can I connect one IDE HD to 2 motherboards?

Nealo · Joined: Oct 06, 2008 Posts: 2

Hello,
Before I try this and fry something, I thought I'd ask here.
Can I connect one IDE HD to 2 mother boards? Only one motherboard will be powered at any one time. (I just want to add that one motherboard does not have any options like USB or anything else - its IDE or nothing as its a DVR not a PC).

I was thinking of using a straight 40 pin IDE cable (not one with Cable Select-CS) and a power cable extension.

The drive will be connected to the middle connector of the IDE cable, with either side of the cable connected to a different mother board. The power cable would be connected in a similar manner.

Does this make sense? would it work? or I am being silly. Rolling Eyes

Thanks

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1546 Location: Central FL, USA

Yes, silly!

Get another hard drive. They are really cheap now-a-days.

You'd be feeding the signals from one mobo right into the other.
Being off, it would probably ground out the signals. Likewise the power supplies.
You may even get SMOKE!

Stop by here and I'll GIVE you a second HD.

The Doctor Cool

Werebo · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:39 am Post subject:

Allo Nealo and welcome to the Lockergnome forum

As Doc pointed out, connecting 1 HDD direct to 2 mobos is a no-no, but - if you have the 2 PC hooked together via a router, you can get a network enclosure that also connects to the router, enabling you to share the 1 drive with 2 (or more) PC's. Note that you can't use the drive as a 'Boot' drive - that is, you can't install Windows on the drive and use it to boot up either PC, you can only share the files on it.

The main advantage with this system is that you don't need to have both PC's on, like you would if the HDD was mounted in one of the PC's.

I hope this helps to clear things up a bit more Smile

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1546 Location: Central FL, USA

As I understood the question.......one is a PC and the other is NOT.

In which case the two devices will probably not even share the same disk format.....
making the whole question mute.

I'm sure if we sit here long enough someone will come in and say something like,.
"Hell NO it wont' work !!! What are you, some kind of a raving lunatic?".

But being a gentleman, I'd never say anything like that.
But wait long enough and someone will.

I'll simply say, "Don't even try it!" and leave it go at that. OK?

You know I'm just funnin' wit ya.....Right? Please, don't take offense. Wink

But in all seriousness, Please don't try it.
My 44 years as an electronics tech cry out "NO NO NO NO NO!!!!".

Good Luck ol chap,
The Doctor Cool

Nealo · Joined: Oct 06, 2008 Posts: 2

Thanks for your replies Werebo and Doc. (No offense was take, Doc, though I was tempted to say "go find a telephone booth", but being a gentlemen, I shall refrain) Wink

I did not want to bore you with too much details in my first post, but now I see I should have.
I am trying to access a HD in a satellite receiver that has a DVR. I want to copy all recorded programs to DVD so I can record some more. The file system is not windows compatible, but I got myself a program that can read and copy from the HD so that is not an issue.
The issue is that every time I need to copy, I have to disconnect the HD from the DVR and connect it to my PC (or connect it to an IDE to USB converter - which I do). and here lies the problem .... If I disconnect and connect the HD too many time I may damage the connection pins at some point - which is why I was looking for a solution that leaves the connections untouched.
I thank you for your advice, and for saving me from damaging my stuff. I appreciate any further thoughts or comment you may have.
Neal O

goretsky · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 11:14 pm Post subject:

Hello,

Have you considered mounting the hard disk drive in an external USB enclosure or in a rack? That way you would just have to move a drive enclosure or cartridge with a quick connect interface rated for many insertion-removal cycles between the two devices.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

TeeDee · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 10:07 am Post subject:

Hi Nealo!
If I've understood you correctly, why not use a SCART- to- SCART connection? Assuming your satellite receiver has the necessary outlet and you want to record to a regular 'play-to-TV' DVD recorder, that should get you results with the least hassle.
I use the method myself to record from the HD on my satellite unit to DVDs on my HD/DVD recorder.

underquark · Joined: Jan 17, 2009 Posts: 1

I've just started to do a similar thing with a Topfield TF5800PVR but haven't got time in the next few weeks to progress. Here's where I've got to so far:

Connect standard IDE 40-pin cable with the "Motherboard" end connected to the HDD of the PVR (for my PVR this is important since the motherboard connector of an IDE cable has an internal short that confuses my PVR).

Connect the "disk end" to the PVR motherboard (I had to drill out the blanked hole of the cable connector as my PVR has all 40 pins - even though not all are used).

Connect the middle part of the cable to a short, 40-pin, 2.5-to-3.5 IDE adapter cable by linking them with a strip of 40 pins.

Connect the other end (the 2.5 end) of this adapter cable to an IDE-to-USB adapter via another, smaller (2.5-size) strip of pins.

Now this doesn't work perfectly yet as to get the PC to link to the disk the IDE cable must be disconnected at the PVR motherboard end. I assume(hope) that there is one line on the PVR motherboard side of the IDE cable that could be cut and switched out to allow it all to work but haven't got that far yet.

The other caveat, of course, is that the PVR should be powered up (to power the disk drive) but you should ensure that it's not set to record anything during the data transfer to PC.

Note that the first set of pins swaps the signal paths but that the second changes it back again. I used a 2.5-to-3.5 link cable as it was a)short and b) my IDE-to-USB adapter has 2.5 and 3.5 connections. Sandwiching the IDE-to-USB adapter between the PVR's native cable and its disk doesn't work, by the way.