Question about IDE device setup

[dmears1]

I also posted this question in the "Hard drive Issues" section, but I'm posting here too because I'm not sure which was the appropriate forum.

I have a PC with an Asus A7V333 mobo. This board has 2 IDE connectors (optional Promise RAID support) & 2 IDE connectors (UltraDMA/133 support). Currently I have 2 hard drives, 1 CD-RW & a DVD-ROM connected to the UltraDAM/133 connectors & everything is working great. However, I'd like to add a DVD burner to the mix & I'm wondering if I can install my two hard drives to the 2 IDE connectors w/RAID support (but not set up as a RAID) and then use the 2 regular IDE connectors for the 3 ROM drives. Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[adkmom]

Hey there,

This is going to sound like a stab in the dark but...

...just try it! I used to ask around forums all the time for certain hardware answers & then I decided to try rather than ask. What you're describing doing isn't going to undermine your system. It'll either work or it won't. Give it a try & then post your results so others with the same question will know?

Good luck,

Mom

 

[mortshere]

Yeh, it should work. There should be a jumper near the slots indicating RAID ON/OFF. Set it to OFF, and from there it should work as an extra IDE connector.

Like the guy said, TRY IT!!

Mort

 

[dmears1]

Thanks Mom & Mort...
Yeah, most of the time I try things first before asking but I didn't know if I could do any harm to the board by trying it. BTW, I got some good advice from gnwhite1201 in the Hard Drive Issues forum too.
Thanks again.

 

[dmears1]

Just an update--I connected both hard drives to the RAID IDE connectors, and all three ROM drives to the regular IDE connectors, set all jumper settings on the drives to CS & it's working great.