ATA-100 Backwards compatible?

[Turnip12]

Is there any problem with hooking up a non ATA100 Hard drive to the 40-80 pin cable?

[Mr.Goodbytes]

No problem at all. Whether you're using a 40 or an 80 conductor ribbon, the ribbon is still using only 40 pins. The 80 conductor cable simply has neutral wires between each of the 40 active wires to help eliminate crosstalk to support the higher data transfer rates that ATA66 and ATA100 require.

[clarkgillet]

Mr. Good knows his stuff. Only every other wire is used in an 80 pin connector.

[Turnip12]

Thanks for the info guys.