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Old March 9th 06, 08:01 PM posted to alt.comp.periphs.hdd,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage,microsoft.public.win98.disks.general
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Default Can IDE cable's end connector be left idle ( w-o affecting data transfer ) ?

Arno Wagner wrote:
In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage glee
wrote:
You are correct as far as what that particular web page refers to:
40-pin, 80-wire IDE cables.


Same for 40 pin 40 wire cables.

It is my understanding however (and the recommendation of the
manufacturers), that 40-pin, 80-wire IDE cables *do* require
particular devices to be attached to particular connectors on those
cables, and that the end connector *not* be left vacant. This is
especially true in the example given in the original post: using
Cable Select.


In fact cable select is the only reason for this. There is no other
one. If you jumper the devices to slave/master you can have them in
arbitrary order, number and position on these cables.


Pity about what the ata standard recommends.

With cable select the device at the end is the master (during
boot-up) and the device in the middle the slave. Some devices will
fail to start or have problems if they are used as slave and no master
is present. AFAIK this is more of a historic problem today.