hi, i own a laptop from '96, it a propoitory unit and stuff is hard to get for it, it's a chicony 9750. i would like to use a cd burner AND my internal zip drive too. i recently got a 5.25" external case with a USB 2 interface. i was wondering if the controller in that external case would work if i installed those two drives, like in a desktop, with a two plug cable. would it matter if i used a (for lack of the correct word) high density HD cable rather than the regular hard drive cable with few wires. i know that in a desktop the IDE controller has channel '0' and '1' but would that high desity cable let two devises work on one channel?

please post any insight, thanks for reading. Corey

Well, corey, if I understand your question right, you want to know if you can use the external case for your CD burner and also use the internal ZIP drive? If you have a USB port on the laptop, AND the external case is meant to be used on a USB port, then I don't see any problem. Windows will automatically setup your USB port as a drive (X:) and so you will just have another drive listed in My Computer. So, hook it up, turn it on and try it out. Good luck. ;)

The drive enclosure should include drivers, which will be needed for win98. The enclosure allows you to use any ide drive.

hi, thanks for the replies, since i only droped $33 on the case, i just winged it. i only had a low desity cable, 20 wire, but i can look at zip drives and listen to (and presuably burn) a cd. this is a red letter day because you don't ussally get more than you pay for. however i'm not sure that the power suppy can power both at once (i had the zip powered by my desktop) the cd draws 1400Ma at 12 volts and 800Ma 5 volt, the zip pulls 800 Ma at 5 volt. plus the fan. the zip will pull 4 more watts, dosen't sound like much, does it? i'll have the top of the case off since i'll have two drives in one drives spot so cooling might be improved anyhow. thanks, corey