[G4] The definitive answer on hard drive limits?

[Luke Rademacher]

If the 500GB HD is attempted to be installed into a G4 without LDS is  
Large Drive Support (over 128GB) then the Drive could be a) not  
readable or mountable b) seen but only 128GB of it.

When I tried to put a 250GB HD into my old BWG3 no matter what I did,  
the OSX and OS9 would not see more than 128GB. I was lucky thought  
the HD had no data on it. BEcause... The Drive Utility Will want to  
Format that puppy.

My best idea for you with a 500GB HD that has Data on it now...

get an updated PCI ATA controller card and put it in your G4 machine.  
I've seen em for less than $50 in some spots. Is your DATA worth $50  
to you? I'd say it probably is.

 From my experience the Mac will not see the Data on the 500GB.

Where did the Drive come from? Another Mac that had OSX? some Windows  
OS box? Another Mac with OS9?

the 500GB HD will not be seen by a Machine with OS9 Unless the 500GB  
HD had been formatted with OS9 driver.

On My MDD Dual G4 I have the Option of formatting a HD with our  
without OS9 driver. If I choose not to do the OS9 driver then the HD  
can only be used and seen in an OSX Mac.

I cannot tell you the DEFINITIVE answer. I can only tell you based  
upon my experience and prior use.

I advise you to Seek more Info from other Mac Sages, Gurus, etc and  
ask them as well. I like to sometimes check out www.xlr8yourmac.com,  
the big kahuna who runs that sight has a plethora of info from old  
Macs to new and even has a few nice databases where you can check out  
other users posted test results of HD upgrades, DVD/CD, Processor, etc.

Peace,

Luke Rademacher
Liquid Zone Graphics
Mac mini 2.0Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 3GB RAM, 80GB HD, Combo DVD/CDRW,  
Mac OSX Leopard 10.5.4, ext NewerTech miniStack w/ 320GB HD.
MDD Dual 1.25Ghz G4, 2GB RAM, 250GB/120GB/80GB HD's, 16x DL DVD±R/RW  
Superdrive, Mac OSX Tiger 10.4.11, Classic Mac OS 9.2.2.
Intel Celeron 2GHz, 1GB RAM, 80GB HD, Ubuntu Linux 8.04
5.5th gen 80GB Enhanced Video iPod
Canon CanoScan 8400F
Canon Pixma iP450

On Aug 26, 2008, at 2:00 PM, shopdog at mac.com wrote:

> 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
>
>
>