[G4] Acard AEC-6280M Boot

[shopdog at mac.com]

Thank you for the replies, Luke and Harry.

The default ATA controller in the G4 is fine.  I'm using Leopard,  
latest version.  I got the card at NewEgg.  I did not download the  
latest drivers, though.  But now I will.

As to why I'm not using the default controller:  I want to use 5 hard  
drives in the machine, and I learned the hard way that although it may  
appear so to a newbie at this (like me), it is not possible physically  
to fit more than 4 drives in the bottom drive bays.  I purchased  
additional dual drive brackets, but: (1) there is not enough vertical  
space to fit 2 drives in Position 1 (the leftmost position) because  
the floor there is slightly raised to accommodate some cables running  
underneath the drive bay, (2) there is enough vertical space to fit 2  
drives in Position 2 (the middle position), but the cables and plugs  
on the motherboard squish into the top drive such that you cannot  
close the computer back up, and (3) you cannot put 2 full dual drive  
brackets next to one another in Position 2 and Position 3 (the  
rightmost position); the top part of the dual drive bracket is too wide.

So if I want 5 drives in the machine, I need to use the Zip drive  
space.  Yes, it is slower if I use the IDE connector there (I'm doing  
this now), but this is not problematic for how I use this machine.  To  
use the default IDE connector (from the default bus), I need to  
purchase an IDE cable extender, which I have not done yet.  If could  
use the default connector for 2 of the bottom drives and then send one  
of the Acard cables up to the drive in the ZIp bay, but I'd rather not  
rely on the Hi-Cap driver more than I have to.  The way I have it set  
up, the Hi-Cap driver is needed really only for the boot drive in the  
Zip bay.

I'm sure there's an easier way-- I welcome any ideas anyone has for a  
better setup.  I need to keep the DVD burner in the machine, but I'd  
love to fit more drives!

I will download the latest drivers on Harry's advice, and then see if  
I can boot from one of the Acard-connected drives.

Thanks so much for the help.  I love this list!

shopdog