Reid
11-17-2000, 03:40 PM
I wanted to be able to boot two independent operating systems and avoid using dual-boot software. Since hard drives are less expensive now, the cost of adding a second drive was less of a concern.
I put a DPDT toggle switch on a 3.5 panel and ran two pairs of wires from the switch to the internal drive MA and SL connectors (the wire and plug assemblies are from an old computer case, that attached to the switches and LEDs). Another switch was installed in a removeable drive tray, but it can also be an internal drive. I can boot from either drive by just flipping the switches in opposite directions (when power is off, of course).
Some drives only need the Master to be set, so only one wire pair would be needed for that type of drive.
The jumper connectors can also be made by soldering a small contact onto a wire and using heat-shrink tubing to insulate them.
The switch works with EIDE drives and a BIOS that Auto-detects the hard drive types.
Photos (JPG) and a diagram can be downloaded from:
http://www.filepool.net/e?clip=126MCHOFTU1MVeDOQF255MI5052
SW_PICS.exe, 193 KB
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rdrummond@thesimpsons.com
I put a DPDT toggle switch on a 3.5 panel and ran two pairs of wires from the switch to the internal drive MA and SL connectors (the wire and plug assemblies are from an old computer case, that attached to the switches and LEDs). Another switch was installed in a removeable drive tray, but it can also be an internal drive. I can boot from either drive by just flipping the switches in opposite directions (when power is off, of course).
Some drives only need the Master to be set, so only one wire pair would be needed for that type of drive.
The jumper connectors can also be made by soldering a small contact onto a wire and using heat-shrink tubing to insulate them.
The switch works with EIDE drives and a BIOS that Auto-detects the hard drive types.
Photos (JPG) and a diagram can be downloaded from:
http://www.filepool.net/e?clip=126MCHOFTU1MVeDOQF255MI5052
SW_PICS.exe, 193 KB
------------------
rdrummond@thesimpsons.com