5: System Configuration

Connecting Internal Devices

To assemble a complete system capable of completing the installation of this motherboard you will need to install and connect the following internal devices:

•Hard Disk Drive

•CD-ROM or other optical drive

•Floppy disk drive

The floppy disk drive is not strictly necessary, but is a standard system component and is needed if you will create driver floppy disks from the Power Installer 2.

We assume here, in the absence of an alternative drive controller that any hard disk or optical drives will be IDE devices connected to the motherboard’s IDE channels.

Connecting IDE Devices

This motherboard supports two IDE channels, Primary and Secondary. It has two IDE device connectors onboard which support IDE devices running in any data transfer mode up to ATA-100. Each IDE connector supports two drives, a Master and a Slave. The drives connect to the motherboard with an IDE ribbon cable. IDE cables have three connectors on them, one that plugs into a drive connector on the board and the other two that connect to IDE devices. The connector at the end of the cable is for the Master drive. The connector in the middle of the cable is for the Slave drive.

There are three types of IDE ribbon cable, supporting transfer modes up through ATA-33, ATA-66 or ATA-100. You must use a cable that supports the transfer mode of the fastest device connected to it. For example, if both an ATA-66 mode and an ATA-100 mode device are connected to the same cable, the cable must support ATA-100 mode to achieve maximum performance.

To install an IDE drive, connect the drive to one of the drive connectors on a suitable ribbon cable. Plug the board end of the cable into one of the IDE connectors on the motherboard.

User’s Manual

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