I've used a small drill bit, pointy knife, before to add the key hole. Never had any issues.

I still have enough old IDE cables, but the problem is the same f.e. if you try to plug a new VGA cable with DDC pins (all pins present) to an older VGA card.

Yep, just drill the hole out. Even some 40 wire cables have the same thing.

Just don't get me started on FDD cables 😒

It would be nice if they could at least agree on what side of the connector the connector keying (not the missing hole/pin) should be on.

I just make a new hole using an exacto knife and not just for IDE cables. Just stick the pointy end where the hole should be and turn until happy. Works every time 😀

I make these holes with a hot needle. Piece of cake. Drilling is way more complex. Just use the pliers to hold the needle over the fire for some seconds until it's red and go on.

Now I like that method 😀

Will try it tomorrow.

I've always used a sheet rock screw and screw driver to put a hole in mine. Never thought of any of the methods above, but it's always worked fine for me. 🤣

My method is also the needle... a simple, cold needle, driven to the heart of that bastard connector with brute manual force. Cursing the creators of idiot standards during the process also alleviates the pain you feel (in your mind and hand as well)

RacoonRider wrote:

I make these holes with a hot needle. Piece of cake. Drilling is way more complex. Just use the pliers to hold the needle over the fire for some seconds until it's red and go on.

Quite similarly... I use a paper clip and a lighter. It takes like 2 seconds 😎

So I had a look this morning. Turns out that the hole isn't entirely solid, just the top bit is covered. You just push it into the IDE port with a bit of force and it pierces it 😀

Now that's unexpected!

VIDEO:

New IDE cables on old IDE devices

Not to me. In the beginning, a few manufacturers like ASUS chose all-the-way blocking, but the last (de)generation of IDE cables, especially the cheap ones, only have a tiny plastic cap.

the pin 20 key (blocked hole) is there to prevent you from plugging the cable in the wrong way as many devices and motherboards do not have a connector socket but just bare pins instead... you can safely cut pin 20 as it usually does nothing... only very few controllers and devices makes use of pin 20, which is just a 5 volt source I believe

I never thought it to be difficult to confuse how you hook up the cable, since the color stripped wire on the IDE cables usually goes for pin 1. Unless something's unmarked then I suppose it gets confusing. 😦

ReeseRiverson, it's not that difficult for stupid people:)

TheMAN, I don't see the problem, I've never heard of a device being broken that way.

What freaks me out is this: These people keep changing cables and connectors every single year for no good reason. Why the hell don't they make this freaking 4-pin power molex a little easier to detach? WHY? I don't remember how many times I couldn't detach it without a flat screwdriver, a friend of mine even torn apart the freaking cable trying to pull the molex out. It was a crappy PSU with thin wires, but still.

no, devices don't get damaged if you plugged the cable in backwards, but they just don't work and it's always a PITA to reach in and flip them around the correct way if it's a rat's nest in there
not all devices label pin 1 nor is it easy to tell where pin 1 is... the blocked hole is a great savior when the tab on the cable connector does nothing