Hole in AKAI IDE cable for MPC4000

Does anyone know why there is a hole punched out of the AKAI IDE cables. Will it cause problems if a new cable is used?

Checked some other computing forms:
Apparently the hole is there so that the cable can be used in cable select mode.
So, I am guessing that if you have a new cable without a hole, just make sure your drives are either master or slave.

DArmy2020 wrote:Checked some other computing forms:
Apparently the hole is there so that the cable can be used in cable select mode.
So, I am guessing that if you have a new cable without a hole, just make sure your drives are either master or slave.

Where is the hole in the cable, which part exactly?

To use cable select mode, the device that you are connecting the drive to has to support cable select mode.

I thought that cable select on IDE needed a compatible cable, a 40 pin/80 wire IDE cable which has different coloured IDE connectors for each of the drive/motherboard connections, blue/black/grey...



Does the MPC4000 support cable select for it's IDE drives, or does it require drives to be set to master/slave?

I have read that, you should use a 40 pin cable because 80 pin cables are a later invention. Also 80 pin cables will not have a hole because it doesn't need a whole, the extra pins/wires are set up so that the hole is no longer needed.

The hole on the original AKAI IDE cable is near the motherboard connector about 2 thirds across.

I believe that the MPC4000 supports master/slave and cable select, its all about using the right cable and setting the jumpers right.

A 80 wire cable will also handle master/slave and cable select, but I don't know whether the cable might be too advanced for 2001/2 tech.

I personally have a 3 way 40 pin cable, the connectors are all grey, and there is no hole, for my CF reader and SSD. I haven't found any major probs yet.

I created the topic because I wasn't sure whether the hole was needed or not.

I read on some computer forum, that the hole is needed for correct 'cable select' operation.

So, if you are using your drives as master or slave and not cable select, then there isn't anything to worry about.

If you are using your drives as cable select, you might need an original AKAI IDE cable with a hole in it!

DArmy2020 wrote:If you are using your drives as cable select, you might need an original AKAI IDE cable with a hole in it!

Ah, OK, cable select before 80 wire IDE cables.

Seems to be a standard thing, so would probably not have to be an original Akai cable, just a cable that has wire 28 cut on the end connector, for a drive on that connection to be assigned slave when in cable select mode.

I have always preferred setting the drives manually as master/slave, rather than using cable select.

Hello all.
To give more information about this IDE cable.
I've just bought an MPC4000 with zip reader inside.
I wanted to replace it by an internal HDD.
with the original 80wires with punched hole cable I wasn't able to connect the DVD burner with my HDD.

I've tried all the modes on each side (master / slave - slave / master - CS/slave - CS/CS - slave /CS) and each time only the master unit is seen by the MPC4000 and never the slave.

when I've replaced the punched cable by a new one without this hole all works fine and I been able to set the HDD in master and DVD rom in slave unit.

Now I've completely disassembled the unit to clean each part.
I've changed the fan by a quieter one
changed the led color by blue/white/green ones
now I'm working to replace the old dim LCD CFL tube by a white led backlight (i'm working on the boost conveter so I think to install it this weekend) and replace all the tact switches