Print

[BuddyLeeX]

I tried to accomplish this mod on http://www.xbox-scen...multi-drive.php

and well, didnt come out the way i expected just like every other mod the first time.

I followed the instructions in the tutorial, besides the multimeter part, since i don't have one i just skipped that step, and followed the shitty diagram of the molex connections to the DPDT switch.

BTW I bought the cable from Llamaa's xbox parts website, but it was poorly made and the mid connector broke off, but that was after i tested the drives and was taking it off.

Now to the problem, basically, only one drive gets power. I have a WD 160gb and my stock Seagate 10gb. When the connector gave the WD power, it booted up, i switch over, and the Seagate got nothing, so i switched the power cables to the HDs, and now neither work, but i hear the seagate spinning up now.

I have come to the conclusion that the seagate does not like multiple drives on the cable, i disconnected teh WD and the seagate worked fine, then reconnected the WD and the seagate would not boot. So this is a two part question.

Why am I only getting power to one molex, and why does my stock seagate not like other HDs on the cable?

[BuddyLeeX]

I didnt say the harddrive didnt like the molex connector, I said it didnt like multiple HDs on the IDE cable. And yes it is formatted properly, I tested it out no a regular power cable and ide cable before doing the mod.

BTW Im not a total dumbass, I know a little of what Im doing, Im just not an electronics major so Im having problems understand why Im only getting power to one molex. And I also tested out the jumpers on the back of the HDs, all tries unsuccessful, so i left both on cable select.

Im hoping to format my other 8gb WD and see if that WD works, if it does, that solves one problem and then I need to solve why im only getting power to one molex(if im wording that weird, that means on the up position switch, it is powering HD#1, on the down position switch, it is NOT powering HD#2) get it now?

[madsci1016]

This problem has plagued me for a year now. Found out on another forum that some hdd's don't like each other on the same ide cable even when only one has power. There are certain combos of hdd brands and models that don't get along. i even tried the tut on switching pin 23 back and forth but that didn't work either. just found a nob switch that has 30 sets of contacts, so my next project is to build an ide switcher between my two hdd's. i will tell you how it goes.

[BuddyLeeX]

wow mad, sounds good tell me how it goes. and i figured my seagate wasnt compatible with two HDs, im gonna try my other WD, so it will be WD and WD, it SHOULD work.

star, i tried all those, and neither works, what i concluded is that one of the molex is bad or my contacts from that molex on the DPDT switch are bad i just have to mess with that.

[Chewonit64]

If your still trying to figure out why only one drive gets power that is because the switch send power to one or the other. ONLY ONE DRIVE should have power. If both drive are getting power nothing will work properly.

Also do you have your dashboard on BOTH drives? If not it won't boot from the one that doesn't have it (Obviously)

[ferrari_rulz_02]

have you tried switching some pins on teh ide? you need to do that in some cases. do some searching to find which pins

[BuddyLeeX]

QUOTE(Chewonit64 @ Jul 23 2005, 08:06 AM)

If your still trying to figure out why only one drive gets power that is because the switch send power to one or the other. ONLY ONE DRIVE should have power. If both drive are getting power nothing will work properly.

[garyopa]

Replace your DPDT switch it must be defective.

Also remember when you do get the power problem fixed,
some combo's of drives DO NOT WORK together, no matter
what.

I have done many of this mods, including buying the Xtender
kit, and it does work well when it works, and also fails well
when it does not work, but once you get a working cable
and working switch and working combo of drives, the system
works very well.

Just replace your DPDT switch, and resolder all the power
connections and you should be fine. Make sure the crimping
of the little tubes in the molex connector are tight also, some
times they can be a little loose and not feed power to the drive.

[ferrari_rulz_02]

QUOTE(StarFishie @ Jul 23 2005, 09:39 PM)

Yes, this is true some drives dont communicate with each other....
BUT in actuality the 2 harddrives will never communicate cause only 1 gets power at a time.
The only communication between drives will be 1 (of the 2) harddrives & dvdRom drive.

what they mean is that for some realy fucked up techncial reason, they just dont work when they are on the same cable. ive talked to a few technicans, and they say its just down to the individal components of the hdds, even when they arnt powered.

so theres nothign you can do about it, except get a new hard drive, if you havent tried to switch some of the ide pins (works in most cases when not switching any pins on the ide doesnt work)

[BuddyLeeX]

alright, ya thats pretty shitty though. Mostly everything I buy from Llammaa is good, but I guess i bought two shit items from him this time, how gay. The IDE cable was really weird anyways because the 3rd connecter was so close to the first one that it couldnt reach the HD cradle, and the fourth one was SOO FAR AWAY from the third one, it didnt even seem like it was made for this mod. Im really dissappointed.

Well, ok so you think its the DPDT switch? I hope so, and I hope its not my soldering cause it looks fine, Ill check the crimps in the molex also. Also just in case, let me tell you how i did this.

picture: Molex Pic (LARGE PICS WARNING)

I got the molex with a 1 female, 2 male connector. on the female end, i cut off one both yellow and red wires, one of each i eliminated. the one i didnt eliminate i soldered to the IN points on DPDT. Those are the smaller wires that Im holding. These red/yellow wires in the female were coming from the two males, which those wires i connecred to their respective spots. Now as you see, all 4 grounds from the males are going into the female molex and left it as is. Is that a problem?

[BuddyLeeX]

i found this on llammas site, this is EXACTLY how i did it, except i used extra wire to connect female connecter to eh DPDT so it isnt so stubby like llammas

http://www.llamma.co...cable_udma_.htm

[ferrari_rulz_02]

QUOTE(BuddyLeeX @ Jul 24 2005, 06:46 AM)

i found this on llammas site, this is EXACTLY how i did it, except i used extra wire to connect female connecter to eh DPDT so it isnt so stubby like llammas

[BuddyLeeX]

well i dont just have the hd problem, i have a power problem.

I also figured somethign out, in Llammas tut, another one he made it said to use a ON ON switch, and possibiliy he sent me a ON OFF ON?

[ferrari_rulz_02]

QUOTE(BuddyLeeX @ Jul 24 2005, 10:22 AM)

well i dont just have the hd problem, i have a power problem.

[BuddyLeeX]

ok well, im VERY surprised at my findings. So I bought another DPDT switch, same thing, i think, its a 5amp, DPDT ON/ON switch. Soldered it just like I did the other, and now both HDs get power on the switches respected position. So Llamma sold me nothing but shit, i cant believe it. First the IDE cable isnt even the right lengths, then it falls apart, and now i found out the DPDT switch was either the wrong one for this mod or faulty.

Thanks for everyones help, now that I solved my biggest problem, i think i can tackle the HD issue, im just going to end up using my other 8gb stock WD drive, and hopefully the two drives can get along on one cable, then i have to find a place that sells 3 or 4 device IDE cables. Does Radio shack sell em? OR any place online? Ive searched no dice.