A different missing-drive Q

After searching, I found my problem similar to another but can’t get to square 1. Installed old HD (1.0MB) (Win3.1, 5 drives partitioned.) just to copy it to a Win98SE Folder to allow transfer of old files and settings later.

My Presario with 98 has all IDE board connectors in use, so I borrowed a three-connector cable from the Gateway 486. Even using slave jumper on old, master on the host, cannot boot to windows. Message: No Fixed Disk. Also tried CD and old HD piggy-backed.

In every case, if I pull the IDE ribbon connector from the old drive, it boots up normally. Otherwise stops on the message screen with: F1 Save, F2 Ignore changes, F10 Setup.

What is the Cable Select jumper option? Why are some (Compaq) ribbon ends labeled "system board" and "drive?" If a connector is reversed, that is, end for end, isn’t it still straight-thru?

If a connector is inverted both ends, that is, colored wire goes from say, the left to the right, is it still straight-thru?

Finally, my NIC (ISA card, no PCIs on sysboard) on the 486 has only a BNC connector, but the other computers have RJ-45 jacks. Can I net the 486 NIC to the Presario’s modem, which has multiple connectors, including a BNC?

 

Try setting the jumper on the drive in the Compaq as Master and set the jumper on the "new" drive as slave. The cable select setting doesn't work as often as master/slave settings.

The cables are straight-through, never have figured out why some manufacturer's mark their cables that way.

Unless the old system is running Win3.11 (Windows for Workgroups), it would be pretty difficult the network the two systems.

 

Yes, I did have the jumpers set as you say.

The 486 runs 3.11 and was once networked to a 386 years ago.

 

Eureka!

Problem solved, thanks to the input that made me think. Both HDs are Western Digital; and they have an 800-number. So I called and learned my mistakes.

It takes two jumpers on a HD that has a 9 or 10 pin jumper arrangement which I was not using on the master. My slave has a 6-pin arrangement and that can run single with no jumpers or dual with one jumper (shunt.)

Here's an important point: I failed to notice that when installing the drives into the rails they were back to back, which means the ribbon sockets are opposite, or mirrored. So when cabling, the connectors must have their #1 wires (colored ones) in the respective #1 pins. This was only true for the master. Having the second drive hook-in backwards causes the No Fixed Disk Present error.

That's why pulling the slave connector allowed a successful boot.

Newbies can find the #1 pin by looking at the 1,2 and 39,40 designations printed on the PCB. Or just notice that it is nearest the power connector.

Other tips -- which did not matter in my case -- the tech said that in some systems the master drive must be at the end of a piggy-backed cable, the slave between it and the system board. While all my cables have "keyslots" on them to prevent improper insertion, all my sockets do not have keys, which allows the problem. Probably that explains the cables that have "sysboard" and "drive" printed on them (in lieu of keying.) But it still requires that the cables be hooked-up "straight-thru." Hence the colored edge wire keys to pins 1.

This isn't failsafe for owners, but would aid mass production in a factory venue.