Old iBook disk drive and external enclosure question

[lanray]

I bought an old iBook some time back, a G3 800 MHz, the "whitebook" I think they used to call it. Anyway, the disk drive is going bad (makes a high-pitched noise that makes me cringe). I'm going to get an external enclosure to see if I can't get some of my wife's files off there before it totally conks out. A few questions:

1. Can I use an SATA USB enclosure for this drive?

2. Will my plan work - will I be able to retrieve some files?

3. Any other suggestions for retrieving the data? Seems like when it's cold, it works a bit better (is that possible?).

Just to say, the computer will 1/2 boot, then hang. Sometimes the desktop comes all the way up, other times not.

I hope I got the right kind of enclosure. They had a wicked special at Newegg.com that I couldn't pass up. An aluminum enclosure for $10. Not bad.

Thanks for any help on this.

 

[California]

Stop using it immediately if you want to save files off it.

Get your iBook open -- do it yourself or pay someone -- then put the drive in a plastic bag for thirty minutes in your freezer.

Then pop it into your enclosure (on another mac or the iBook wiht a new hard drive in it) and try to pull or copy the files off it.

If it is dying, the more heat or stress you put on it, the less likely you are to get information off it. It is going to die (they all do after a while) so stop using it and follow the above.

 

[lanray]

thanks, and the other questions?

Thanks. That's helpful to know. I think it's funny that putting it in a freezer will work, but I'm game. Do you know about the other question? Did I purchase the right kind of enclosure?

 

[GKThursday]

It is an IDE enclosure that you want. I made the same mistake after my iBook died, but I only payed 10USD for the SATA enclosure, so not that big a deal in the long run.
Just buy a cheap one on Newegg, they can be gotten for less than 10USD.

 

[lanray]

Crap!

I looked on iFixIt.com (I think) and they said the drive was ATA. Crap, crap, crap. Because I spent $10, too. I guess I can try and sell it via craigslist. Crap. I just put the order in a few hours ago, too. The drive absolutely won't work in the SATA enclosure?

And, I just called Newegg, and they can't stop the order from being sent. Ug! Craptastic.

 

[GKThursday]

I looked on iFixIt.com (I think) and they said the drive was ATA. Crap, crap, crap. Because I spent $10, too. I guess I can try and sell it via craigslist. Crap. I just put the order in a few hours ago, too. The drive absolutely won't work in the SATA enclosure?

And, I just called Newegg, and they can't stop the order from being sent. Ug! Craptastic.

ATA=IDE or so I found out myself. SATA is different, and that is what the MacBooks use. I'm saving mine for when I'll eventually have to update my future MacBook's HD.

Oh, and do you have a Torque screwdriver? You won't be able to fit the HD from the iBook into an enclosure unless you take off the torque screws on the side of the HD. Until I buy something to remove the torque screws, I'm just connecting mine to the board, but not putting the board back into the HD.

As for using the IDE/ATA HD with the SATA enclosure, no such luck, you'll see why when the enclosure gets to you.

 

[SteveG4Cube]

It's also a 2.5" drive, make sure you don't get a drive for full size 3.5" drives.

 

[lanray]

thanks everybody

Well, live and learn. I suppose it's only $10. Still. Anyway, it's a testament to MacRumors that folks were so timely and helpful. Thanks!