ATA133 IDE cable: master / slave order?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nigel Molesworth
  • Start date Start date
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Nigel Molesworth

On an ATA133 IDE cable, does it matter if the master drive is plugged
into the slave socket? Apart from CS, are the connections the same?

I've read that the master drive should go on the end of the cable, but
what if I cut off the other socket? If this rule is only to prevent a
stub that may reflect signals, it should be OK shouldn't it?

[Sorry for the multiple post, my x-post didn't work, finger trouble!]
 
Nigel said:
On an ATA133 IDE cable, does it matter if the master drive is plugged
into the slave socket? Apart from CS, are the connections the same?

I've read that the master drive should go on the end of the cable, but
what if I cut off the other socket? If this rule is only to prevent a
stub that may reflect signals, it should be OK shouldn't it?

[Sorry for the multiple post, my x-post didn't work, finger trouble!]
Click to expand...

You can find cables with only one connector on them. This one happens
to be round.

http://www.directron.com/ridesingleblk.html

You populate the connector at the end of the cable first, and as
you state, it is done to prevent the stub signal reflection problem.
When operating at the higher transfer rates, attention to the
stub does pay off. If you have a cable with only the one connector
on the end, then there should not be any cable after it.

And if you made your cable, by snipping a section off the end of
a normal cable, inspect the cut carefully. It is real easy to short
conductors together. I used to have a connector press at work, and
it had a cutting tool that made very nice clean cuts on the end of
the ribbon cable. If you are cutting with a hobby knife, or scissors,
then be prepared to inspect it with a magnifying glass, for
short circuits.

Paul
 
You can put a HD jumpered as Master on the middle connector
while putting a Slave HD at the end connector - it doesn't matter
where they are, just that they're jumpered differently. You'll also
find that the Master HD on IDE ch. 0 (if there is one) will be at the
head of the HD boot order, regardless of its position on the cable.
If there is no Master, the HD jumpered as Slave on ch. 0 will be
at the head of the HD boot order.

For a single HD, put it at the end connector, but it doesn't matter
in that case whether it's jumpered Master or Slave. If it's on ch. 0,
it will be at the head of the HD boot order.

("At the head of the HD boot order" means its MBR will be given
control at boot time and that it's "rdisk(0)" in the boot.ini file.)

*TimDaniels"
 
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