Weird Thing

bozodog

By bozodog,
in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP

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bozodog

bozodog

Posted
Posted (edited)

Computer acting strange? You bet. This one suddenly lost it's program file. Oppted for a refromat because there was nothing to save. Then things got even stranger. So we opened the case and replaced this cable. Now bare in mind this is a Dell 4100, running ME, and belongs to a grandma that only uses it for e-mail, some surfing, and some documents. She sure never opened the case. Either did anyone else in the house.

Look what we found:

PICT0049.jpg

Please note you can see two of the wires in that hole. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Do you think it's been that way from the factory? How can a piece like that just pop out?

PICT0052.jpg

Edited by bozodog
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JDoors

JDoors

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I'd have to say 'factory defect' in the raw wire that no one noticed during fabrication of the cable or assembly of the system. Dust finally completed a leaking ground for those wires causing the erratic behavior. I have no explanation on why the 'missing' wire didn't cause a noticeable defect. <edit> Ok, now I have the explanation, thanks.

Edited by JDoors
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CataclysmCow

CataclysmCow

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In 80-wire/40-pin cable only the odd numbered wires are used for signaling. The even numbered wires are all grounded to prevent crosstalk on the other wires.

By my count that's wire #67. A signal wire by the even/odd rule, but wire#67 is the one exception to that rule.

A cut in that wire should have no effect.

[edit: oops, counted wrong]

Edited by CataclysmCow
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pro1driver

pro1driver

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Posted

i have an old compaq, and believe it or not i had the same situation. i was going to replace all the flat IDE cables with rounded ones, and i came across that as i was replacing them. my granddaughter has an HP and i replaced all her flat IDE cables with rounded as well, and the HP pc had a piece cut out of it too. must be a well known situation from all the big pc makers. whenever you go and buy new flat IDE cables, you will never find anything like that.

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bozodog

bozodog

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Ok, ProDriver. You think it's some thing done OEM? An alteration of the cable for Dell's needs? But why at least one bare wire showing? And if

it's OEM, why did it fail? (planned obsolence?)

I'm sure it wasn't damage or a bug, because it's as clean as it's been punched out.

Any more input out there?

cablepic.jpg

Edited by bozodog
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pro1driver

pro1driver

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Posted
Ok, ProDriver. You think it's some thing done OEM? An alteration of the cable for Dell's needs? But why at least one bare wire showing? And if

it's OEM, why did it fail? (planned obsolence?)

I'm sure it wasn't damage or a bug, because it's as clean as it's been punched out.

Any more input out there?

cablepic.jpg

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

i wouldn't know any exact reason why its done by the OEM's, but look at it this way. those OEM built pc's are as we all know "proprietary", right....?

maybe there just isn't any need for all the wires to be used...?

i'll bet you a dollar to a dozen donuts, that if you were to build a pc, then try to use that very same IDE cable with the cutout, that new home built pc might not work, or not work properly.

as i said, on my compaq (the one i'm on now), had the same exact cutout. maybe on a different wire, but a cutout nonetheless. i also find it hard to believe that the IDE cable failed due to this. i find it hard to believe any IDE cable would fail, unless struck by lightining, or somehow the pc took in some water and shorted out. i just think that the OEM's have/had/has a reason for doing this, what the reasons are...?? who really cares. i mean really,..... who really cares? its a done deal, no harm done, your pc ran beautifully till you found this cutout in the cable. you may have seen this cutout and right away assumed that this was causing any problem(s) you were having, when in fact, you still may have problems not even associated with this cutout cable...!!!

i am a firm believer in using rounded cables, some will disagree. any pc that i have either built or re-built, i change all the IDE cables with rounded ones. the rounded ones look nicer, come in colors, and when the pc has a window or two, and lights, the rounded cables seem to compliment the whole build.

and as i also said earlier, my granddaughter has an HP desktop pc, i opened it up to add more ram, and i installed rounded cables in hers as well. and as i said, her flat IDE cable had a cutout in it as well..............................

it has a rhyme or reason to the OEM's for doing this...............why...............

who really cares.................really.............?????????

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pro1driver

pro1driver

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Posted

i wouldn't however give that IDE cable to anyone, or even keep it as a spare. you might go and re-build or build a pc someday, find that cable, forget about the cutout and use it, then wonder why your newly built pc ain't working. i would just throw away that cable.

you might try e-mailing your pc maker and inquire as to why they do this, maybe even include a photo, as proof of what you're talking about, cuz they may think you have 3 heads on your shoulder, trying to tell them a cable has a cutout.

afterall, tech support is supreme at most pc companies. they already know that we are the stupid ones..........right...............?????????

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CataclysmCow

CataclysmCow

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Its an IDE Cable Select cable. Apple used them many year ago and as pointed ou, so did many other OEM's. The pin on that wire is non functional by design (why? You'd have to ask the engineers who designed it)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Cable select cables" only came in the 40-pin/40-wire variety. All 80-wire/40-pin cables are "cable select cables"; it's part of the spec from ATA/ATAPI-4 and up (ATA/ATAPI-3 was the first mention of 80-wire cable).

Cable select (CSEL) is pin #28 which would be wire #55 on a 80-wire cable. Counting from #1 (red wire) I end up with the funky wire being #67. Wire #67 would end up being pin #34 which is PDIAG and CBLID. I'm a bit unclear on what role pin #34 played in pre-ATA3 setups, but with 80-wire/40-pin setups it's there to indicate the presence of a 80-wire cable; it's grounded at the controller side of the cable.

I want to say that pin#34 played a part in the cable select process in pre-ATA3 setups, but I'm not certain. It's been a while since I looked at the ATA specs.

Pin#34 is grounded on the controller connector side and that's what the controller looks for. Pin#34 is no longer used for drive to drive signaling and I assume that's why it's chopped out of that cable - to give it pre-ATA3 compatibility with devices that didn't conform to spec (proprietary).

Edited by CataclysmCow
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xxkbxx

xxkbxx

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Posted
Err, ok. One last question. Why did it fail? Machine is fine now with a new cable. (one with all the wires)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The world may never know... For all you know a tiny piece of metal was touching the wire or something stupid like magical nomes who invade computers during the nome off-season and bite holes in IDE cables

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