Mac Hick again -- fairly dumb questions...

[Barton Brown]

OK -- though it's probably the slowest PC build in history, I've now got
everything in my Soyo barebones K7VME/Athlon 2800XP+ box, except the HD
(Western Digital Caviar SE 200GB). This may sound exceptionally dumb,
but bear with me. In the Soyo case are two tiers of drive bays: three
5.25" bays up top, and three 3.5" bays on the bottom.

Dopey question #1: Though all the 3.5" bays are marked "FDD," I assume
THAT'S where the WD Caviar goes, yes no?

Dopey question #2: I pulled the 52X CD drive (anybody want to buy one?)
out of the top 5.25" bay and replaced it with a Megastor (NEC) Dual
Layer DVD Burner combo drive. The original 52X drive was connected with
the "Master" connector of the single IDE cable. There is another IDE
header on the mobo. Should I:

1. Connect the WD hard drive to the same IDE cable as the CD/DVD drive?
If so, which drive -- CD or HD -- should be set to Master and which to
slave?

2. Or should I run a separate IDE cable for the hard drive? If so,
should I use the last -- Master -- connector on the IDE cable, and what
should the HD be set to -- Master or slave?

3. Is it worth messing around with a floppy drive at all? I've seen some
that are also multi-format readers -- Compact Flash, USB, etc. What's
the scoop?

4. Do I *really* have to pay $100 for Windows XP Home?

Thanks for your patience. I can't wait to get it all ready to boot up so
I can be bitterly disappointed when it doesn't.

Bart Brown

 

[spodosaurus]

OK -- though it's probably the slowest PC build in history, I've now got
everything in my Soyo barebones K7VME/Athlon 2800XP+ box, except the HD
(Western Digital Caviar SE 200GB). This may sound exceptionally dumb,
but bear with me. In the Soyo case are two tiers of drive bays: three
5.25" bays up top, and three 3.5" bays on the bottom.

Dopey question #1: Though all the 3.5" bays are marked "FDD," I assume
THAT'S where the WD Caviar goes, yes no?

yes. I don't know the case in question, so there may be additional
mountpoints. But generally, you'll need an adapter to fit it safely in
the 5.25" bays. Just make sure that any bay cover on the 3.5" bay that
you mount it in is installed.

Dopey question #2: I pulled the 52X CD drive (anybody want to buy one?)
out of the top 5.25" bay and replaced it with a Megastor (NEC) Dual
Layer DVD Burner combo drive. The original 52X drive was connected with
the "Master" connector of the single IDE cable. There is another IDE
header on the mobo. Should I:

You might want to keep that 52x drive installed for disc backups (ie-
direct copy).

1. Connect the WD hard drive to the same IDE cable as the CD/DVD drive?
If so, which drive -- CD or HD -- should be set to Master and which to
slave?

You're going to get a lot of different opinions here. Just make sure
you're using the 80 wire IDE cable that should have come with the
motherboard and not some old 40 wire one that you scavenged from an
older system. If you do it this way, set the HDD as master.

2. Or should I run a separate IDE cable for the hard drive? If so,
should I use the last -- Master -- connector on the IDE cable, and what
should the HD be set to -- Master or slave?

I usually put my primary HDD on the first IDE (sometimes manufacturers
label from 0, sometimes from 1, but you can figure it out) as master. I
do this using the jumper on the drive to set to master rather than cable
select. IIRC, as long as the drive's jumper isn't set to CS the position
on the IDE ribbon doesn't matter.

3. Is it worth messing around with a floppy drive at all? I've seen some
that are also multi-format readers -- Compact Flash, USB, etc. What's
the scoop?

I still find interesting utilities that are made to be run from a
bootable floppy. It's only a couple of bucks, why not just include it
(or leave it in)?

4. Do I *really* have to pay $100 for Windows XP Home?

I'd suggest Pro or a desktop focussed linux distribution (I know that's
a stretch, but hey, just thought I'd mention it). Unless you can find
one with the license sticker on ebay for less, and piracy is not an
option, then yes, you do.

 

[JAD]

HD on the primary set as 'lone' drive

DVD/combo on the secondary master

use the floppy if you have a floppy, cause as soon as you close the
case, you'll need it for some odd thing.

the top most 3.5 bay is usually the Floppy, case has a floppy opening
in the front?

what os do you have? If you have none, then yes you can purchase, and
if your going to spend 80 to 200 dollars, yen. lira,Euro then you
might as well have the latest. Or you could..........oh never mind,
someone will be here to try and get you to go xinux at some point.

You could also spare the combo drive from doing menial task and make
it a slave on the primary. disk to disk copying is easier.

Nowadays the positioning is not as critical as it used to be.

 

[JAD]

You could also spare the combo drive from doing menial task and make

it a slave on the primary. disk to disk copying is easier.

correction make the 52X a slave on the primary....some
burning software balk at the drives being on the same IDE channel..
seen it work fine ..seen it not,YMMV

 

[Barton Brown]

Just make sure that any bay cover on the 3.5" bay that
you mount it in is installed.

Do you mean the metal case knockout in the front of the bay itself, or
the plastic front bezel popout?

You might want to keep that 52x drive installed for disc backups (ie-
direct copy).

I had thought of that, wasn't sure if it was worthwhile -- thanks.

I'd suggest Pro

What exactly IS the difference between Home and Pro?

Again, thanks for your help.

Bart

 

[Barton Brown]

HD on the primary set as 'lone' drive

DVD/combo on the secondary master

You could also spare the combo drive from doing menial task and make
it a slave on the primary. disk to disk copying is easier.
correction make the 52X a slave on the primary....some
burning software balk at the drives being on the same IDE channel..
seen it work fine ..seen it not,YMMV

So two IDE cables, with the HD on one and the DVD combo on the other?
And if I keep the 52X for disc-to-disc, it should be on the cable set
with the HD, NOT the DVD/combo drive? If I make the 52X a slave on the
primary, does the HD then need to be jumpered as "Master?"

use the floppy if you have a floppy, cause as soon as you close the
case, you'll need it for some odd thing.

Good point.

the top most 3.5 bay is usually the Floppy, case has a floppy opening
in the front?

In this case (so to speak), the floppy opening in the bezel corresponds
to the middle 3.5" bay. The lowest 3.5" bay is actually just four "ears"
(two each side) hanging down from the bottom of the bay.

what os do you have?

None yet -- I've always used a Mac. Business software considerations
have forced me to the Dark Side (cue Humor here). At least I'll finally
get to play Grand Prix Legends!

Thanks again!

Bart

 

[spodosaurus]

Do you mean the metal case knockout in the front of the bay itself, or
the plastic front bezel popout?

I was refering to the plastic, it's your call on the metal.

I had thought of that, wasn't sure if it was worthwhile -- thanks.



What exactly IS the difference between Home and Pro?

Several differences, including differences in security features like
being able to set individual directory permissions for users to have
superuser access to a single directory as a normal unpriveledged user.
It's really something that a google search would answer better than I
can type out just now. Here's a page that turned up at the top of a
quick google search:

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

 

[Mac Cool]

Barton Brown:

Do I *really* have to pay $100 for Windows XP Home?

Well you can run a pirate OS but my philosophy has always been to buy my
operating systems, then if I have any trouble, there is someone to call.
If you are a student or know a student then you could purchase an
education copy for a substantial discount. You usually only upgrade the OS
every 4-5 years.

 

[spodosaurus]

Barton Brown:




Well you can run a pirate OS but my philosophy has always been to buy my
operating systems, then if I have any trouble, there is someone to call.
If you are a student or know a student then you could purchase an
education copy for a substantial discount. You usually only upgrade the OS
every 4-5 years.

Much to Bill's dismay...

 

[Mac Cool]

spodosaurus:

Much to Bill's dismay...

Doesn't seem to be slowing him down, does it?