Section 2. Installing the PX-820A Internal ATAPI Drive
PX-820 Installation and Users Manual
15
If there are two IDE cables, one is for the
primary
IDE bus and the other
is for the
secondary
bus.
Before you install your PX-820A, your computer’s IDE configuration is
usually one of the following:
•
Configuration A
: Hard disks connected as Master and Slave devices
on primary IDE port; DVD or CD-ROM drive connected as the
Master device on secondary IDE port.
•
Configuration B
: Hard disk connected as Master device and DVD
or CD-ROM drive connected as Slave on the primary IDE port;
nothing connected to secondary IDE port.
•
Configuration C
: Hard disk connected as Master device on primary
IDE port; nothing connected to secondary IDE port.
•
Configuration D
: System uses special “Cable Select” cables; all
devices are jumpered for Cable Select.
Inspect Your Computer’s Cables
To ensure that it can write at maximum rated speed (20X), you should
make sure the PX-820A is connected to an 80-conductor IDE/ATA flat
ribbon cable. If you have an older computer, it may still be equipped
with a 40-conductor cable.
NOTE
: Although the newer IDE/ATA cable has 80 conductors (wires), its
connectors have only 40 pins, so it’s physically interchangeable with the
older cable. And in fact, your PX-820A drive
may
work fine with a 40-
conductor cable. But to ensure writing at maximum speed, it’s best to use
the newer 80-conductor cable. The 80-conductor cable cancels
interference much better than the older model, allowing faster data
transfers.
CAUTION
: The length of any IDE cable cannot exceed 18 inches.
