Why you should consider it: Why pay money for these rounded cables when you can make your own for nothing? Put the money you save towards an upgrade in your true hardware.
Editor’s note: It’s really good to get articles from our membership. Modding,
tweaking and getting the best from our PC is what we are all about. Al_Capown
shows us an oldie but a goodie for those who have the desire for rounded cables
but nothing but ribbons to deal with.
Legal Disclaimer: Al_Capown, nor anyone at Short-Media, is
responsible for any damage that may be done to your hardware using the process
described below. Please realize you are taking your own risk following this
guide, and if the process is not done accurately it may result in damaged IDE
ribbons.
As the move to SATA drives is becoming more and more apparent everyday, standard
IDE ribbon users are beginning to feel more jealous of those little, flexible
cords. Unlike SATA, IDE ribbons clutter the area inside the case, lowering airflow
and heat dissipitation.
A solution many users have conjured is rounded IDE cables. These cables are
flexible, sleek, and sexy. Unlike their evil stepbrothers they allow air to
circulate in the case and bend in any way you desire.
However, these cables do come at a premium price. Newegg’s cheapest rounded,
3 head, IDE, ATA 133 cables cost $7 shipped. They can be priced as high as $25
at retail stores such as Best Buy. Prices like these could be the difference
between an NVIDIA Fx5600 Ultra and a Radeon 9600 Pro.
Why pay money for these rounded cables when you can make your own for nothing?
Put the money you save towards an upgrade in your true hardware.
Materials Needed
- IDE Ribbon
- Sharp Pocket Knife or Razor Blade
- Electrical Tape
Procedure
Straighten out the IDE cables on a table or desk. Be sure to flatten out any
wrinkles or bends in the cables.
IDE cable all curled up – BAD!
IDE cable nice and flat – GOOD!
Take out your sharp pocket knife or razor blade and every 4 or 5 ridges on
the IDE cable carefully make a little puncture in between ridges. Be sure to
make your punctures in between the ridges or else your IDE ribbon will become
defective.
Razor blade puncturing the cable between ridges
With your fingers, slowly pull at the holes in opposite directions. Be sure
not to rip too quickly! Once again, that could render the IDE cable defective.
The first puncture has been pulled down the full length of the
cable
Once the IDE cable looks somewhat like a hammock, pull out the electrical
tape. Hold the IDE strands in a circular bunch and start wrapping the electrical
tape around it. If you desire the retail look, be sure to overlap. If all you
desire out of this project is to improve airflow and flexibility, then one inch
gaps between electrical tape bands should suffice.
IDE cord looks like a hammock – lots of seperate strands
Bunch those seperate strands together in your hand
Electrical tape with overlap
Once the cable is ready, plug it in and load Windows. Go to My Computer
and check to make sure all your drives are displayed and responding correctly.
NOTE: If any gold or copper wiring is showing from the ribbons,
the cable is probably damaged. Damaged IDE cables may cause data corruption.
That’s it! Within just 5 minutes you’ve saved yourself $14, improved airflow
in your case, and made yourself look half respectable when you go to LAN’s.
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