and I won't be able to tell if it's working properly until I can see the screen.

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Your responses will indicate whether I need a new tower case and/or CDROM drive or not, otherwise I will likely need to ensure the USB ports are working when I'm able to get my video card and hook up my monitor so I can see what's going on, and then I can install an OS using a USB stick if that's what it comes down to but I'd rather get the CDROM drive working so I can boot off my CD instead.

Thanks.
 
“Danger, Will Robinson, danger!”

You need an adapter like that, but 40-pin IDE to SATA. The 44-pin connector is smaller and doesn't fit, because it's intended for 2.5" laptop IDE drives (which used a different connector than 3.5" desktop IDE drives/5.25" optical drives), and that listing includes both types
 
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“Danger, Will Robinson, danger!”

You need an adapter like that, but 40-pin IDE to SATA. The 44-pin connector is smaller and doesn't fit, because it's intended for 2.5" laptop IDE drives (which used a different connector than 3.5" desktop IDE drives/5.25" optical drives), and that listing includes both types
The link actually goes to a full size adaptor, but I guess it's good to make it clear to the OP that he has to make sure what to get.