Quicksilver - Possible to Install Third ATA HD?

[jenniff]

I have the original Quicksilver.

I have an ATA/133 card. I have the original 80GB hard drive plugged into the motherboard connector, and a 160GB HD plugged into the card. There's another slot on the card, and I just so happen to have this handy-dandy 200GB drive just sitting around my office. Unfortunately, the Quicksilver has only two HD bays.

I'm dying to put the 200GB drive in. Normally, I'd dump onto the 160 and just pull the 80GB. Unfortunately, the OS is installed on the 80, and I share my computer with my father who has positively tons of stuff that would waste a bucketload of time backing up.

Too, I plan on purchasing a G5 soon, so I really would hate to go through all the work and time just to get a G5 in the end.

So, my question is this: Since I use only one of the optical drive bays, is it in the realm of feasability to ghetto-rig my mac and mount the 200GB in the optical drive bay, and thus have all three drives running? If so, do you have any suggestions on the best route to go about that?

Thanks much (in advance) for your help!

 

[crachoar]

I was wondering the exact same thing. I wanted to mount another HD where the ZIP drive would be. I imagine it's possible to buy a mount and install it...

Let me know if you find a way. Good luck.

 

[bankshot]

It should be no problem. I've got a QuickSilver 2002 model and for awhile I had a third drive in the unused optical bay (meant for a Zip drive). Mine never had a separate ATA card, so that drive was plugged into the secondary (slower) ATA controller on the motherboard. I think I just slid the drive in without screwing it in at all. Worked just fine.

Unless your QuickSilver is different from mine, there also should be room for a third hard drive near the bottom, next to where the first two go. You should be able to use that since you have a controller card and can route the drive cable wherever you need to.

I recently bought a Serial ATA drive by mistake, but rather than returning it, I just bought a SATA controller and put the new drive in the third spot along the bottom of the case. I pulled the "original" 3rd drive out of the Zip bay and put it in another machine. The reason that drive went in the Zip bay instead of below was simply so that it could plug into the ribbon cable that was already there from the secondary controller.

Hope this helps!

 

[Falleron]

I have a quicksilver with 3 hard drives in! It works great. The first two sit on the main ata channel at the bottom of the case + the third sits in the zip drive bay. I had to take a bit of metal out - it just breaks out at the back of the zip drive housing + connects to the optical ide channel.

Go for it.

 

[cluthz]

I have a drive where the zip would be, in a sawtooth. It should also work in a quicksilver. Beware, the QS may not recognize more than 137 GB of a 200 GB drive.

edit: didn't see you go a pci ata card... the 48-bit adress prblem isn't a problem then..

 

[slughead]

So, my question is this: Since I use only one of the optical drive bays, is it in the realm of feasability to ghetto-rig my mac and mount the 200GB in the optical drive bay, and thus have all three drives running? If so, do you have any suggestions on the best route to go about that?

Yes, I've done it.

I'd drill holes. I, however, just used the 1 hole that was already there. The drive hasn't fallen out yet!

 

[krimson]

If you have the same as I have, you should be able to mount 2 more drives on the bottom. I have the 2 tier drive bracket furthest to the rear, and there should be 2 more (3 drives side-by-side on the bottom), just get 4 more screwed, remove the center plate, use the drive mounts in the bottom, and screw the plate back to the bottom of the case. Same goes for the front most plate.
In theory, you could get a total of 5 drives without making too many modifications, the 5th being the Zip bay, which you would need to remove the back plate for access.

If you wanted to spend a bit more $$$, you could get 2 more 2 tiered drive brackets and have a total of 7. It'd be a lot of heat, but it's possible.