Using an IDE hard drive enclosure with a DVD drive?

[riker1384]

I have an IDE DVD burner I'm planning on using with a future computer. I also have an firewire IDE hard drive enclosure. Can I open up the enclosure, plug the IDE cable into the DVD drive and plug it into my eMac? Would it work?

 

[itickings]

Should work just fine.

You probably need to use PatchBurn on the eMac.

 

[CarlsonCustoms]

I tried this once but failed becuase the spacing between the power and data connectors was too far off to make it work. Mine had a movable data cable so I could get that plugged in but the power connector was soldered to the circuit board so that didn't fit right.

Depends on the enclosure I guess

 

[riker1384]

Well, scratch that. The IDE connector is attached to the board in the enclosure, not on a cable. The DVD drive is too big to fit in, so there's no way to connect it.

 

[Str8edgepunker]

I know that you can purchase 5.25 enclosures at the link below, but they're a bit on the expensive side.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/add-ons-and-hubs/enclosure-kits

 

[itickings]

I know that you can purchase 5.25 enclosures at the link below, but they're a bit on the expensive side.

USB2 enclosures will work just fine as well, provided the computer has USB2 as well. Those enclosures are often noticeably cheaper. There are even USB to IDE (or SATA) cables available without enclosures.

Maybe not relevant in this case of course, but anyway.