[SOLVED] Installing a CD-R/RW

I have a DELL Dimensions 450T and running Windows 98. Factory installed CD-ROM and ZIP drive. I just purchased a Sony CD-R/RW CRX175A-A1 (internal). For now, I've disconnected the ZIP drive and used that IDE connection for the CD-RW. The CD-RW seems to be working fine.
My question is, what is the best way to re-connect the zip drive? Is it possible to connect it on the same cable with the 2 CD drives? Or should I connect it to the Primary with the hard drive? If I go that way, I'll need longer cables; which I've heard will cause things to run slower. Also, do they make a Y cable so that there would be sound with both CD drives?
Thanks for any help!

 

You can have only 2 devices on each ide channel. Your best bet is to hook the zip drive up as a slave to the hard drive. Can't you move the drives around in the computer so you won't need a longer cable?

 

Check your sound card to see if there is not an aux input. Better choice than running a Y connector – I hear it doesn’t always work well.

If you can't follow AcaCandy’s advice to move the drives around, your best bet might be a Promise ATA 66 card if you have a PCI slot. The things are going for $15 on Pricewatch and I doubt your HD is ATA 100. The ATA 100 cards are only about $25.

It gives you 2 more IDE channels for 4 more devices. You have enough slots already, but it might help with your cabling. It helps burning performance to separate the channels anyway. Put your Zip and HD on the card, and your CD-ROM and burner master on the 2 connections to the HD. You will probably find you can record on the fly from the CD-ROM better and perhaps even get better transfer between the optical drives and the HD. Don’t put the CD-ROM or burner on the card – Promise recommends against that.

Don’t use IDE ribbon cables longer than 18 inches. It can cause more problems than just slowing the transfer.

 

AcaCandy - Thanks for the advise on the Zip drive!
Now about repositioning drives - -
My hard drive is positioned vertically in the lower front of the CPU.
Can I move that horizontally to a open bay? Or will I lose ventilation/cooling capacity?
The zip drive I can only drop drop 1 bay (about 1" gain).

 

Instead of dropping the zip drive then, I'd put the hard drive under it. It should be no problem with heating, but monitor it for the first few days and be sure.

 

Thanks! to AcaCandy & slipe for all your help.

DELL advised against moving the hard drive so I ordered a ATA66 card which should arrive this week. I think installation should be fairly simply so I'm sure everything will be fine now, but just "in case" I'm sure you'll be hearing from me again.

THANKS AGAIN !

Hope the upcoming Holidays are safe & happy ones!


"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect.........
It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections."

 

Great! I'll mark this one solved, so if you have a problem with the controller card, open a new thread!

P.S. Did Dell sell you the controller card

 

I didn't buy the card from DELL.
I found one at Z-Buy.net cheaper than DELL's price.
$21 at Z-Buy.net- (FedEx shipping included)