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external hdd + dvd on one enclosure?

  • 28-02-2005 2:44pm
    #1
    Chalk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,317 ✭✭✭


    ok heres what im trying to do....

    ive got the connector bit of an external drive enclosure,
    ive hooked onto that a regular ide cable from a pc and a power splitter that i just bought in maplins.

    ive wired this onto my dvd writer and hdd
    problem is no matter what setup of jumpers i use i can only get one of the drives to be detected.
    ie, hdd but no dvd and vice versa.

    both work as i can here the hdd power on and the dvd tray will open so its not a power issue

    ive made sure the drives all have indiviual letters , no duplicates.
    checked computer managetment and only one of the drives will show up so i think it may be a windows problem.

    anyone tried this before or know if perhaps the usb adapter will only allow one drive at a time to be used?

    thanks


Comments

  • #2
    thesteve
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 902 ✭✭✭thesteve


    Small bit confused, have you attached both a HD and DVD to one external USB connection?


  • #3
    Chalk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,317 ✭✭✭Chalk


    yep.

    the pic might show it a bit better.


  • #4
    thesteve
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 902 ✭✭✭thesteve


    ok... and was this external device designed to take two drives? Also, does the external USB device draw its power from the PC or from its own power supply?


  • #5
    Chalk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,317 ✭✭✭Chalk


    its designed for one device, ie its that size
    but the back part with the connector detaches so i have a power splitter and ide splitter on it

    it has its own power supply


  • #6
    thesteve
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 902 ✭✭✭thesteve


    ah, i see said the blind man.... i'm a novice when it comes to these external USB IDE connectors, only used one once, but I'm guessing that it can't support more than one device. The circuitry behind the interface might not be able to handle the bandwidth (for lack of a better word) transferred by two devices instead of only one...

    Sorry I couldn't be much more help....


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  • #7
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    How very brave of you to try this Chalk. I thought about it myself as I have a USB/Firewire box with a DVD Writer in it and thought about having an external harddisk in parallel but didn't want to risk blowing them up.

    If you're just going to put the hard disk on top of the box you could try something like an IDE to USB2 adaptor and just take the power from your splitter inside the box. You'd need to run two USB cables back to the PC or have a small USB2 hub attached to the box aswell.

    I may even try this myself as it'd be quite handy.


  • #8
    Chalk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,317 ✭✭✭Chalk


    looks like the 2 in parralel wont work.

    ive arranged to buy an ext box for the hdd now so i should be sorted.l
    thanks for the replies :)


  • #9
    tonky
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 897 ✭✭✭tonky


    This is interesting Chalk. With the power issue 12v & 5V to one side, a small minihub and those USB-IDE adapters should work fine. Must put it on my list of projects.
    You could only ever have one device on any one USB segment as afaik it's like ethernet, expanding by plugging hubs into hubs into hubs etc etc, all going back to one point at the PC. (I know the signals are different - it's the structure).
    With USB2 at 480Mb/s I guess several drives/DVD/CD would not be a problem.
    If the drives are on top of the PC case, A PCI 4 port USB 2 Card and extending the power cables out to the drives might be another alternative. DIY buffs can come up with interesting solutions, I'm sure.
    Nice one.


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