IDE - must a slave have a master?

6 Apr 2005 6:04 PM

David Cook

I just built a new machine. I bought the box and power-supply
first, and added in the CDROM/DVD drive, with it configured
as IDE 'slave'. (I did that because I planned to get an IDE hard-drive
and set it as 'master'.)

Long story short, I changed my mind near the end and bought a
'sata' drive instead of the more-common 'IDE' drive.

So, now everything is in place. (All set up, dual-booting Win-XP-Pro
and Linux.) Everything appears to work as expected.

However, then I happened to notice: Hmmm...I now have ONLY
a slave (i.e. the CDROM/DVD drive) on the 1st IDE channel.
(The 'sata' has it's own special-channel...with the red-data cable, right?)

So, does my present configuration meet 'spec'...or in other words, does
it meet common practices and guidelines?

Or, should I go back and move the jumper on the CDROM from 'slave'
over to 'master'?

TIA...

Dave

6 Apr 2005 6:10 PM

Grinder

David Cook wrote:
Show quoteHide quote

> I just built a new machine. I bought the box and power-supply
> first, and added in the CDROM/DVD drive, with it configured
> as IDE 'slave'. (I did that because I planned to get an IDE hard-drive
> and set it as 'master'.)
>
> Long story short, I changed my mind near the end and bought a
> 'sata' drive instead of the more-common 'IDE' drive.
>
> So, now everything is in place. (All set up, dual-booting Win-XP-Pro
> and Linux.) Everything appears to work as expected.
>
> However, then I happened to notice: Hmmm...I now have ONLY
> a slave (i.e. the CDROM/DVD drive) on the 1st IDE channel.
> (The 'sata' has it's own special-channel...with the red-data cable, right?)
>
> So, does my present configuration meet 'spec'...or in other words, does
> it meet common practices and guidelines?

Nope.

> Or, should I go back and move the jumper on the CDROM from 'slave'
> over to 'master'?

Yes.

I'm surprised it works in your current configuration.

6 Apr 2005 11:06 PM

DaveW

The CDROM is alone on the IDE channel and is therefore by definition a
Master. Change it.

--
DaveW

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"David Cook" <some***@nowhere.net> wrote in message
news:upCdnfHcFfgjucnfRVn-3A@comcast.com...
>I just built a new machine. I bought the box and power-supply
> first, and added in the CDROM/DVD drive, with it configured
> as IDE 'slave'. (I did that because I planned to get an IDE hard-drive
> and set it as 'master'.)
>
> Long story short, I changed my mind near the end and bought a
> 'sata' drive instead of the more-common 'IDE' drive.
>
> So, now everything is in place. (All set up, dual-booting Win-XP-Pro
> and Linux.) Everything appears to work as expected.
>
> However, then I happened to notice: Hmmm...I now have ONLY
> a slave (i.e. the CDROM/DVD drive) on the 1st IDE channel.
> (The 'sata' has it's own special-channel...with the red-data cable,
> right?)
>
> So, does my present configuration meet 'spec'...or in other words, does
> it meet common practices and guidelines?
>
> Or, should I go back and move the jumper on the CDROM from 'slave'
> over to 'master'?
>
> TIA...
>
> Dave
>

7 Apr 2005 1:29 AM

Mike Walsh

David Cook wrote:
Show quoteHide quote

>
> I just built a new machine. I bought the box and power-supply
> first, and added in the CDROM/DVD drive, with it configured
> as IDE 'slave'. (I did that because I planned to get an IDE hard-drive
> and set it as 'master'.)
>
> Long story short, I changed my mind near the end and bought a
> 'sata' drive instead of the more-common 'IDE' drive.
>
> So, now everything is in place. (All set up, dual-booting Win-XP-Pro
> and Linux.) Everything appears to work as expected.
>
> However, then I happened to notice: Hmmm...I now have ONLY
> a slave (i.e. the CDROM/DVD drive) on the 1st IDE channel.
> (The 'sata' has it's own special-channel...with the red-data cable, right?)
>
> So, does my present configuration meet 'spec'...or in other words, does
> it meet common practices and guidelines?

No

> Or, should I go back and move the jumper on the CDROM from 'slave'
> over to 'master'?

Long ago (in computer time) a boot device had to be master. It is still common practice to make a single device on an IDE cable master but, as you have discovered, it is usually not necessary.

--
Mike Walsh
West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A.