[G4] The definitive answer on hard drive limits?

[shopdog at mac.com]

All:

This email chain has been very helpful for me.

I have a PowerMac G4 AGP Graphics / Sawtooth machine.

Without PCI cards or firmware modifications, etc. as have been  
discussed in these emails, what happens to the data on a 500GB hard  
drive if I install the drive into the machine?

Does the Mac see none of the data?

Does the Mac see some of the data but not all?

Would the data be erased?

Would the data be erased if I tried to read data from it?

Would the data be erased if I try to save any additional data to it?

If I remove the drive and place it back into a system that can read  
the full 500GB, will the data still be there?


If I install OS9 and OSX on a smaller drive (128GB), and then apply,  
for example, the firmware modification, and use the 500GB drive for OS  
X, what happens when I boot into OS 9?  Would the OS9 system not see  
the 500GB drive, not see the data on it (i.e., would the drive appear  
blank), or ruin the data on it?

Sorry for so many questions, but answers to any of these may help me  
determine what to do with my current setup.

Thanks in advance.

shopdog



On Aug 25, 2008, at 9:01 AM, diane wrote:

> Thanks for all the links and emails everyone! I am now secure  
> knowing I can order a larger drive for my machine with no worries. :)
>
> Diane
> _______________________________________________
> G4 mailing list
> G4 at listserver.themacintoshguy.com
> http://listserver.themacintoshguy.com/mailman/listinfo/g4