Stupid EPIA IDE cables...

Emo · 10-17-2006, 07:41 PM

This is really getting annoying..

the EPIA 13000 comes with a special IDE cable that fits only in it and no other IDE can be used w/ this board... why??

They supplied me with only one IDE like that and now I'm having trouble hooking up both my HDD and my CDROM... Every time I try to hook up the CDROM I have to bend the cable in a way that it disconnects the HDD!! (

)

If I had a second IDE I'd just use the IDE2 on the board.. now I dont know where I can find another cable

anybody?

Vineet Singh · 10-17-2006, 07:52 PM

Isn't it a 40 pin IDE cable? Is pin 20 blanked like on newer motherboards or is there something else wrong? From the pictures, it looks like via puts the pin in there, so you probably need to get an older style IDE cable.

crez79 · 10-17-2006, 07:56 PM

The difference is the EPIA board has all the pins, unlike some boards that are missing a pin. The purpose of the missing pin it to make sure you can't put it in the wrong way. It isn't hard to find an IDE cable with 40 hole vice 39 holes. I thought it was the difference between 40 and 80 wire IDE cables, but bot so. The 80 wire IDE cable just has every other wire connected to ground, but the connector isn't different at all. Look around and I am sure you will find a 40 holed IDE cable.

Emo · 10-17-2006, 08:18 PM

you guys are right about the Pins.. but the problem that I have w/ actually usiang a regular IDE cable is that they have those bumps on the outside so you dont put it backwards.. so I either have to shave it off or somethin.....

crez79 · 10-17-2006, 08:26 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Emo

you guys are right about the Pins.. but the problem that I have w/ actually usiang a regular IDE cable is that they have those bumps on the outside so you dont put it backwards.. so I either have to shave it off or somethin.....

You shouldn't. There are cutouts on the IDE connectors. Not to seem like an ***, but try turning the cable around. You have any pictures of the bumps?

Emo · 10-17-2006, 08:31 PM

wow.. I could have sworn they didnt have the bump cut outs...

lol o well.. I'll try tomorrow again when it's light... too much frustration for tonight... haha

blafrisch · 10-17-2006, 08:47 PM

You can do what I did with my laptop drive to IDE converter: break off the one pin that is obstructing you from pluging in the cable. I'm sure you and and some others reading this are cringing at that solution, but it does work. (so long as you break off the right one)

evandude · 10-17-2006, 09:16 PM

or get a drill, and a small drill bit, and drill out the filled-in plastic hole on your other IDE cables. Not that cutting the pin off on the epia itself is exactly dangerous, but IMHO it's still nicer to modify the $1 cable than the $200+ mobo, since you have the option. it's a 1 minute fix, and probably easier than acquiring a 40-hole IDE cable if you don't already have one lying around.

Emo · 10-18-2006, 08:33 AM

do you think epia sells these IDE cables around? I checked and did not find a place

blafrisch · 10-18-2006, 08:44 AM

I would have to guess no just because you can find them pretty much anywhere, just no one will list it as it is kind of odd to have it with that extra pin. One other thing is that some IDE cables come with a piece of plastic inserted into that hole that can be removed. See if any of you other cables have that.

Emo · 10-18-2006, 09:31 AM

welllll to my surprise, I looked around in my room and found a brand new IDE cable..looked at it and to my bigger surprise... it was exactly like the EPIA cable but this one didnt have ANY bumps in it.. it had all the holes and everything.. so I just tried it and it worked perfectly!

now i"m reinstalling XP onto my new 2.5 HDD since 3.5s apparently dont like my bumpy car rides..lol

I have to make sure this one doesn't do the same thing :/

anyway, thanks for the help guys..