I installed a second hard drive in my ShuttleX computer using the IDE2 channel because the cable to the cd-rw is the only one with an extra connector. I started up the computer and the BIOS would not start.

So I removed the second hdd and put everything back the way it was and again the BIOS wouldn't start until I cleared the CMOS.

The jumpers are set up this way:

IDE1 = CS IDE2 = cd-rw CS hdd2 slave

I have also tried setting the cd-rw to master and the second hdd to slave. I also tried clearing the CMOS after installing the second hdd but the BIOS still wouldn't start.

Any ideas?

pilotgi

You really need a new ribbon cable then use the hard drives as master and slave on IDE 1, cd-rw on IDE 2

Hard drives don't play well with optical drives at best it will slow the HD down

Pete

OK. I have another ide cable but when I compared it to the one that came with the computer, I noticed the "ribs" were thicker, like maybe it has fewer wires.

Any idea if this cable will work?

I got it working with the other cable.

...and just to point out the difference in cables, the reason is that one was probably a 40wire cable and the other an 80wire cable...the 80wire cables were developed to support ATA133 so if your drive does support that, and if you use a 40wire cable the fastest the drive will operate at is ATA100....