[NTLUG:Discuss] off-topic: scsi led cable?

[Stephen Klein]

Richard Cobbe wrote:
> 
> Hi, guys.
> 
> This is off-topic, but I'm not sure who else to ask.
> 
> I just got a SCSI hard drive, and it works beautifully, with one exception
> -- the drive activity LED on the front of my machine is completely unaware
> of this new drive.
> 
> Both the motherboard and the drive itself have jumpers to which a cable
> could be connected to allow the drive to flash the light, but this cable
> was not included with the drive.  The two connectors look about like the
> connectors you stick jumpers on, or more appropriately, the other
> motherboard connectors for the front panel LEDs, RESET button, and so
> forth -- just two pins.
> 
> Question: where can I get such a cable?  I've tried Radio Shack,
> MicroCenter, Fry's, all to no avail.  I'm pig-headed enough to be willing
> to go a fair distance to get this stupid thing, but the closer to Plano,
> the better.  Fry's did have what appeared to be the connectors and the
> cabling, but I don't have the time, the skill, or the tools necessary to
> build the thing myself.
> 
> If anyone knows where I can get such a cable, do please let me know.
> 
> Thanks much,
> 
> Richard
> 
> _______________________________________________
> http://ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss


Lesse if I can help,

SCSI adapters that are built onto the motherboard sometimes have a drive
activity LED connection that is separate from the IDE controller.

You have to decide if you want to see IDE activity, or SCSI disk
activity with the HD-LED.  Or, what I do, is if there is a SLEEP (power
managment) LED, or maybe a TURBO LED (who needs those with Pentiums and
later processors anyway?) you can use one of those for your SCSI drive,
and leave your HD-LED connected to the IDE activity connector.  Use the
colored wire as the pos(+) wire, and the black wire goes to ground.

If you really want to, and don't mind altering your case, you can go get
an old used PC case and cut the lead off of the HD-LED and then solder
the leads to a panelmount LED.  The LED should be the 5V kind, or else
you have to put a resistor in series with it, check the specs of the LED
when you get it.  Then drill a hole in your case, mount the LED and then
connect it to your SCSI activity connector.  These are redily available
at Radio Shack and Fry's.  Any computer shop should have a few old cases
lying around that they would be willing to part with cheap.  If you
can't find one, I know of a few places you could check.

Hope this helps,
Stephen Klein