Installing a PowerBook SuperDrive in a desktop Mac

[barthold]

Has anyone some experience with installing a PowerBook SuperDrive in a desktop Mac G4? A have, from my recently deceased PowerBook G4, a spare SuperDrive.

 

[Maxiseller]

No, but you can certainly buy a Superdrive (or a comparable one) for reasonably cheap.

You'd need all sorts of drive bay alterations anyway, and the interface for inserting a disk would need to be changed...in short, it could be very ugly unless you happen to be very clever with sheet aluminium!

Check out OWC for drives

 

[iPhil]

it wont fit as in size wise .. PB SuperDrive is For laptops only not desktops .. 😱

 

[ITASOR]

Oh, in a Power Mac G4, it's definitely possible. You could obtain a cheap front bezel (the one that just snaps on and off) and cut a nice slot into it, then mount the slot loading drive in the optical bay. Definitely possible, go for it!

Or you could leave the flap without cutting a slot in it and just lift it down to insert a disk.

 

[barthold]

Buying a new one...

... seems to be the best solution.

 

[anubis]

I'm unfamiliar with the type of connector that Powerbook superdrives have, but I would be willing to bet that it would be next-to-impossible to find the right type of harness to mate the powerbook superdrive connector to an IDE connector. Even if you could find one, I bet it would cost more than a regular Powermac superdrive anyway ($50).

 

[RedTomato]

I'm unfamiliar with the type of connector that Powerbook superdrives have, but I would be willing to bet that it would be next-to-impossible to find the right type of harness to mate the powerbook superdrive connector to an IDE connector. Even if you could find one, I bet it would cost more than a regular Powermac superdrive anyway ($50).

Can't remember the name right, but it's some sort of Mini-IDE connector.

Standard. Can buy convertors (mini IDE to regular IDE)for a few bucks.

Also useful for connecting a laptop hard drive to a desktop PC.

..RedTomato..

 

[anubis]

Can't remember the name right, but it's some sort of Mini-IDE connector.

Standard. Can buy convertors (mini IDE to regular IDE)for a few bucks.

Also useful for connecting a laptop hard drive to a desktop PC.

..RedTomato..

If that's the case, then if you want to put a PB superdrive in a powermac, all you'll need is that cable and some very creative and precise cutting of some plexiglass (or other plastic) faceplate and mounting bracket. Don't think you could make it look that great...

I guess you could try mini ide to regular ide to usb and try to mash it into some sort of usb enclosure...