Hard drive ribbon connections

[profitxchange]

I have installed two identical hard drives on the same ribbon cable. I am now confused as to which is actually running as the master. TI say the master should be connected to the ribbon connector (grey) nearest the M'board as do some other web sites. However others say the master should always be connected to the end of the ribbon (black). Can anyone clarify the situation?

My concern is that my master E: drive is a clone of the original c: drive which I want to run as the slave.. Both run and boot fine BUT their desciptions change depending on whether I am looking from Booted c: or booted E:

[stephenrc]

With cable select and an 80 wire cable, the hard drive on the end of the cable is the master.

If you're not using cable select, then whichever one you set as master is the master drive.

Stephen

[Chutsman]

To add ... since both drives are on the same ribbon cable, if you are not using CS, you have to set one as Slave for the bios to be able to even go through the POST. In such a case the system will always boot from the Master.
Another way to identify the drives - create an empty folder on the Desktop of each one and name one Drive A and the other Drive B. When the desktop comes up you'll be able to tell which one booted.

[mareke]

-{ Quote: "TI say the master should be connected to the ribbon connector (grey) nearest the M'board as do some other web sites. However others say the master should always be connected to the end of the ribbon (black). Can anyone clarify the situation?" }-It doesn't matter where on the ribbon cable you put the master as long as it is set to 'master' with the jumper and the other is set to 'slave' with the jumper.

[profitxchange]

Thanks for your input much appreciated - However Acronis need to clarify their handbook.

I have noticed a number of what appear to be typo erors that could confuse the lay person like me.

Suggest Acronis have another proof read.