SATA HD to 44 IDE connector

I have a 15" Powerbook 1.67 GHz. I bought the same adapter you did, but also couldn't get it to fit.

I've done quiet a bit of research on this topic and I can't figure out how these people are putting in SATA drives with an IDE adapter. They don't give any detailed instructions.

This guy says he's done it. He says to use a horizontal adapter, the same one you were thinking of buying. I can't see how it would fit any better than a vertical adapter, but I'll probably buy one.

http://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/64118/Can+I+replace+the+HD+with+a+SATA+drive#answer87576

I purchased a 2.5 sata to ide adapter that was small enough to fit inside my powerbook. While it took a bit of work to make things fit correctly, it can be done.

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He didn't give a link or picture of the adapter he used.

auricle25 said:

What do you think about this one?


This may fit both the hard drive and caddy.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laptop-1-...DE-adapter-converter-/270940129312#vi-content

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That one is a Micro SATA adapter. The pins are different from 2.5 and 3.5" SATA drives. You'll have to use 1.8" SATA drives and those are uncommon. I did see some 1.8" SSDs on Ebay.

In that same thread another poster states

On the 1.33Ghz and up powerbooks, no cutting is needed, it fits right in ...tight, but it fits and works fine.

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I have no idea how he did that.


This is what the thread starter said

i developed another way to do this conversion using a 44 pin ide to 7 + 15 sata ribbon connector,this way involes no cutting and these ribbons go for 3 bucks.i found the adapter to be alittle cleaner.

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Like i mentioned the way to get around small spaces is to use the 44 pin ide to sata ribbon cable instead.

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Does anybody know what he's talking about? If it's a IDE -> SATA flex cable, I don't think those exist.

bteam said:

Does anybody know what he's talking about? If it's a IDE -> SATA flex cable, I don't think those exist.

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I'd like to see one too. SATA to IDE conversion requires kind of controller chip, it's not straight "pin-to-pin" conversion. All adapters I've met so far are built on circuit boards.

I was thinking about Micro SATA adapter + 1.8" SSD but only one available is based on JMicron chip, which has some issues in OS X like sleep problems or occasional data corruption.

On SSDs, what else does one have to look for when choosing a SSD for PPC-Macs? (I think there are actually two micro SATA 1,8" SSD drives available, one from Toshiba and one from Samsung, if I recall right).

I posted a thread like this a couple of months ago and didn't get any definitive answers. I'll be attempting this soon hopefully, so I'll do a full write-up on it!

Cox Orange said:

On SSDs, what else does one have to look for when choosing a SSD for PPC-Macs? (I think there are actually two micro SATA 1,8" SSD drives available, one from Toshiba and one from Samsung, if I recall right).

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There are also ones made by Super Talent, but I was referring to micro SATA adapter being based on JMicron chip.

Ah, ok.

Maybe connect this http://www.ebay.de/itm/220879547698?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 to a SATA-IDE-adapter?

Cox Orange said:

Ah, ok.

Maybe connect this http://www.ebay.de/itm/220879547698?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 to a SATA-IDE-adapter?

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Honestly IDK how this would help when lack of space is the issue .

I'll probably go with horizontal SATA->IDE 44 adapter with Marvell chip + 1.8" regular SATA SSD. But got to get SSD first.

Even not with a 1,8"?

Here is maybe a better option for mSATA to IDE:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/360444577724?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Cox Orange said:

Even not with a 1,8"?

Here is maybe a better option for mSATA to IDE:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/360444577724?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

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This is the s****y JMicron one. Only one available AFAIK.

So I tried the horizontal adapter and just as I suspected it does not fit. I think the dremel is the only way to go. I don't even have one.

bteam said:

So I tried the horizontal adapter and just as I suspected it does not fit. I think the dremel is the only way to go. I don't even have one.

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Update: I spoke too soon. If you buy a long enough IDE cable with the horizontal adapter it looks like you can fit a SATA drive in the optical bay. So you lose the optical drive, but there is another problem. The hard drive is smaller than the optical bay so it will flop around when you move the powerbook.

The IDE cable will need to twist so buy something like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-5-inch-44-Pin-Female-to-Female-IDE-Laptop-Cable-/280510419796?pt=US_Drive_Cables_dapters&hash=item414fb95354 Not this http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-inch-44-Pin-Female-to-Female-IDE-Laptop-Cable-/280510421568?pt=US_Drive_Cables_dapters&hash=item414fb95a40

Logic board-> Yellow ribbon cable->44 pin IDE twisty cable->horizontal SATA adapter->SATA SSD/HDD

I bought a cable that does not twist so I don't know the correct length. Make sure your cable has 43 pins not 44. Pin 20 is suppose to be missing. My cable did not work. It would not spin up the hard drive and the bridge chip began overheating. Thankfully no damage as far as I can tell. I also haven't figured out how to keep the drive in place, but that probably isn't a big challenge.

A little more work than the dremel but less destructive.

Has anyone found a converter that might be small enough to fit? They are generally made for desktops.

I bought thts adapter today

this is both sides of it

wow my mission failed with the sata hdd installed the hardware 500 gig seagate added ubuntu and the pram failed to find the OS
the old question mark of death

Delete, not relevant.

justperry said:

Delete, not relevant.

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my point is its not Mac OSX that rejects the adapters

craisin said:

wow my mission failed with the sata hdd installed the hardware 500 gig seagate added ubuntu and the pram failed to find the OS
the old question mark of death

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What G4 model it is? Why do you want to put Ubuntu on it? You could run 10.4 on any G4.

craisin said:

my point is its not Mac OSX that rejects the adapters

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I think I have to apologize to you.
My Original post was directed at all the posters in this thread and I said why you all try to this while there is another solution, a SATA to PATA caddy which you can connect to the PATA port.
This though is for the later Powerbook G4 which does not have a 44 pin connector but a different connector.
That’s the reason I said: Delete, not relevant.
I should have said, Moderators, please delete this post, not relevant.

This is the adapter I gave a link to and is for the Powerbook G4 1.67.

Pata IDE to SATA Hard Drive 2nd HDD Caddy 4 apple Powerbook G4

well sorry if i have misunderstood the situation.
mines an Emac 800mhz
To be honest i have no experience with Mac OSX at all
I have 2 G3 all in one desktops with Mac OSX I find it hard as i am unfamiluar with it

I have been using Ubuntu for over 6 years
The graphics on the Emac is impressive for 32mb

justperry said:

I think I have to apologize to you.
My Original post was directed at all the posters in this thread and I said why you all try to this while there is another solution, a SATA to PATA caddy which you can connect to the PATA port.
This though is for the later Powerbook G4 which does not have a 44 pin connector but a different connector.
That’s the reason I said: Delete, not relevant.
I should have said, Moderators, please delete this post, not relevant.

This is the adapter I gave a link to and is for the Powerbook G4 1.67.

Pata IDE to SATA Hard Drive 2nd HDD Caddy 4 apple Powerbook G4

Click to expand...

Max speed of the IDE port of the optical bay is 16.7 MBps.