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juan99999

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 3, 2015
64
9
My HDD on my iMac G3 is dying and I was hoping to install a cheap Kingston 120GB SSD in it ($20).

Does anyone know which SATA to 3.5 inch IDE Adapter works with Imac G3s?
 
I've never installed an SSD to a G3 iMac but have done to a G4 iMac.
I believe I used a StarTech IDE 40pin PATA to Sata 2.5 adapter which cost about 20 euros (US$ 22) the quality of which was good. You can find much cheaper, but the soldering quality is not top rate and lots of flux residue is left behind on the board; I tried one after thorough cleaning the board with isopropyl alcohol and it functioned ok with a Sandisk SSD.
HERE's the cheapo version, and the more expensive Startech adapter.
 
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I've never installed an SSD to a G3 iMac but have done to a G4 iMac.
I believe I used a StarTech IDE 40pin PATA to Sata 2.5 adapter which cost about 20 euros (US$ 22) the quality of which was good. You can find much cheaper, but the soldering quality is not top rate and lots of flux residue is left behind on the board; I tried one after thorough cleaning the board with isopropyl alcohol and it functioned ok with a Sandisk SSD.
HERE's the cheapo version, and the more expensive Startech adapter.

I can confirm the StarTech adapter worked without issue in an iMac G4.
 
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The adapter does fit in very tight after doing some careful hammer-work on the emi-shield.
Mind, that the RAM-door might not be working as smooth as before ...
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I've never installed an SSD to a G3 iMac but have done to a G4 iMac.
I believe I used a StarTech IDE 40pin PATA to Sata 2.5 adapter which cost about 20 euros (US$ 22) the quality of which was good. You can find much cheaper, but the soldering quality is not top rate and lots of flux residue is left behind on the board; I tried one after thorough cleaning the board with isopropyl alcohol and it functioned ok with a Sandisk SSD.
HERE's the cheapo version, and the more expensive Startech adapter.

I think, the Startech 3-jumper adapter will do fine!
But there's no picture about the jumpers of the cheapo-version ...
 
Last edited:
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You're right bobesch, the cheapo adapter appears not to have the jumper switcher on board, which in part must be reflected in the low price. Often one gets what you pay for in terms of complexity & also quality.
If I was ordering today I'd probably get one of each, as 2.46 euros (US$2.7) for the cheapo adapter (with free shipping) would be no great loss if it didn't function perfectly. But as mentioned earlier, mine was ok after a meticulous clean-up, and the absence of jumpers was not a hindrance.
 
But as mentioned earlier, mine was ok after a meticulous clean-up, and the absence of jumpers was not a hindrance.

Did you use it for an iMacG3 or G4? I do ask this, since I have two spare adapters with 4 pin-jumpers (= 2 positions) that didn't work on the G3 but might use them with an iMacG4.

(BTW, writing this, I become aware now, that I didn't check the "no jumper-set" option on that specific 2-jumper/4pin-model ...:(.)
 
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