i want to install a second floppy drive in my computer but im not sure how to because it is an old floppy drive the ide cable is different it has different connectors to the modern ones(but one end would fit in my main board)and half through the a couple of wire have be flipped ,,,,,how do i install it?

I don't know the answer to your question. However, I would like to say: new floppy drives are sooo cheap. Why don't you just pick up a new one?

Andrew, you have totally confused me. What type of drive do you have, is it a 5 1/4? If so, you will either need a cable that has both the connector for your 5 1/4 drive, and the connector for your 3 1/2 drive. I don't know if you can buy these new, anymore, or not. I'd try an independent computer service place, they probably have some, or the thrift stores. There are several types. You HAVE to have the twist, otherwise, it is for the older hard drives. Some of these floppy cables had one 3 1/2 connector, and one 5 1/4 connector, and some cables had FOUR connectors, two of each. If you get the one with four, your are fine. If you get the one with "one of each" pay attention to where they are on the cable. The connector on the END of the cable has to be the A: drive, and the connector in the middle has to be the B: drive. Go into your bios and set that up, and you're fine. Now, if you are talking about a 3 1/2 drive that you have with a "wierd" connector and cable, it is probably a special, proprietory drive out of an ibm, they use special cables and connectors. I'm not there, so I can't see what you have.

There are adaptors for 3 1/2 drives that allow the old slide-on connector cables to be used. The notch is closest to the #1 pin of the drive. The seven wire twist allows the computer to differentiate between the two drives. The drive after the twist is a: and the drive before the twist is b: (as measured from the motherboard connector). Just make sure the red edged side of the ribbon cable is connected to the #1 pin side of the connector. Then setup both drives in cmos.