Newbie

[jutae]

Hello all. I recently ordered a dual 867 power mac. I own 5 custom built xp machines, so naturally I'm totally clueless when it comes to Macs. First question, can I install my Pioneer DVR-104 DVD burner that's in my media Xp machine into my Power Mac when it comes? Also, I have a few hard drives laying around, can I install them in this Mac also? Man, I feel like I did when I bought my first pc with win 3.1 Can someone give me some good links to help me get started with OS X?

Thanks,

Johnny

 

[Mr. Anderson]

I'm not much of a tech head, but I do know my way around the insides of the machine. For those particular hardware questions you might want to try

www.xlr8yourmac.com and see what they have. For software try

www.versiontracker.com

Congrats on the purchase and good luck!

D

 

[bousozoku]

Congratulations! Hope you enjoy the machine.

Any UltraATA drive will work although I've forgotten the controller's speed. It's probably only 100 or 66 max.

I doubt seriously that you could throw any CD or DVD drive into it and expect it to work. Apple has a habit of using special ROMs to assure that they are compliant.

 

[GeeYouEye]

Originally posted by bousozoku
I doubt seriously that you could throw any CD or DVD drive into it and expect it to work. Apple has a habit of using special ROMs to assure that they are compliant.

Not true... at least not recently anyway. If the drivers exist, you can put any drive you want in.

You won't have iDVD, unless you get it from somebody else though.

 

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by GeeYouEye


Not true... at least not recently anyway. If the drivers exist, you can put any drive you want in.

You won't have iDVD, unless you get it from somebody else though.

Actually you will be able to use iDVD with the drive he's talking about.

Personally I would just take the DVD drive and stick it in the Mac and try it. It is a very simple install. I should know I have a new Dual/Ghz/DDR and I have installed a second cdr drive in it. If the drive doesn't work first check the www.xlr8yourmac site and they will probably just tell you to try flashing it with the new ROM recently released for that drive. If you haven't heard Pioneer recently released a Rom update for this drive to make it compatible with faster then 2x DVD discs.

Also this computer has 3 ATA buses. The first one is ATA100 it is used by the back two drive bays and uses the new rom so it will fully see insanely large drives. The second is an ATA66 and is used by the front two hard drive bays. The third is ATA33 and is used by the two optical drive bays.

 

[LimeiBook86]

welcome!

im limeibook86 well some people call my limey,
welcome to the fourms!
well i hope you enjoy your new mac. what kind of display/screen did you get for your new mac? i hope u enjoy it here at fourms

bye for now!

-steve

 

[kzoonut]

Welcome!

I just made the switch as well - albeit with an eMac, but I'm hoping to move to the dual 867 soon! As a previous Windoze abuser, I've built my fair share of PC's - you'll have no problems with your HD's as the previous posts mentions.

RE: The DVD-R - xlr8yourmac has a great drive compatibility database. I've considered putting one of those Pioneer A04 drives in my eMac, and everything says it can be done - but I'm saving my pennies for the dualie.

Good Luck and welcome to the other side!

 

[LimeiBook86]

OFF TOPIC: Well I'm saving my pennies for a Namco Ms. Pac Man/Galaga Combo Arcade, they are so sweet! But they go for around $2,699 about the price of a kick ass Mac setup eh? If I had the money I wonder If I would get a Mac or the Arcade... So many choices...