How can I get past 127 GB on a Macintosh? OS/x

[StraightPipe]

I'm new to mac's, and helping a friend install a 160 GB hard drive into a 400 Mhz Powermac G4 desktop. She's running OS x 10.3.6
Everything i've read says that LBA 48 is addressed already on G4's and OS 10.2, but when I booted it shows as 128 GB.

Any ideas on how to fix this? (I'd rather not go waste her money on a controller card that she doesnt need)

----------------------------1st Edit----------------------------------
Edit: OK, So I know I can use an IDE drive in a G4, but can I put in a large hard drive? I found a Hot Deal for a 200GB Seagate $89



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I'm thinking it (my friend's G4) would be on a PATA IDE hard drive, identical to the ones in PC's. The only difference being it will have to be formated for OS/X (instead of NTFS or FAT32).

I plan to drop it in easy as pie and format it for her so she'll have a storage slave. MY other options are put a drive in an enclosure and run it on firewire or USB (probly USB due to price)

 

[MustISO]

The last time I opened a G3 they used regular IDE drives.

 

[CraigRT]

should be the same.. last time I was in a G4 (today) it was a regular IBM deskstar drive.... haha.... IBM drive.. if that tells you anything!!

 

[Scifience]

My PowerMac G4 uses standard IDE drives. Depending on the model, there may be a max size limit of around 130GB, but again, depending on the model, this can be bypassed with a firmware update.

The native OS X filesystem is HFS+, a journaled variant of HFS, the same filesystem Macs have been using for ages. OS X can also read HDs and other disks/discs in a number of formats, including FAT32, NTFS, UFS, ext2, ext3, etc. I've just swapped my HD out of my PC and into my Mac when I've had a hardware failure and it has been able to read/write to the drive just fine. A real savior if you need data from the drive.

Just as an FYI, most other parts are also interchangable, including RAM, expansion cards (provided there are proper drivers available), etc.

 

[LtPage1]

most new g5s use SATA, but everything else uses IDE.

 

[StraightPipe]

Size limit? I was going to try to get her 120GB, will that be in the clear? how hard is the workaround to go to larger. I've dealt with the workaround on PC's to get passed 137GB limits.


anybody got a hot deals on HDD's? (BTW I'm heading to HD's next : )

 

[manly]

The Power Mac G4 Mirrored Drive Doors (MDD) has LBA48 addressing to go past the 137 GB barrier, running under OS X.

Any previous model will only support up to 120 GB unless you buy a pricey ATA/133 controller.

Reference:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86178

BTW, utilizing the G4's USB 1.1 interface for an external hard drive is a horrible idea.

 

[StraightPipe]

G4's dont have USB2?

how do I know if it's got mirrored drive doors? MDD?

 

[Losty]

Yep ... IDE in macs ... didn't know they had a limit though...

Fry's and outpost has a seagate 160gb drive for 59.99 after rebate (about 9 dollars shipping)

-Losty

 

[StraightPipe]

So it has t be a powermac G4, a regular g4 wont support large drives without adding a controller card.

 

[manly]

Apple specs database:
http://www.info.apple.com/support/applespec.html

When you say G4, you probably mean Power Mac G4, the tower computer for "professionals". But there are other G4 systems (and numerous models): iMac, eMac, PowerBook and iBook.

The Power Mac MDD was released in August 2002. No Power Mac G4s have USB 2.0 onboard. FireWire is better than USB2 anyway.

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

Originally posted by: StraightPipe
G4's dont have USB2?

No, They have a better standard...It's called Firewire.

how do I know if it's got mirrored drive doors? MDD?

The cd and dvd bays are halfway down the front of the case and the "hideaway" covers are basically chrome (read"mirrored")

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

Originally posted by: StraightPipe
So it has t be a powermac G4, a regular g4 wont support large drives without adding a controller card.

All Mac towers are called "PowerMacs" There is no "regular" or "Power" versions.

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

In other words, What Manly said.. I didn't read his post before posting..

 

[StraightPipe]

cool, I checked out her box tongiht

it is a powermac G4 and has plenty of space for 2 more HDD's

the funny thing was the RAM in it. had a 512 256 128 and 64MB card. 960 or something. (I'm used to seeing dual channel ram)

sot his will be easy as pie, no need for an ATA card, and the's 2 places to install the drive. I'm going to put it uner the optical drive to keep the HDD's on seperate cables.
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next question:
Will I need an OS disk or somekind of formating utillity to install the drive? or will OS/x take care of it for me?

BTW my friend thanks you for all the help!

 

[n0cmonkey]

You shouldn't need the OS X disk to format the drive.