G5 Tower SATA ultra ATA

[Christopher11]

The PSU went on my G4 MDD dual 1.25ghz power pc. http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...25_dp_mdd.html

It has Ultra ATA drives.
Rather than just replace it, I chose to pick up cheaply a G5 dual 2.0ghz (PCI version) Power PC tower. http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl....0_dp_pci.html I even found some ram cheaply and can max it out.

This G5 uses SATA drives. My issue is: all my data and installed software is on two drives in the previous computer, the G4 I listed above. I would like to just install those hard drives and start up on the G5, with the OS, application and data, etc, just a faster computer.

Is there a way to adapt the ultra ATA to SATA within the G5 tower? Thanks so much for any replies.

 

[redheeler]

IDE to SATA? There are some adapters that will go in that direction.

However, If the G5 has a working hard drive you could simply clone your MDD using Target Disk Mode, or alternatively you could connect an IDE drive using the disk drive's IDE connection and clone it that way. SATA then should give you a speed boost over IDE.

 

[Sergey.P]

All G5s have 1 IDE port for a cd/dvd drive so if you disconnect the drive and replace the standard IDE cable (which allows you to connect only 1 IDE device) with an IDE cable, for instance, from MDD you'll be able to use both of your IDE disks in the new system. The only problem is that G5 carries only one molex connector to deliver power to your IDE device, in this case to power up the second hard drive you'll need some Y adapter which is easy to buy or even make by yourself. You can scavenge the necessary parts from your MDD, since the PSU is dead anyways.

 

[bunnspecial]

All G5s have 1 IDE port for a cd/dvd drive so if you disconnect the drive and replace the standard IDE cable (which allows you to connect only 1 IDE device) with an IDE cable, for instance, from MDD you'll be able to use both of your IDE disks in the new system. The only problem is that G5 carries only one molex connector to deliver power to your IDE device, in this case to power up the second hard drive you'll need some Y adapter which is easy to buy or even make by yourself. You can scavenge the necessary parts from your MDD, since the PSU is dead anyways.

Although I've not tried it, I think that the ATA bus in the G5 will only support one device.

 

[MatthewLTL]

To chime in on this as far as adaptors to use, I 1st need to know if anyone here knows the clearance between the HDD cage and the side panel.

 

[Christopher11]

All G5s have 1 IDE port for a cd/dvd drive so if you disconnect the drive and replace the standard IDE cable (which allows you to connect only 1 IDE device) with an IDE cable, for instance, from MDD you'll be able to use both of your IDE disks in the new system. The only problem is that G5 carries only one molex connector to deliver power to your IDE device, in this case to power up the second hard drive you'll need some Y adapter which is easy to buy or even make by yourself. You can scavenge the necessary parts from your MDD, since the PSU is dead anyways.

Sergey, thank you so much for this advice. So are you saying I could put in the original boot drive from my G4 in this slot? Do you mean where the existing DVD drive already is? So I would lose the ability to backup to DVD or need to buy an external superdrive?

 

[Intell]

Although I've not tried it, I think that the ATA bus in the G5 will only support one device.

It will support two devices.

 

[Sergey.P]

Sergey, thank you so much for this advice. So are you saying I could put in the original boot drive from my G4 in this slot? Do you mean where the existing DVD drive already is? So I would lose the ability to backup to DVD or need to buy an external superdrive?

Everything is up to you regarding the dvd drive, you can use its interface to hook up your hard drives as a temporary solution and migrate on SATA hdd in the future, restoring dvd drive back on its place. You can surely throw in your boot drive from G4, it should be as easy as that.

 

[bunnspecial]

It will support two devices.

Good to know-thanks!

(maybe I'll cram another HDD in one of my G5s)

 

[Christopher11]

Everything is up to you regarding the dvd drive, you can use its interface to hook up your hard drives as a temporary solution and migrate on SATA hdd in the future, restoring dvd drive back on its place. You can surely throw in your boot drive from G4, it should be as easy as that.

That's fabulous news. Thank you Sergey. Yes, as you suggest, what I think i will do is buy a 1 TB seagate drive for the G5, and use this method to migrate data.

So, just to be clear before I dive into real world physics here, I'm going to take out the Superdrive from the G5, and then slide in my G4 IDE boot drive into that optical drive bay? Then connect data cable and power supply and I should be able to boot from it?

 

[Sergey.P]

That's fabulous news. Thank you Sergey. Yes, as you suggest, what I think i will do is buy a 1 TB seagate drive for the G5, and use this method to migrate data.

So, just to be clear before I dive into real world physics here, I'm going to take out the Superdrive from the G5, and then slide in my G4 IDE boot drive into that optical drive bay? Then connect data cable and power supply and I should be able to boot from it?

Oh, I'm glad to be of help, truly. I've been reading macrumors for three years already, but somehow didn't feel like posting here for some reason.

Anyways, the sequence is right. I think the system should accept your "little upgrade" to G5, keep your finger crossed Unfortunately I don't have any G4 systems anymore to test it in live.

 

[Christopher11]

Can you guys tell me please if this drive:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Seagate-ST31000524NS-1TB-32MB-7200RPM-3-5-SATA-3-Gb-s-Enterprise-Hard-Drive-/121543388313?ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

Will fit in my G5 Power PC 2.0ghz computer. It has SATA drives, as we talked about above. Specs are:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g5/specs/powermac_g5_2.0_dp_pci.html

(Standard Hard Drive: 160 GB (7200 RPM) Int. HD Interface: Serial ATA (1.5 Gb/s) )

Thanks so much you guys. Truly appreciate the help. With this I can migrate my data over, as Sergey suggested.

 

[bunnspecial]

I think that the boot drive in my 1.8ghz G5 is identical to the one you linked...

I see no reason why it wouldn't work.

 

[poiihy]

So, just to be clear before I dive into real world physics here, I'm going to take out the Superdrive from the G5, and then slide in my G4 IDE boot drive into that optical drive bay? Then connect data cable and power supply and I should be able to boot from it?

You could do that, or you could get an IDE cable with two ports from the dead MDD and a molex y-adapter, and mount the hard drive next to the optical drive.

 

[bunnspecial]

You could do that, or you could get an IDE cable with two ports from the dead MDD and a molex y-adapter, and mount the hard drive next to the optical drive.

The optical bay in a G5 is "tight" with the optical drive installed. Without actually trying(and I'm away from a G5 at the moment) I don't know if the optical drive and a 3.5" drive will fit in there at the same time.

 

[poiihy]

Can you guys tell me please if this drive:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Seagate-ST31000524NS-1TB-32MB-7200RPM-3-5-SATA-3-Gb-s-Enterprise-Hard-Drive-/121543388313?ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

Will fit in my G5 Power PC 2.0ghz computer. It has SATA drives, as we talked about above. Specs are:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g5/specs/powermac_g5_2.0_dp_pci.html

(Standard Hard Drive: 160 GB (7200 RPM) Int. HD Interface: Serial ATA (1.5 Gb/s) )

Thanks so much you guys. Truly appreciate the help. With this I can migrate my data over, as Sergey suggested.

Hey that's apethouse I bought my 2TB white label WD Caviar Green from that seller.

Yes that drive should work, though you may need to set a jumper on it to set it in SATA II mode for older machines. Not sure if you need to though as this drive is SATA 3Gb/s (SATA II?) versus SATA 6Gb/s (SATA III?).

Here's the data sheet.
http://www.seagate.com/docs/pdf/datasheet/disc/ds_constellation_es.pdf

 

[Christopher11]

Thanks. So SATA drives have a kind of standard size and shape, should fit into the port and work with SATA architecture in any PC basically? If so I think I'm gonna go for this one. I've had good luck with Seagate drives in the past.

 

[poiihy]

Thanks. So SATA drives have a kind of standard size and shape, should fit into the port and work with SATA architecture in any PC basically? If so I think I'm gonna go for this one. I've had good luck with Seagate drives in the past.

Yes.

 

[Intell]

The optical bay in a G5 is "tight" with the optical drive installed. Without actually trying(and I'm away from a G5 at the moment) I don't know if the optical drive and a 3.5" drive will fit in there at the same time.

It is possible to put a 3.5" hard drive on top of the optical drive in a G5 and have them both connected. It's a bit difficult getting them in there, but they do fit.

 

[MatthewLTL]

Thanks. So SATA drives have a kind of standard size and shape, should fit into the port and work with SATA architecture in any PC basically? If so I think I'm gonna go for this one. I've had good luck with Seagate drives in the past.

Do note that 1TB HDD will in reality be a little over 900GB when actually used

 

[poiihy]

The optical bay in a G5 is "tight" with the optical drive installed. Without actually trying(and I'm away from a G5 at the moment) I don't know if the optical drive and a 3.5" drive will fit in there at the same time.

Hmm probably, so you'd have to mount it somewhere else. Maybe you can install it under the metal floor thing that holds the ODD and hard drives.
Or if not you could use an IDE extension cable or a different kind of IDE cable and mount it elsewhere... probably even in the hard drive bay itself.

 

[MatthewLTL]

Hmm probably, so you'd have to mount it somewhere else. Maybe you can install it under the metal floor thing that holds the ODD and hard drives.
Or if not you could use an IDE extension cable or a different kind of IDE cable and mount it elsewhere... probably even in the hard drive bay itself.

I was thinking of that with my MDD, Trying to find ways to get more HDDs in there! maybe a IDE card?

 

[Christopher11]

It is possible to put a 3.5" hard drive on top of the optical drive in a G5 and have them both connected. It's a bit difficult getting them in there, but they do fit.

Hey, that's a great idea. Thank you guys for this suggestion. However, wouldn't the IDE drive not have its own data and power cable though? I thought I was going to need to coopt the cables from the Superdrive to run the IDE drive.

 

[bunnspecial]

Hey, that's a great idea. Thank you guys for this suggestion. However, wouldn't the IDE drive not have its own data and power cable though? I thought I was going to need to coopt the cables from the Superdrive to run the IDE drive.

As long as the bus will support it(and Intel-who I trust-says it will) two IDE drives can be run off the same cable. In fact, most IDE cables actually have 3 connectors on them-one to plug into the controller, and two to plug into drives. The two drives need to be designated "master" and "slave", or otherwise neither will work. Most newer drives have a setting on them called "cable select", and most newer cables are wired for cable select. If you have a cable that's set up for CS, all you have to do is jumper both drives for Cable Select(there's usually a diagram on the drive sticker telling you how to do this) and you're good to go. Otherwise, set one drive to master and the other to slave. I doubt it makes a difference, but on a G5 I'd probably set the optical drive as master and the hard drive as slave.

 

[Altemose]

That's fabulous news. Thank you Sergey. Yes, as you suggest, what I think i will do is buy a 1 TB seagate drive for the G5, and use this method to migrate data.

So, just to be clear before I dive into real world physics here, I'm going to take out the Superdrive from the G5, and then slide in my G4 IDE boot drive into that optical drive bay? Then connect data cable and power supply and I should be able to boot from it?

Ideally, you would use a SATA hard drive as the boot drive. The Seagate drive should automatically clock down to SATA I or can most likely be adjusted with a jumper. Since Bunnspecial states it will work, it will work.

Hey, that's a great idea. Thank you guys for this suggestion. However, wouldn't the IDE drive not have its own data and power cable though? I thought I was going to need to coopt the cables from the Superdrive to run the IDE drive.

Some people replace the IDE cable with one with two ports on it so they can connect both the optical drive and HDD at the same time.