Linux PXE-Boot Process

This documents how to setup a PXE boot server for Linux. This assumes that you're using Redhat/FC as the PXE boot server.
The first thing to note is that you need to setup your own mini-network that is completely disconnected from the network, since part of this process requires setting up a DHCP server which could conflict with the corporate DHCP server if they were both running on the same network simultaneously. So get yourself a switch from IT up front. You do *NOT* need the switch immediately.
The next step is to choose a box to be the PXE boot server. This can really be any box at all, as long as you have a NIC in it that works reliably under Linux. For the purposes of this documentation, I'm going to assume that you've loaded Fedora Core 4 on this box (do that now, if you've not already). Get this box onto the network with DHCP (just like a normal installation).
Next you'll need to install the following packages (which ship with FC4 already, so if you did an 'everything' OS install, you should have them already. If not, you can install them easily with yum):

tftp-server
dhcp
httpd
syslinux

If you use yum to install them, then it will be generally alot easier:
yum install tftp-server dhcp httpd syslinux
answer Y to all dependency/installation questions
Now you need to setup the DHCP server. With the FC4 RPM for dhcp, all you need to do is create /etc/dhcpd.conf with the following contents:

ddns-update-style interim;
subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
range 192.168.0.10 192.168.0.254;
default-lease-time 3600;
max-lease-time 4800;
option routers 192.168.0.1;
option domain-name-servers 192.168.0.1;
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
option domain-name "domain.net";
option time-offset -8;
}

host domain1 {
hardware ethernet 04:4B:80:80:80:03;
fixed-address 192.168.0.254;
option host-name "domain1";
filename "pxelinux.0";
}
This sets up a DNS server that will assign IP address 192.168.0.254 to your client box that has MAC address 04:4B:80:80:80:03 assigned to its PXE-boot capable NIC. Another thing to note is that we're reserving the private 192.168 subnet for this setup. The only thing you need to change in the above, is the MAC address to match that of the NIC on your client box.


Next you need to activate tftp within xinetd. All that is neccesary is to change disable=yes to disable=no in /etc/xinetd.d/tftp . Then restart xinetd. For future reference, the tftp RPM for FC4 stores its servable content under /tftpboot.


Now we need to setup your PXE server to use a static IP on the new private subnet. Create the file /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0.static with the following contents:

DEVICE=eth0

BOOTPROTO=STATIC

ONBOOT=no

TYPE=Ethernet

IPADDR=192.168.0.2

NETMASK=255.255.255.0

GATEWAY=192.168.0.1

Now we need to setup the PXE boot environment on the server. To do this, you need to have either the Linux distribution that you wish to install over PXE either in CD format, or all the content of the CDs available on the network.
On the first CD of every RH/FC distribution there is a subdirectory called 'isolinux'. In that directory you will find two files, vmlinuz and initrd.img. These are the kernel & initrd.img that the RH/FC bootable CDs use to get the installer (anaconda) booted for performing the installation. Copy both of those files into /tftpboot and make sure that they are world readable. If you are planning to allow more than one version/distribution to be PXE boot installable, then you should rename both files so that its clear that they are for whatever version/distribution they came from (such as vmlinuz-RHEL4, initrd-RHEL4).
Next, you need the actual pxe boot linux kernel (what is actually run immediately after your PXE boot client box gets a DHCP lease). In this case, that file is pxelinux.0, and is part of the syslinux RPM. For FC4, you can find it at/usr/lib/syslinux/pxelinux.0. Copy that file into /tftpboot and make sure that it is readable to others.

Next we need to configure pxelinux. First create the directory /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg (and make it readable to others). Inside that directory you need to create a number of zero size files (use touch):

01-04-4B-80-80-80-03
C
C0
C0A
C0A8
C0A80
C0A800
C0A800F
C0A800FE
01-04-4B-80-80-80-03

 The first 8 are the hex representation of the 192.168.0.254 IP address that your PXE boot client will be assigned. The permutations allow a broader IP subnet to be searched first for matches. The last entry is the MAC address of your PXE boot client's NIC (with dashes substituted for the colons), with '01' pre-pended. The "01" at the front represents a hardware type of Ethernet, so pxelinux.0 see's the configuration string as an IP address.

Now create the default pxelinux configuration inside the new file
/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default:
prompt 1
default linux
timeout 100

label linux
kernel vmlinuz
append initrd=initrd.img ramdisk_size=9216 noapic acpi=off


Now you need to put the full contents of your Linux distro (all CDs) somewhere on disk. I put it under /tftpboot/RHEL4U1. In order to allow for installation over HTTP (apache), edit /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf and add the following:

Options Indexes
AllowOverride None

Alias /linux /tftpboot/RHEL4U1


At this stage, you're ready to hook up the switch. You should have CAT5 running between the switch & the PXE boot server, and the client box.


On the PXE boot server, bring down your DHCP network connected eth0 (ifdown eth0), disconnect the CAT5 connected to the network, and plug in the cat5 connected to your private switch. Now bring up the static IP for the PXE server with (ifup eth0.static). You can verify that it came up successfully by verifying that you have IP address 192.168.0.2 in ifconfig.


 Now start dhcpd & apache and activate tftp by running the following:

service dhcpd start

service xinetd restart

service httpd start

 and verify that they are all in your process list.

Plug the PXE client box's CAT5 into the switch, and verify that the NIC appears first in the BIOS boot order. (re)boot and you should get a DHCP lease, and start booting successfully off the network.

When you get into the RH/FC installer which asks you for the install method, choose HTTP. Fill in 192.168.0.2 for the name, and 'linux' for the path, and you should be all set.

If you run into any problems, check /var/log/messages for errors. /var/log/httpd is where apache logs, but if you get that far, your problem is an apache configuration/setup issue, and not a PXE boot issue.

VI editor Cheat Sheet

Modes

Vi has two modes insertion mode and command mode. The editor begins in command mode, where the cursor movement and text deletion and pasting occur. Insertion mode begins upon entering an insertion or change command. [ESC] returns the editor to command mode (where you can quit, for example by typing :q!). Most commands execute as soon as you type them except for "colon" commands which execute when you press the ruturn key.

Quitting

:x	Exit, saving changes
:q	Exit as long as there have been no changes
ZZ	Exit and save changes if any have been made
:q!	Exit and ignore any changes

Inserting Text

i	Insert before cursor
I	Insert before line
a	Append after cursor
A	Append after line
o	Open a new line after current line
O	Open a new line before current line
r	Replace one character
R	Replace many characters

Cursor Movement

h	Move left
j	Move down
k	Move up
l	Move right
w	Move to next word
W	Move to next blank delimited word
b	Move to the beginning of the word
B	Move to the beginning of blank delimted word
e	Move to the end of the word
E	Move to the end of Blank delimited word
(	Move a sentence back
)	Move a sentence forward
{	Move a paragraph back
}	Move a paragraph forward
0	Move to the begining of the line
$	Move to the end of the line
1G	Move to the first line of the file
G	Move to the last line of the file
nG	Move to nth line of the file
:n	Move to nth line of the file
fc	Move forward to c
Fc	Move back to c
H	Move to top of screen
M	Move to middle of screen
L	Move to botton of screen
%	Move to associated ( ), { }, [ ]

Deleting Text

Almost all deletion commands are performed by typing d followed by a motion. For example, dw deletes a word. A few other deletes are:

x	Delete character to the right of cursor
X	Delete character to the left of cursor
D	Delete to the end of the line
dd	Delete current line
:d	Delete current line

Yanking Text

Like deletion, almost all yank commands are performed by typing y followed by a motion. For example, y$ yanks to the end of the line. Two other yank commands are:

yy	Yank the current line
:y	Yank the current line

Changing text

The change command is a deletion command that leaves the editor in insert mode. It is performed by typing c followed by a motion. For wxample cw changes a word. A few other change commands are:

C	Change to the end of the line
cc	Change the whole line

Putting text

---

p	Put after the position or after the line
P	Put before the poition or before the line

Buffers

Named buffers may be specified before any deletion, change, yank or put command. The general prefix has the form "c where c is any lowercase character. for example, "adw deletes a word into buffer a. It may thereafter be put back into text with an appropriate "ap.

Markers

Named markers may be set on any line in a file. Any lower case letter may be a marker name. Markers may also be used as limits for ranges.

mc	Set marker c on this line
`c	Go to beginning of marker c line.
'c	Go to first non-blank character of marker c line.

Search for strings

/string	Search forward for string
?string	Search back for string
n	Search for next instance of string
N	Search for previous instance of string

Replace

The search and replace function is accomplished with the :s command. It is commonly used in combination with ranges or the :g command (below).

:s/pattern/string/flags	Replace pattern with string according to flags.
g	Flag - Replace all occurences of pattern
c	Flag - Confirm replaces.
&	Repeat last :s command

Regular Expressions

. (dot)	Any single character except newline
*	zero or more occurances of any character
[...]	Any single character specified in the set
[^...]	Any single character not specified in the set
^	Anchor - beginning of the line
$	Anchor - end of line
\<	Anchor - begining of word
\>	Anchor - end of word
\(...\)	Grouping - usually used to group conditions
\n	Contents of nth grouping

Regular Expression Examples

/Hello/	Matches if the line contains the value Hello
/^TEST$/	Matches if the line contains TEST by itself
/^[a-zA-Z]/	Matches if the line starts with any letter
/^[a-z].*/	Matches if the first character of the line is a-z and there is at least one more of any character following it
/2134$/	Matches if line ends with 2134
/\(21|35\)/	Matches is the line contains 21 or 35 Note the use of ( ) with the pipe symbol to specify the 'or' condition
/[0-9]*/	Matches if there are zero or more numbers in the line
/^[^#]/	Matches if the first character is not a # in the line
Notes: 1. Regular expressions are case sensitive 2. Regular expressions are to be used where pattern is specified

Ranges

Ranges may precede most "colon" commands and cause them to be executed on a line or lines. For example :3,7d would delete lines 3-7. Ranges are commonly combined with the :s command to perform a replacement on several lines, as with :.,$s/pattern/string/g to make a replacement from the current line to the end of the file.

:n,m	Range - Lines n-m
:.	Range - Current line
:$	Range - Last line
:'c	Range - Marker c
:%	Range - All lines in file
:g/pattern/	Range - All lines that contain pattern

Files

:w file	Write to file
:r file	Read file in after line
:n	Go to next file
:p	Go to previos file
:e file	Edit file
!!program	Replace line with output from program

Other

~	Toggle upp and lower case
J	Join lines
.	Repeat last text-changing command
u	Undo last change
U	Undo all changes to line

Migrate from Oracle to Netezza

Following are the major steps involved in Oracle to Netezza migration:

1. Capture DDL, you may use “dbms_metadata.get_ddl” to capture all table definitions. Change varchar2 to varchar, does not really matter if char is more than 16 characters; stored the same way if more than 16 characters. Number is either numeric or float type. Timestamp can be either data or time. This is the most time consuming part and mostly done manually though tools are available, such as ErWin reverse engineering.
2. Most important for Netezza is distribution of data on SPU or disk. Choose distribution for each table, you may like to pick up only a handful fields for distribution of data for tables across the entire database. Recommended to use only one distribution key (field) per table, not multiple fields. For small tables, Netezza broadcasts to host where data gets sent to all SPU or nodes; this is similar to replicate in other appliances.
3. With steps (1) and (2) above, DDL are created on Netezza. Create a user and / or group and assign permissions.
4. You may like to NFS mount Netezza binaries on Oracle host (OR) Oracle file system on Netezza. I prefer the first one, if Oracle system guys do not object.

Mouting NFS from NZ host to Oracle:

Oracle to Netezza migration typically involves spooling data out as a flat text file and using nzload to seed data.
A) These are contents of /etc/export after making changes for allowing Oracle system to access NFS mount. Last line is added for this purpose. IP address for illustration purpose: Oracle (10.11.12.13) & Netezza (10.10.11.11).
[root@NZ_host1 ~]# cat /etc/exports
# NPS setup — do not edit below this line — NFS
/nz/export      10.0.0.2/16(rw,async,insecure,anonuid=500,anongid=500)
# NPS setup — do not edit above this line — NFS
# For exporting as NFS mount on to Oracle
/nz/kit         10.11.12.13/255.255.255.255(sync,no_root_squash,rw)
B) Issue this command at Netezza host
[root@NZ_host1 ~]# exportfs -ra
C) Make a new directory on Oracle, for example: /home/oracle/NZ_bins
D) On Oracle system, do a mount command
[root@ora_dw1 /]# mount -t nfs 10.10.11.11:/nz/kit /home/oracle/NZ_bins
Once mounted, you should see binaries under bin directory (/home/oracle/NZ_bins). If you are trying to load using nzload, you may encounter a problem with password. You need to cache password on the local host first.
[oracle@ora_dw1 bin]$ nzpassword add -u admin -pw password -host 10.10.11.11
[oracle@ora_dw1 bin]$ ./nzload -host 10.10.11.11 -u nzadmin1 -pw zzadmin1 -db dw_db1 -t day_time_t -delim ‘|’ -df /tmp/1
Above should load data into remote netezza database. If done, go to Netezza host and use nzsql to find number of rows inserted. Check on Oracle row count.

NZLOAD can be streamed using UNIX named pipes. That is, first do ‘mkfifo /oraExport/fifo.tmp’ for example. Then, spool Oracle data and write to this file (spool /oraExport/fifo.tmp). Assuming Netezza binaries are available (see above steps), load directly on to Netezza host.

Netezza Architecture

IBM published Netezza architecture on their red book site after its acquisition,


Netezza Architecture

STEP 1:START ASSEMBLING UR PC :)

Personal Computer Tool Kit

           Before one really sets out to work on a computer system, it is very important to make sure you have the proper set of tools. In the middle of building a system or even doing a repair job, it is a major distraction to have to go searching for another item you need to complete the job. With that in mind, here is my guide to tools that it is important to have on hand when doing work on a computer.

Philips Screwdriver (Non-Magnetic)

This is probably the most important tool to have out of all of them. Pretty much all computer parts are fastened together to the computer through some form of screw. It is important that the screwdriver not have a magnetic tip. Having a magnetized object inside of the computer case can damage some circuits or drives. It is not likely, but best not to take the chance.
If you plan to work on a notebook computer, they typically use a smaller style of screw. For this, you want to look for a Philips jeweler's screwdriver or a 3mm sized model. This is a much smaller version that will fit the small screws. A few companies use a fastener called a torx that is a five point star, but usually these are not meant to be removed by the user.

Zip Ties

Ever look inside a computer case and seen all the jumble of wires all over the place? Just the simple use of small plastic zip ties can make all the difference between a jumbled mess and a professional looking build. Organizing the cables into bundles or routing them through specific paths can have two major benefits. First, it will make it much easier to work inside of the case. Second, it can actually aid in the airflow inside of the computer. Just be careful if you make a mistake and need to cut the zip tie.

Hex Driver

A HEX SCREW

Not many people have seen these unless you have a computer tool kit. It looks like a screwdriver except it has a head like a socket wrench. There are two typical sizes of hex screws found inside computers, 3/16" and ¼", but the one that will most likely be encountered is the 3/16" one. The smaller hex driver is used to install the brass screw standoffs inside of the case that the motherboard resides on.

Tweezers

The most frustrating aspect of building a computer is dropping that a screw inside the case and it rolls in the tightest corner so you can't reach it. Tweezers are very helpful when working in tight spots or for retrieving that lost screw inside of a computer case. Another area where they are very handy is for removing those jumpers from motherboards and drives. Sometimes small gripper devices that feature a set of small wires in a sort of claw format can really help. A plunger at the top of the device opens and closes the claw to easily pick up a screw in a tight spot.

Isopropyl Alcohol (99%)

This is probably one of the most important cleaners to use with a computer. It is a very high quality rubbing alcohol that can be found in most drug stores. It does an excellent job of cleaning off thermal compounds without leaving a residue that could impact future compounds. This is typically used on the CPU and heatsink to make sure they are clean before they are mated together. It can also be useful for cleaning contacts that have begun to corrode. It is typically used in conjunction with the next couple of tiems.

Lint Free Cloth

Lint and dust can cause lots of problems inside of computers. In particular, it builds up inside the case and gets deposited on fans and air slots. This will directly impact the flow of air inside the computer and can lead to overheating and failure of components. It also has the potential of shorting a circuit if the material is conductive. Using a lint free cloth to wipe down the case or components will help prevent the build up of dust.

Cotton Swabs

It is amazing how dirty computers can get with the dust and grim from use. The problem is that some of these small cracks and surfaces can be hard to reach. This is where a cotton swab can come in very handy. Be careful about using the swabs though. If the fibers are too loose or there happens to be a sharp edge that it can snag on, the fibers may end up residing inside the computer where it might cause problems. This is best used only for cleaning exposed contacts or general surfaces.

New Plastic Zip Bags

The most obvious use for plastic bags is to store all those loose parts after the computer is finished or even to hold the spare screws while you are working on it. It helps prevent the loss of these small parts. Another area where it is useful is for spreading thermal compounds. Thermal compounds are directly impacted by the oils from the human body. By putting your hand inside the bag before touching the compound for spreading, you keep the compounds free of contamination and thus better suited to conducting heat.

Grounding Strap

Static electricity can cause severe damage to electrical components due to the short high voltage burst caused by a discharge. The easiest way to deal with this is to use a grounding strap. This is generally a Velcro strap with a metal contact fixed to a wire that you clip to an external metal part to help discharge any static charge that may build up on the body. They can be found in either disposable or the more useful reusable style.

Canned Air/Vacuum

As previously mention, dust is a major problem for computer systems over time. If this dust gets bad enough, it can cause overheating and potential part failures. Most computer stores sell cans of compressed air. These may be useful for blowing dust out of parts like a power supply, but they tend to just spread the dust around instead of removing it. In general, a vacuum is best because it pulls the dust off the components and out of the environment. Specially designed computer vacuums or blowers are nice, but I find that a standard house vacuum with a decent set of hose attachments can work just as well. If conditions are very hot and dry, avoid using a vacuum as it can generate a lot of static electricity.

FOR FURTHER STEPS CLICK HERE

Step:2 INSTALLING A CPU

Opening CPU Socket

Time Required: 5-10 minutes
Tools Required: Screwdriver, plastic bag

Motherboards only support specific brands and types of processors. Please read all documentation for your motherboard and processor before proceeding. In addition, please refer to the documentation for the motherboard, processor and cooling solution for the proper location of the processor slot, heat sink mounting clips and CPU fan header locations.
These instructions assume that you are installing the CPU onto the motherboard before installing the motherboard into the computer case.
Locate the processor socket on the motherboard and open the processor slot by lifting the lever on the side of the slot to the open position.

Align the Processor

Locate the keyed portion of the processor that is signified by a diagonal corner of the pin layout. Align the processor so that this corner matches up between the processor and the socket.
 With the processor aligned based on the key, make sure the pins are all lined up with the socket and gentle lower the CPU into the socket so all the pins are in the proper holes.

Lock the Processor in the Socket

Lock the processor in place to the motherboard by lowering the lever on the side of the processor slot until it is in the locked position.
If the processor or cooling solution came with a protection plate, align this over the processor as instructed with the product documentation.

Apply Thermal Compound

 Apply a thermal pad or several rice grain size drops of thermal paste to the exposed portion of the processor that the heat sink will be in contact with. If using paste, be sure it is spread in an even thin layer across the whole portion of the processor that will be in contact with the heat sink. It is best to spread the paste evenly by covering your finger with a new clean plastic bag. This prevents the paste from being contaminated.

Align Heatsink

 

Line up the four heat-sink fasteners with holes in the motherboard and press down.

 

Align the heat sink or cooling solution above the processor so that the clamps are in line with the mounting points around the processor.

Clamp the heat sink in place using the proper mounting technique required by the solution. This may be lifting a tab over a mounting clip or screwing down the heat sink to the board. Please refer to the documentation for the heat sink to ensure proper installation.
It is important to be careful at this stage as a lot of pressure will be placed on the board. A slip of a screwdriver can cause a lot of damage to a motherboard.

Attach the Heatsink Fan Header

Locate the power lead for the cooling solution's fan and the CPU fan header on the motherboard. Plug the cooling solution fan power connector into the fan header on the board. It should be keyed, but make sure it is properly plugged in.
Once these steps are taken, the CPU should be physically installed into the motherboard for proper operation. When all the remaining parts necessary for operation are installed, it will be necessary for the motherboard BIOS to either detect or be told what type and speed processor is installed on the board. Please refer to the documentation that came with the computer or motherboard on how to configure the BIOS for the proper CPU model.

STEP 3: INSTALLING A DESKTOP MOTHER BOARD

INSTALLING A DESKTOP MOTHER BOARD

OPENING THE COMPUTER CASE

The first step will be to open the case up. The method for opening the case will vary depending upon how the case was manufactured. Most new cases have either a side panel or door while older ones require the whole cover be removed. Remove any screws hold the cover to the case and set them aside in a safe place.

Some cases have a removable motherboard tray that slides out of the case to make it easier to install a motherboard. If your case has such a tray, now is the time to remove it from the case.


REPLACE THE ATX CONNECTOR PLATE

While there is a standard ATX connector design for the back of the motherboard, each manufacturer can layout the connectors however they need to. This means that the basic ATX connector face plate will need to be removed from the case and the custom one that ships with the motherboard be installed.
To remove the basic ATX plate, gently press in on the corner of the installed ATX plate until it pops out. Repeat this on the opposite corner to fully remove the plate.
Install the new ATX place by aligning the connectors properly (PS/2 keyboard and mouse should be on the side towards the power supply) and gently pressing from the inside until it snaps into place.


DETERMINE THE MOTHERBOARD MOUNTING LOCATION

There are a variety of sizes that a desktop motherboard can come in. In each case, there is a series of mounting holes that need to be lined up between the motherboard and the case or tray. Compare the motherboard to the tray that it is going to be installed in. Any location that has a mounting hole will require a standoff installed in the tray.


INSTALL THE MOTHERBOARD STANDOFF'S

Install the standoffs in the appropriate location. The standoffs may come a variety of styles. The most common is the brass hex standoff that requires a hex driver to install. Others include a clip style that snaps into the tray.


 FASTEN THE MOTHERBOARD

Lay the motherboard over the tray and align the board so all the standoffs are visible through the mounting holes. Starting with the center most mounting point, insert the screws to fix the motherboard to the tray. After the center, work in a star pattern to affix the corners of the board.


ATTACH ATX CONTROL WIRES 

Locate the power, hard drive LED, reset and speaker connectors from the case. Using the manual from the motherboard, attach these connectors to the appropriate headers on the motherboard.


ATX POWER CONNECTION

 

This is the common 20-pin ATX power connector that is needed to power the motherboard and all of its other components

 

This is the ATX12V power connector that most modern motherboards require. It's used to power most modern high-speed processors and in some rare cases, it's used with AGP Pro ports.

 

This is the AUX (auxiliary) power connector that some older Pentium 4 motherboards require. It's seldom used in Athlon-based systems. It's used in most high-end server boards, especially dual processor systems. 

This is the popular Molex four-pin power connector that's used with most devices such as your optical drives and hard disk drives. It's also used with some high-end graphics cards, Firewire cards and casing fans.

 

This is the smaller 4-pin power connector that is normally used to power floppy disk drives. It's also used with certain graphics cards, Firewire cards, coolers and the Sound Blaster 

This is a recently introduced power connector used specifically only for SATA hard disk drives. Most motherboards provide a converter cable for this power connector, so it's not a compulsory requirement yet. However, it's handy to have it included with the power supply unit.

 

  

Note the location of the latches

Now the motherboard needs to be connected to the power supply. All motherboards will use the standard 20-pin ATX power connector block. Find this and plug it into the connector on the motherboard. Since most new computers require additional power, there may also be a 4-pin ATX12V power connector. If there is, locate this power cord and connect it into the connector on the motherboard as well.
Replace the motherboard(If removed previously).

STEP 4: INSTALLING HARD DISK DRIVES

INSTALLING HARD DISK DRIVES

 

Use these SATA data cables to connect the hard disk drives to the motherboard. Make sure you remove the red cap before installation

 

Look at the connectors on the hard disk drive's interface board and compare them to the SATA data and power cables. Match the connector shapes on the drive and the cables before plugging them to the hard drive

 

Install the hard disk drives into the casing before connecting any of the data and power cables

Connect the SATA power cables from the power supply to the drives. Use two SATA data cables, one for each of the drives and connect them as shown. 

 Ensure that the data and power cables are fully plugged into the drive as shown. You should not leave any gaps in between

By now, you'll notice that no mention was made about Master and Slave drives. For Serial ATA technology, there's absolutely not a need for any jumper manipulation since each drive is connected to the SATA port from one end to the other. This actually simplified the installation process as users need not worry about Master/Slave conflicts, cable types (40-conductor and 80-conductor) and specific cable orientation. Also, you'll notice that the cable is now much slimmer and this makes cable management simpler, in addition to clearing up more room for greater airflow within the casing. If you don't know yet, SATA provides greater bandwidth of up to 150MB/s while the parallel ATA standard has a maximum data bandwidth of only 133MB/s. 

 

Locate the SATA connectors on the motherboard

 Similar to plugging the cable to the drive, there's only one way to do it

 The notch on the cable's connector should match the connector on the motherboard. Make sure it's fully plugged in.

STEP 5:INSTALLING THE OPTICAL DRIVE

INSTALLING THE OPTICAL DRIVE
When you're done installing the hard disk drives, move on to install the optical storage drive. Once again, we'll assume that you already know how to mount a 5.25-inch drive into the casing.

 

For optical drives, you'll need to ensure that the jumpers are properly set for Master or Slave operation. Since there is only one IDE device in this guide, we'll set the optical drive to operate as a Master device. Note, some drives denote 'MA' as master and 'SL' as slave.

  

Next, plug the supplied audio cable to the analog audio output connector on the drive. This is a four-pin connector that's usually located beside the jumpers. 

Now plug the other end to the motherboard's CD-IN header. 

  

Attach the provided IDE cable to one of the IDE ports on the motherboard. Since only one IDE channel will be used, plug it into the connector labeled 'IDE'. Alternatively, match the color of the connector on the cable and motherboard as shown. Also note the location of the notch as indicated by the red arrows.

  

Make sure the cable is plugged into the connector as shown here. 

Make sure that the side of the cable with the white strip (in most cases, a red strip) is aligned to the side marked as 'Pin 1' on the drive.