Gateway DX4320 Hardware Installation Guide - Page 15

Configuring the new IDE drive Master drives If the drive you are installing is on the end of the cable, it is the master drive. Master drives are typically bootable, which means they are used to boot, or start, your computer. Your IDE drive should be configured as a master if it will be the only drive connected to the IDE interface cable or if there will be two drives connected to the cable and the other drive is configured as a slave. Important If you have only one drive, it must be connected to the end connector on the IDE cable. Slave drives If the drive you are installing is in the middle of the cable, it is the slave drive. Slave drives are typically used for storing files and installing programs. You cannot start your computer from the slave drive. A slave drive is the secondary drive on either the primary or secondary IDE controller. Configure your IDE drive as a slave drive if the drive will be one of two drives connected to the IDE interface cable and the other drive is configured as a master drive. Important If you are adding a drive and making it the master (boot) drive, the existing drive must be reconfigured as a slave drive. If there is already one drive connected to the cable before the new IDE drive is installed, it is probably configured as a master. However, some IDE drives require a different master or slave setting when two drives are connected. If you have any problems, see the documentation that came with the existing IDE drive for additional master or slave configuration information. Cable select Cable select is a jumper setting that configures the drive as a master or slave drive based on its position on the IDE cable. If both drives on the IDE data cable are configured as cable select, the middle drive is the slave and the end drive is the master. The drive and the IDE data cable must support cable select to use this option. www.gateway.com 11