Help - first computer build

[clueless again]

Hello all. This is quite an impressive forum and I am asking for some of your technical expertise. I am in the planning stages of building a new computer. Found a great deal on a barebones kit and thought I was ready to go, until...

I spent the last 7 hours reading up on SATA vs. IDE interface. The new mobo I have selected has one IDE header and four SATA headers. I need some advice on how to build in the drives that I want to put in the new machine. I have the following (listed in order that I want/need to use them):

1 new SATA 250g WD HD
1 used IDE 80g WD HD
1 new IDE DVD-RW optical drive
1 used IDE CD-RW / DVD ROM optical drive

Can I conect all three IDEs to the lone header on the mobo? If not, can I connect just the DVD-RW and old HD to that lone header?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide. I am ambitious but very new to this (as you may tell from my lack of jargonal expertise...)

[mark5282]

If you look around you can buy cables which will allow you to connect an IDE drive to a SATA header on you MOBO. You would be better off not puttind the DVD-RW and old HDD on the same cable as it will most probably slow down access to the HDD. Hope this helpful?

[clueless again]

If you look around you can buy cables which will allow you to connect an IDE drive to a SATA header on you MOBO. You would be better off not puttind the DVD-RW and old HDD on the same cable as it will most probably slow down access to the HDD. Hope this helpful?

Thanks Mark. I had thought of that and have been investigating those cables. The converter cable is about as much as I paid for the DVD-RW drive!

Which drive does everyone recommend I connect to the IDE header and which one to the SATA? (DVD drive or secondary HD).

Thanks again.

[mark5282]

Prob best to put the CD-RW and DVD on the IDE as they will probably both run at similar speeds and the HDD on the SATA.

[clueless again]

Thanks again Mark - sounds like a good plan. I really appreciate your suggestions.

[dcc]

Another option would be to purchase an external case for the IDE hdd and connect it through a USB port.

[clueless again]

dcc - thanks for the response. I already have 2 external drives - one dedicated to large video editing files so they don't suck up space on main drive and an even OLDER WD HDD that is still kicking (my wife has it loaded with work files). Therefore I wanted to load new roomy case with new SATA drive as well as current IDE drive for easy and quicker access. Thanks again for the suggestion.