Unsolved
This post is more than 5 years old
1 Rookie
•
5 Posts
0
1738
January 18th, 2019 23:00
Optiplex 745 MT, SATA cable length?
Hello!
My Dell Optiplex 745 MT (minitower) came with just one blue SATA cable for the HDD and one orange cable for the optical drive.
Would like to buy cables, but don't know wich length I need. Especially the blue one is not so simple to measure.
Which length need the SATA cable going to the lower bays to be? (60 or 70 cm I guess, but ho much exactly? Too long I also would not like.)
No Events found!
bmcowboy
4 Apprentice
•
573 Posts
0
January 19th, 2019 01:00
Hi @EugenMezei,
Instead of answering your question, may I know if you're planning to add additional SATA device? Noted that 745 MT contains 2 SATA ports only, i.e. only support up to 2 SATA devices even though there are spare 5.25" and 3.5" drive bay.
bradthetechnut
9 Technologist
•
9.5K Posts
•
40.3K Points
0
January 19th, 2019 16:00
Sounds like your 745 didn't come with an HDD? Either way, the anticipated distance can be measured. Measure the route the cable will go. It doesn't have to be exact, just close. Then buy a longer cable than what you need.
Techgee
2 Intern
•
623 Posts
0
January 20th, 2019 11:00
Maximum SATA cable length is 1m (a little over 3 feet). I usually try to stay away from being too close to a maximum spec - a 3' SATA cable should work, but you're more likely to have problems with it than a shorter one.
Seems most common length is 18". 24" and around 12" are also available options. Above 24" seems next stop is 36". Note most cables include the connector in the nominal length. So, a 18 inch cable is 18" from connector end to connector end, and not the length of the flexible cable portion.
I'd measure length of something flexible between ports and not "cut corners" to leave slack to position cable out of the way and work around it for any maintenance.
If you think you need 60-70 cm I'd shoot for a 24" cable if possible. If that is too short then seems you'll need to go right up against the max spec length with a 36" cable.
EugenMezei
1 Rookie
•
5 Posts
0
March 10th, 2019 06:00
1. I wanted to add a second HDD in the normal bay (which are two) for HDDs. No modification an not intended to use the bays for optical drives.
The first drive had a blue SATA cable (and the DVD ROM an orange one, I understand that is a SATA-1 port), but no cable was running to the second HDD bay. Maybe was removed by the previous owner.
2. I could have measured, but exactly to avoid that I asked here. Thought Dell would look at the part number and its characteristics. Seems they could care less.
I bought a 70 cm cable, better to be longer than shorter. Well.... it is too long.
60 cm would have been the right lenght, but now the long cable remains, although it looks not too nice and maybe it hinders airflow a bit.
AA234
12 Posts
0
March 10th, 2019 13:00
speedstep
11 Legend
•
47K Posts
0
March 11th, 2019 06:00
25" SATA SERIAL ATA HDD HARD DRIVE DATA CABLE Y224D
https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Brand-Optiplex-Optical-0Y224D/dp/B01MU9TEK4