OT: IDE Cables are hard to find

[Tod Merley]

On Dec 4, 2007 1:28 PM, Karl Larsen <k5di at zianet.com> wrote:
>     I went shopping and hit 3 stores before Office Max, where a guy
> recalled seeing one and it was there. Original price for the round IDE
> cable was $14.00 reduced to $6.00. It is a Belkin Ultra ATA Hard Drive
> Round Cable. It is in and all is working fine. The old flat cable has
> been causing trouble for a week. I think I bent it in too many directions.
>
>
> --
>
>         Karl F. Larsen, AKA K5DI
>         Linux User
>         #450462   http://counter.li.org.
>
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Hi Karl F. Larsen!

In the Seattle area RE-PC and other PC recycling places have boxes of
these for cheap.

If you have one that is worn out sometimes you can "pop the top off"
(carefully spread the side grips and the top should pull off) and then
pull the cable out of the "insulation displacement" (usually sharp top
split tubes).  After using some scissors to establish a clean end of
unused cable you can then use a vise and a couple of short pieces of
metal stock (flat metal) to press the top and cable back into place.
The connector is mostly plastic and a vise amplifies force quite well,
use a light touch.

I once rather shocked a company installer who had flown in to help us
with our new music delivery system doing this.  First I found the
cable where wire 1 was connected to 50.  Then I repaired it before his
eyes.

Have Fun!

Tod