Dumb question: IDE Cables

Tim Burton · Post by **Tim Burton** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:50 am

Does IDE cables have to have the top plug go to the Master? I wonder, because I am having issues with my Optical Drive.

Kerii · Post by **Kerii** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 2:02 am

On paper, it shouldn't make a lick of difference unless you're using Cable Select (master on end, slave in middle), but in my experience, it can make the difference between a Windows booting screen and a BSoD.

I took out my HDs one time for whatever reason, I can't remember, but I swapped their positions when I reinstalled, and was greeted with a BSoD upon booting. I swapped the HDs back to their original positions on the cable (master on end, slave in middle) and all was well again, go figure.

Though I suppose that could've also been a Windows fault and not a hardware fault. I guess if I installed Windows on the drives when they were in the other order they would've worked fine as well. I don't know for sure though, I never tried. So yeah, switching positions after you've installed Windows isn't recommended.

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 2:16 am

yeah, for some reason Windows doesn't like booting from a slave drive, lol, and I have no idea why

(hahah, sarcasm!)

prob would be better to boot your primary OS as master for that specific reason

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:20 am

Yeah, Master on the end, Slave in the middle is usually how it goes. For optical drives, it really shouldn't matter though

Oh, and supposedly I heard somewhere that we are supposed to use the more politically correct terms: "Primary" and "Secondary" :p

Pesto · Post by **Pesto** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 12:20 pm

I have a pretty good chunk of info here that should help

http://www.storagereview.com/guide2000/ ... ering.html

to sum it up for you:

Note that in terms of configuration, it makes no difference which connector on the standard IDE cable is used in a standard IDE setup, because it is the jumpers that control master and slave, not the cable. This does not apply when cable select is being used, however. Also, there can be electrical signaling issues if one connects a single drive to only the middle connector on a cable, leaving the end connector unattached.

which to me sounds like you should have a device on the end of the IDE cable to "terminate" it and prevent any problems that may occur

T-Shirt · Post by **T-Shirt** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 2:32 pm

Just avoid cable select.
CS works via one of the spare wires and esscential acts as a software jumper to detect which drive is active.
However it fails to work at times.

Dragon_Cooler · Post by **Dragon_Cooler** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:17 am

and another food for thought/2cents

your faster drive will equal the speed of your slower drive. usually in the case of optical and hard drive, the HD will slow down due to the optical, most itmes.

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 2:49 pm

Thus the reason why I always put my optical drives on one channel, and my HDD's on another, so that way the speeds would be matched up fairly well.

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 2:52 pm

killswitch83 wrote:Thus the reason why I always put my optical drives on one channel, and my HDD's on another, so that way the speeds would be matched up fairly well.

Definately. Always a standard practice...

Post by **Illuminati** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:19 pm

gvblake22 wrote:Oh, and supposedly I heard somewhere that we are supposed to use the more politically correct terms: "Primary" and "Secondary" :p

I thought Primary and Secondary were used to refer to the IDE channels. And master and slave were used to refer to which drive on a given channel since each channel can have two IDE devices connected at a time. Could be wrong on this terminology though.

So the most common drive for windows to boot from is the Primary Master drive (IDE channel 0 and the drive at the end of the IDE cable which should have the jumper set as Master).

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:55 pm

Ya know, now that I think about it, you are probably right Illuminati. There is such a thing as Primary Master and Secondary Master I suppose.

Ok, just forget I said anything, lol

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:56 pm

bad Justin, baaaaaaaaad, lol

I was keeping quiet, but I knew that myself, lol.....IDE 0 is Primary, IDE 1 is secondary

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:58 pm

killswitch83 wrote:bad Justin, baaaaaaaaad, lol

I was keeping quiet, but I knew that myself, lol.....IDE 0 is Primary, IDE 1 is secondary

OK! I get it!

I think all this lapping is making my head hurt

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:59 pm

had to run today I'm assuming? Yeah, lack of O2 to the brain tends to give you a headache, lol