Problem adding a third Hard Drive

Question

Just purchased a Maxtor 80GB 3.5 inch hard drive as a slave for internal back up. Problem is, I have the master Hard Drive and a Zip drive attached to the existing one mother board, two device IDE ribbon cable. Seems I need a cable that can handle three devices. Is that possible or do I have to undo the Zip drive? Using XP, Dell Dimension 4500, 40 GB as purchased. Thanks, Mr. Yates

ejn63 · Answer

If you have just one CD/DVD drive, you can buy a 5.25" adapter bracket and connect the new drive to that channel.

If you have two CD/DVD drives, you will either have to remove the ZIP drive or you'll need to buy a PCI EIDE controller to run the drive. There is no way to run three drives from a single EIDE controller.

Mr Yates · Answer

I do have a DVD drive and a CD Drive . Also the standard 31/2 in drive and the zip drive. The reason i thought I could add the second internal HD is that there is a free power supply plug avaible for something and I have an open bay. Thanks, Mr. Yates.

rickmktg · Answer

Mr Yates wrote:

I have a DVD/CD-RW drive and a DVD Drive . Also the standard 31/2 inch drive and the zip drive.
The reason i thought I could add the second internal HD is that there is a free power supply plug avaible for something and I do have an open bay.

Thanks,

Mr. Yates.

Whether you have the bay and power or not, you don't have the IDE port as ejn63 said.

Mr Yates · Answer

I have a DVD/CD-RW  drive and a DVD Drive . Also the standard 31/2 inch drive and the zip drive. The reason i thought I could add the second internal HD is that there is a free power supply plug avaible for something and I do have an open bay. Thanks, Mr. Yates.

Mr Yates · Answer

Thanks all!!!!!!!!!!!. Think I will replace internal effort with an external drive.Seems much simpler. Mr. Yates

Storage, Drives & Media

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