Disk busy light for two controllers. 3

[kiddpete]

I have an HD controller on my mobo, and a Promise Ultra 100 controller as a card. So far, I can plug the 'disk busy' light's lead into one or the other, but not both.

Does anyone know how I can attach both contrllers to the light? I cannot see when my non-C drives are being accessed.

 

[jlshelton]

It would be nice to have some software that shows disk busy on any drive, perhaps in a System Tray icon.

 

[garebo]

I have seen such a program but i cant remember where. You can try CNET or other sites that offer free or trialware programs.
You might even be able to google it.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[bcastner]

freeware: 98/ME/2000/XP
Hard Disk Indicator

http://www.snapfiles.com/php/download.php?id=105664&a=7116254&tag=184102&loc=1

"Hard Disk Indicator is a small and simple tool, yet very useful for those who need it. It runs in the system tray and visually indicates hard disk activity on any selected drive(s)."

There are several others, this is worth a Google search.

 

[edfair]

Nobody for a hardware hack? Positive side of both indicator headers through a diode to the positive side of the LED. Either one positive will take the LED active.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[garebo]

Hi Ed.

Can you put that in plain english for the dumb, like me?


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[SirNuke]

Diode (for you non electrical engineer people like me). A diode is a electric switch that only allows current to go one way.

The 'hack' would take a diode (I suggest digikey [online store] or radio shack), which has one input and two outputs pins, which would 'split' the positive wire coming from the hard drive LED into two wires that connect to the motherboard and the Promise card. The negative wires could be split without the help of the diode.

The end setup would look something like:

(Motherboard pins)
(-)-------------------------
(+)----                    |
       \                   |
        (diode)---+(led)- -|
(card) /                   |
(+)----                    |
(-)------------------------|

This would allow the card of motherboard to send a positive current through the diode, thereby lighting up the led (pretty cool, huh?).

The reason you need the diode is because without the positive current from the motherboard or card would attempt to go down through the other device (which would do nasty things to it).

This wouldn't be a very hard hardware hack (though I wouldn't suggest it for anyone who hasn't done some electrical wiring work before this). If you are interested, I can create a better diagram and a part list. It may be easier, however, to just buy another LED and drill a whole in the case for it (which gives you the advantage of having each hard drive light up independantly.)

 

[edfair]

Except for the error, which is the need for 2 diodes, 1 on each of the + pins.

(+)--(diode)--
|
----LED
|
(+)--)diode)--

The diodes keep the signal out from one controller from getting to the other.

And good technique would suggest that the negatives be doublechecked to make sure that they are common.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[kiddpete]

Thanks guys. I guess no one makes the product? Time to get out the tools I guess.

 

[garebo]

Got it now, thanks!


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[edfair]

This is the equivalent of a DTL "OR" circuit. If you have to ask what DTL is you are dating yourself.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[garebo]

Not gonna bite on that one, lol.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[G0AOZ]

Or how about using a Tri-Colour l.e.d. instead of the original stock item...?

ROGER - G0AOZ.