Here is a senerio, you have a pc that has been refurbished (yes, this is a follow on from two other posts - though this is a seperate issue), this pc - a HP dc7800 - has all the normal power connectors for connecting sata devices, especially for the cd rom.
Now say you wanted to create the recovery disk(s) and the only way to do this was to attach a CD/DVD RWriter from another pc (without having to go through the expense of buying a new unit), now the floppy drive, which is not fitted has a IDE connector on the board, so as far as data is concerned it can be gleened from this through a std IDE cable, but the power leads in the pc have a spare sata type lead for another device and the power connector for the floppy unit (which is a smaller plug), is there a way of connecting an old CD/DVD RW to this power lead, ie has anyone seen a 4 socket white nylon connector plug for inserting into the drive - female as the drive has the 4 pins ie male, with a female socket for the sata power leads - ie similar to the effect of wanting to extend the lead - this new lead would act like the sata drive and the power lead would plug INTO this female socket.
Sorry this may seem confusing - see the attached pic, what I am after is the opposite versions of each plug and if it is at all worth doing. The other option was to get some terminal block and cut off the floppy connector (as it will never be used) and cut the end off another cable i have with the correct female end and do it that way.
or would I be better using the floppy drive from the old pc?
Next if I am creating the recovery disk, what size of file(s) is it going to be, I have a single memorex 700MB CD-R, is that going to be enough - I am not creating a iso image of win 7 so this disk should be in theory just enough for the data to fit on the 2MB internal ram - like in the old xp days - ? or is not like that any more
Now say you wanted to create the recovery disk(s) and the only way to do this was to attach a CD/DVD RWriter from another pc (without having to go through the expense of buying a new unit), now the floppy drive, which is not fitted has a IDE connector on the board, so as far as data is concerned it can be gleened from this through a std IDE cable, but the power leads in the pc have a spare sata type lead for another device and the power connector for the floppy unit (which is a smaller plug), is there a way of connecting an old CD/DVD RW to this power lead, ie has anyone seen a 4 socket white nylon connector plug for inserting into the drive - female as the drive has the 4 pins ie male, with a female socket for the sata power leads - ie similar to the effect of wanting to extend the lead - this new lead would act like the sata drive and the power lead would plug INTO this female socket.
Sorry this may seem confusing - see the attached pic, what I am after is the opposite versions of each plug and if it is at all worth doing. The other option was to get some terminal block and cut off the floppy connector (as it will never be used) and cut the end off another cable i have with the correct female end and do it that way.
or would I be better using the floppy drive from the old pc?
Next if I am creating the recovery disk, what size of file(s) is it going to be, I have a single memorex 700MB CD-R, is that going to be enough - I am not creating a iso image of win 7 so this disk should be in theory just enough for the data to fit on the 2MB internal ram - like in the old xp days - ? or is not like that any more