Cable select

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill Ridgeway
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Bill Ridgeway

My understanding of IDE configuration is that you must have (assuming four
IDE devices) one jumpered to 'master' and one jumpered to 'slave' on each
chain.

Presumably you can have any number of IDE devices (?all 4) jumpered to
'cable select' (Dell seem to prefer configuring this way) AND in combination
with 'master' and 'slave'. If that is the case it would be much easier to
jumper everything to 'cable select' and not have to bother to jumper to
'master' and 'slave'.
I'm sure there's a good reason for not doing so?

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
Factories like CS because they can set all the jumpers the
same, it speeds assembly.




| If using CS make sure you are using the correct 40/80
conductor IDE cables.
|
| --
| Kenny Cargill
message
| | > My understanding of IDE configuration is that you must
have (assuming four
| > IDE devices) one jumpered to 'master' and one jumpered
to 'slave' on each
| > chain.
| >
| > Presumably you can have any number of IDE devices (?all
4) jumpered to
| > 'cable select' (Dell seem to prefer configuring this
way) AND in
| > combination with 'master' and 'slave'. If that is the
case it would be
| > much easier to jumper everything to 'cable select' and
not have to bother
| > to jumper to 'master' and 'slave'.
| > I'm sure there's a good reason for not doing so?
| >
| > Regards.
| >
| > Bill Ridgeway
| > Computer Solutions
| >
| >
|
|
 
Thanks Jim. Just as I thought.

IF everything can be set to CS AND work quite happily with each other why
have master and slave? They seem to be redundant.

Are there any instances where setting everything to CS does not work?

Thanks.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
Bill Ridgeway said:
Thanks Jim. Just as I thought.

IF everything can be set to CS AND work quite happily with each other why
have master and slave? They seem to be redundant.

Are there any instances where setting everything to CS does not work?

Thanks.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
Click to expand...


Bill:
As your instincts apparently tell you - configuring IDE/ATAPI devices to
Cable Select (CS) is virtually always desirable. In the shops I've worked in
(over at least the past five years or so), *every* PC was configured CS with
respect to those devices. It simplifies maintenance enormously when working
on these machines and there's no downside to a CS configuration.

As one responder to your query pointed out, it is (usually) important to use
a 80-wire signal (data) cable rather than the 40-wire (connector) cable when
configuring CS. (It's a curse that nearly all the retail, boxed versions of
optical drives are still coming bundled with 40-wire cables just to save the
manufacturer a few pennies).

I must add, however, that every once in a while - even where a modern
motherboard is involved - we have run into a drive recognition problem when
using CS rather than a M/S jumper configuration. It's an extremely rare
situation (at least in my experience) but it has occurred. But when it does
happen it's immediately apparent and simple enough to change.
Anna
 
Hello Anna,
Would also add that most, if not all, external HDD enclosures specify that
the HDD should be jumpered as Master regardless of how any other drives are
jumpered.
 
Kenny:
It's interesting you mention that. A number of posters (and other reports
I've come across) have also indicated that requirement, adding that in the
case of WD drives it may even be worth trying the Single (unjumpered)
configuration should the user be having non-recognition problems with the
USB external HDD.

I won't dispute those "findings" since they've come from so many sources,
but all I can say is that in working with a few hundred USB external
enclosures of varying makes & models with user-installed HDDs, I've never
encountered a single instance where jumper configuration of the HDD was a
material factor involving the recognition or performance of a USBEHD. I've
talked with my colleagues about this and they confirm my experience.

But whatever works...
Anna
 
Bill Ridgeway said:
My understanding of IDE configuration is that you must have (assuming four
IDE devices) one jumpered to 'master' and one jumpered to 'slave' on each
chain.

Presumably you can have any number of IDE devices (?all 4) jumpered to
'cable select' (Dell seem to prefer configuring this way) AND in
combination with 'master' and 'slave'. If that is the case it would be
much easier to jumper everything to 'cable select' and not have to bother
to jumper to 'master' and 'slave'.
I'm sure there's a good reason for not doing so?

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
Click to expand...

CS is the new technology. As far as I'm aware, all PCs now work with master
and/or slave drives set to CS.
Some 15 years ago, CS didn't exist. You had to properly set the jumpers to
master or slave.
Without looking it up, I'd say CS means the cable selects master or slave
for you, depending on which port it's plugged into.
 
True in cases where the enclosure's bios only recognizes a master. Which is
almost always the case that I've seen. In the case of Western Digital hard
drives, its master alone, or single, jumper selection.

HD>enclosure bios/translation>USB or Firewire bus.
 
My understanding of IDE configuration is that you must have (assuming four
IDE devices) one jumpered to 'master' and one jumpered to 'slave' on each
chain.

Presumably you can have any number of IDE devices (?all 4) jumpered to
'cable select' (Dell seem to prefer configuring this way) AND in combination
with 'master' and 'slave'. If that is the case it would be much easier to
jumper everything to 'cable select' and not have to bother to jumper to
'master' and 'slave'.
I'm sure there's a good reason for not doing so?
Click to expand...
CS is fine in a production environment, but not necessarily elsewhere.
For me it's a lot easier to rejumper the drives than it is to
rearrange the drives in the drive cage so the master is at the end of
the cable. If you're connecting an optical drive at the top of the
case and hard drive located below on a cable, the only practical way
the optical drive can be a slave is to use master/slave jumpers.
 
Older computer needed master and slave. More modern IDE
controllers, used with the proper cables and BIOS setup can
use the CS. Master and slave or the politically correct
primary and secondary, jumpers are included because they
will always work and position on the cable does not matter.

But CS allows the factories to have all jumpers set the same
and they can use the assembly line to put the drives in the
correct bay and just connect the ribbon cable.


| Thanks Jim. Just as I thought.
|
| IF everything can be set to CS AND work quite happily with
each other why
| have master and slave? They seem to be redundant.
|
| Are there any instances where setting everything to CS
does not work?
|
| Thanks.
|
| Bill Ridgeway
| Computer Solutions
|
in message
| | > Factories like CS because they can set all the jumpers
the
| > same, it speeds assembly.
| >
| >
| >
| >
| > | > | If using CS make sure you are using the correct 40/80
| > conductor IDE cables.
| > |
| > | --
| > | Kenny Cargill
| > message
| > | | > | > My understanding of IDE configuration is that you
must
| > have (assuming four
| > | > IDE devices) one jumpered to 'master' and one
jumpered
| > to 'slave' on each
| > | > chain.
| > | >
| > | > Presumably you can have any number of IDE devices
(?all
| > 4) jumpered to
| > | > 'cable select' (Dell seem to prefer configuring this
| > way) AND in
| > | > combination with 'master' and 'slave'. If that is
the
| > case it would be
| > | > much easier to jumper everything to 'cable select'
and
| > not have to bother
| > | > to jumper to 'master' and 'slave'.
| > | > I'm sure there's a good reason for not doing so?
| > | >
| > | > Regards.
| > | >
| > | > Bill Ridgeway
| > | > Computer Solutions
| > | >
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
 
Thanks everyone who have contributed to threads "Cable Select", "Dell
problem" and "Hard disk install problem" all of which I have initiated in an
attempt to thrash a problem. A special thanks goes to Philo who came up
with the suggestion that perhaps the BIOS couldn't handle the 300Gb hard
disk. I hadn't thought of that so I put another hard disk on the second
chain and it was accepted which proves that the 300Gb hard disk is too large
(probable) - or is it faulty (possible.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
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