Whay are IDE ribbon cables for the A1200 So damn expensive ? That's 10£ for just a SINGLE IDE HD !
Because they're usually custom made. Normal IDE cables aren't so cheap either - they're about £7.50 each.
# What the hell is this connector ? I mean the IDE-ATAPI one on the 1200 MoBo ? It seems shorter...
44-pin IDE, designed for 2.5" (laptop) drives.
# Is'nt there a way of building it using an existant PC AT (X) Connector, only by cutting it at the right lengh ?
It's possible, but not worth the trouble you'd have with it, unless you are a professional at splicing cables. Not to mention the fact that the normal IDE cable is just a little bit more expensive, and you run the risk of just wasting it.
# What is this red wire stuff ?
A control line your Amiga doesn't need. More often that not it won't allow you to boot from cold if it's not removed - AmigaOS doesn't allow much time for HD spinup, and taking off this wire mean it won't bother waiting.
# Why is that not ALL the drive's pins are plugged to the cable ?
I take it the guy who fitted the cable used a 40 pin plug (for ease), but the A1200 IDE has 44 pins. The extra pins aren't needed anyway.
Is that WD 200 drive (that says "AT Compatible, "A" standing for Amiga, I guess:) Special in any way ?
No! AT is an old PC family of motherboards. It just means the drive will work in a PC.
# What should I do to a regular PC AT IDE Ribbon cable, to fit it on a 1200 MoBo ??
Get a buffered 4-way IDE interface. It'll save you a hell of a lot of trouble.
# How to fit a 3.5 drive neatly in a desktop A1200 ?
You don't. Even a slimlime drive will be a bugger to fit and will cause the A1200 case to bulge. A1200s were designed for 2.5" drives. Though most of us got a 3.5" in, it's a kludge and isn't so pretty.
