Best 80 Pin IDE cable for HDD upgrade

Discussion about Modding the XBOX, including hardware and software hacks.
Post Reply
wchusky
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:53 pm
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Best 80 Pin IDE cable for HDD upgrade

Post by wchusky »

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone got a suggestion for an ideal length IDE cable for HDD upgrade. Is there a place to buy a cable like the original 40 pin cable? Most 18 inch IDE cable work but they don't look so hot when you try to force it to fit. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
hawsey
Posts: 508
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:25 pm
Has thanked: 47 times
Been thanked: 30 times

Re: Best 80 Pin IDE cable for HDD upgrade

Post by hawsey »

Maplin (uk) have a few 80pin ones which are supposed to be better , not sure if these 70cm ones would be the right type , could someone confirm :-)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/ribbon-ata-166-70cm-a81cx
User avatar
Ging3rguy
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2015 3:37 pm
Has thanked: 42 times

Re: Best 80 Pin IDE cable for HDD upgrade

Post by Ging3rguy »

Try it with your original IDE cable first, my 2tb works fine off of mine. :) Here's some good info http://www.xbmc4xbox.org.uk/forum/viewt ... f=14&t=649
http://www.xbmc4xbox.org.uk/forum/viewt ... 612&p=5606
User avatar
professor_jonny
Posts: 1296
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:41 am
Location: New Zealand
Has thanked: 66 times
Been thanked: 196 times

Re: Best 80 Pin IDE cable for HDD upgrade

Post by professor_jonny »

None of the cables you get from a pc are really suitable as the slave (cd/dvd) socket is at the other end of the cable compared to an xbox.

some often swap them around and plug the master socket in the motherboard port and the slave socket in the cd rom and the mother board plug in the hdd, this leaves a few control pin not connected correctly,

on the controller socket pin 34 (CBLID) used to detect the presence of a ATA 66 cable is removed, it is also used to communicate the status of the slave and master devices between each other, if you swap controller and master plugs over this is left wired wrong so the drives can show their presence and status to each other and makes the Xbox think it does not have a ATA-66 cable installed.

If you plug the slave socket into the motherboard it leaves pin 28 (CSEL) unterminated to the master causing both drives to select slave mode if cable select is enabled on both devices and could cause problems if you don't have a master jumper on your hdd. it also connects the pin 34 (CBLID) pin to the motherboard the so the drives can show their presence and status to each other and makes the Xbox think it does not have a ATA-66 cable installed.

The original Xbox cable has pin 34 (CBLID) present on the controller socket but an ATA-66 does not. (I don't know if this causes any issues with the Xbox but)
wchusky
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:53 pm
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Best 80 Pin IDE cable for HDD upgrade

Post by wchusky »

professor_jonny wrote:None of the cables you get from a pc are really suitable as the slave (cd/dvd) socket is at the other end of the cable compared to an xbox.

some often swap them around and plug the master socket in the motherboard port and the slave socket in the cd rom and the mother board plug in the hdd, this leaves a few control pin not connected correctly,

on the controller socket pin 34 (CBLID) used to detect the presence of a ATA 66 cable is removed, it is also used to communicate the status of the slave and master devices between each other, if you swap controller and master plugs over this is left wired wrong so the drives can show their presence and status to each other and makes the Xbox think it does not have a ATA-66 cable installed.

If you plug the slave socket into the motherboard it leaves pin 28 (CSEL) unterminated to the master causing both drives to select slave mode if cable select is enabled on both devices and could cause problems if you don't have a master jumper on your hdd. it also connects the pin 34 (CBLID) pin to the motherboard the so the drives can show their presence and status to each other and makes the Xbox think it does not have a ATA-66 cable installed.

The original Xbox cable has pin 34 (CBLID) present on the controller socket but an ATA-66 does not. (I don't know if this causes any issues with the Xbox but)
I been using the standard PC 80 pin cable and reverse it. Master goes into the motherboard and slave goes to DVD. This seems to work fine for 1 TB setup I got. I haven't notice any issues. The issue is it is barely long enough and you have to really twist the cable to get it to fit.
fxmech
Posts: 673
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:15 am
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 46 times

Re: Best 80 Pin IDE cable for HDD upgrade

Post by fxmech »

It is possible that the incorrect cable was conflicting with my setup:

8164b + adapter DVD
2TB + SATA adapter requiring 80pin

I just reversed the cable, do you think putting slave on the mobo would have a different result? I had chalked it up to a problem with my adapter install

The dvd simply wouldn't recognize a disc but responded properly in every other way
User avatar
professor_jonny
Posts: 1296
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:41 am
Location: New Zealand
Has thanked: 66 times
Been thanked: 196 times

Re: Best 80 Pin IDE cable for HDD upgrade

Post by professor_jonny »

I my self pulled off the idc plug and put it at the other end and squashed it in the vice and made my own
seriouslycgi
Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:35 am
Has thanked: 15 times
Been thanked: 4 times

Re: Best 80 Pin IDE cable for HDD upgrade

Post by seriouslycgi »

didnt know this about the reverse cable. never done it but was going to, not now though.
mkalic
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 6:07 pm

Re: Best 80 Pin IDE cable for HDD upgrade

Post by mkalic »

I just connected a regular 80 pin IDE cable the other way around and it works without a problem. I used one of the fancier ones, the round ones, as you can bend them easily once you remove the rubber insulation or whatever it's called.
Attachments
Yellow_Round_IDE_Drive_Cable_Ultra_ATA_24_Inch.jpg
Post Reply