Resolved Is there a FREE program to enable large HD support on an old Mac?

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

Hey everyone,

So I recently put two 500GB IDE HDs in my MDD, and I found that that's sort of useless, considering an MDD file server (if I DID make one) would be a big power-sucker. I have a 450Mhz G4 'graphite' that could use the HDs, but obviously it doesn't have large HD support...

I know of one program (I forget the name) that enables large HD support on an unsupported Mac, but it's paid software. I know $15-or-so isn't such a big deal, but it's a hassle for me, especially because I am not an adult and don't have a credit card. (needless to say, it's just annoying to drag my parents over to purchase some thing which they have no knowledge on). Another reason is that $15 is probably about what this G4 is worth, so I don't want to total it here.

Are there any similar programs out there that are FREE? This practice is a little bit obscure, so I got unrelated things when I tried searching for it. I'll continue looking in case...

-Thanks

 

[weckart]

I think Intell posted about some nvram strings to do this recently.

 

[Intell]

If your G4 is a Sawtooth or newer, it can support lab-48 drives without a problem once the script is set. The only restriction is that all boot files and OS 9 must be on the first 128GB of the drive. This doesn't mean you must partition the drive. It can still be one large partition.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

If your G4 is a Sawtooth or newer, it can support lab-48 drives without a problem once the script is set. The only restriction is that all boot files and OS 9 must be on the first 128GB of the drive. This doesn't mean you must partition the drive. It can still be one large partition.

Ah, so for instance, I could have my original 80GB HD as my boot drive and be able to use the two 500GB drives as extra storage space, with no problems?

 

[gooser]

christmas is coming. ask your parents for a $15 gift. if they like you they'll do it. there's nothing wrong with paying a developer for his time and effort. helps us all in the long run. good luck.

 

[Intell]

Yes, you can also use the 500GB drives as a boot drive.

 

[robertdsc]

If you're not an adult and don't have a credit card, how can you afford the machinery you've picked up?

The Intech Hi-Cap driver is only $25 and works like a charm. Surely you can afford that.

 

[poiihy]

If you're not an adult and don't have a credit card, how can you afford the machinery you've picked up?

The Intech Hi-Cap driver is only $25 and works like a charm. Surely you can afford that.

You get it for free or beg parents to buy it.
It's not only the thing about paying for the driver, it's that it isn't worth it to invest money into something almost worthless.

 

[redheeler]

I think Intell posted about some nvram strings to do this recently.

There is an Open Firmware hack to do this was well, but apparently it only works when Tiger is booted. It is detailed on this page:

http://nanchatte.wordpress.com/2008/04/27/128gb-large-hdd-lba48-support-on-the-g4-cube-with-leopard/

 

[eyoungren]

You get it for free or beg parents to buy it.
It's not only the thing about paying for the driver, it's that it isn't worth it to invest money into something almost worthless.

I have two Macs using this driver (including my Quicksilver).

I paid for it retail in 2009 so I could enjoy the full capacity of my 320GB HD.

I'd hardly say it's worthless - or even almost worthless.

 

[poiihy]

I have two Macs using this driver (including my Quicksilver).

I paid for it retail in 2009 so I could enjoy the full capacity of my 320GB HD.

I'd hardly say it's worthless - or even almost worthless.

I'm talking about the machine itself, not the software

 

[redheeler]

I'm talking about the machine itself, not the software

So PPCs are worthless. Who didn't see that coming

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

You get it for free or beg parents to buy it.
It's not only the thing about paying for the driver, it's that it isn't worth it to invest money into something almost worthless.

I either get my Macs for free or get them for lower prices---sometimes I spend my own money and other times they are gifts. (although I am in no ways a spoiled kid).

Thanks for clarifying my point to the other guy. I really wouldn't want to put as much as $25 dollars into a computer that is worth somewhere in between. I hadn't realized it prior to posting this, but I can, as Intell mentioned, just use the larger HDs as storage space and not actual boot volumes. I had thought that the computer would plain NOT accept a drive larger than 128GB, no matter the circumstances. I suppose if I want to do this, I'll keep the current 80GB HD as the boot volume and the two 500GB drives as storage; I guess that's 'problem solved'.

 

[eyoungren]

I'm talking about the machine itself, not the software

Well, I guess that just depends on your point of view and what purpose the hardware is being put to.

I know our MacPro at work would be worthless if I couldn't print. And the only way I can print is to rely on the 400mhz G4 tower running Leopard and acting as a print server.

But that's just my situation.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

If you're not an adult and don't have a credit card, how can you afford the machinery you've picked up?

The Intech Hi-Cap driver is only $25 and works like a charm. Surely you can afford that.

I usually get my machines for free, and sometimes I'll get one as a gift. (such as for grades, etc.) Other times I buy with my own money (like my PowerMac G5), but I wouldn't buy something for a computer that isn't worth much more than the price of that 'something'.

 

[eyoungren]

I either get my Macs for free or get them for lower prices---sometimes I spend my own money and other times they are gifts. (although I am in no ways a spoiled kid).

Thanks for clarifying my point to the other guy. I really wouldn't want to put as much as $25 dollars into a computer that is worth somewhere in between. I hadn't realized it prior to posting this, but I can, as Intell mentioned, just use the larger HDs as storage space and not actual boot volumes. I had thought that the computer would plain NOT accept a drive larger than 128GB, no matter the circumstances. I suppose if I want to do this, I'll keep the current 80GB HD as the boot volume and the two 500GB drives as storage; I guess that's 'problem solved'.

LOL!
I "solved" my problem by spending $10 on a eBay SATA card and flashing it.

I boot from a 1TB drive with a 1TB secondary drive. The problem goes away when you aren't using the IDE bus.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

Yes, you can also use the 500GB drives as a boot drive.

Are you sure this works? I took one of the 500GB slave drives from the front bay of my MDD and stuck it in the second rear bay of the AGP G4, and the machine wouldn't boot. (is that not the optimal location for that second HD?).

Needless to say, I also noticed that the HD cage for the second HD was a little bit too wide, meaning it was bent inwards a little bit once I had screwed in all four screws.

 

[redheeler]

Are you sure this works? I took one of the 500GB slave drives from the front bay of my MDD and stuck it in the second rear bay of the AGP G4, and the machine wouldn't boot. (is that not the optimal location for that second HD?).

Needless to say, I also noticed that the HD cage for the second HD was a little bit too wide, meaning it was bent inwards a little bit once I had screwed in all four screws.

The hard drive cage in my 500 MHz Sawtooth is a bit wide as well, don't know why they designed it like that

 

[weckart]

The hard drive cage in my 500 MHz Sawtooth is a bit wide as well, don't know why they designed it like that

Presumably so that you can insert a rubber grommet between the HD and the cage to reduce HD noise. Bare metal against bare metal will only amplify vibration and spin up noise.

 

[Intell]

Are you sure this works? I took one of the 500GB slave drives from the front bay of my MDD and stuck it in the second rear bay of the AGP G4, and the machine wouldn't boot. (is that not the optimal location for that second HD?).

Needless to say, I also noticed that the HD cage for the second HD was a little bit too wide, meaning it was bent inwards a little bit once I had screwed in all four screws.

It works, once lba-48 support has been enabled in OpenFirmware and the boot files are all within the first 128GB of the drive's space. The double drive bracket has been designed to have a larger upper slot. This is because having to slide a hard drive down to get it into the lower slot would be difficult.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

It works, once lba-48 support has been enabled in OpenFirmware and the boot files are all within the first 128GB of the drive's space. The double drive bracket has been designed to have a larger upper slot. This is because having to slide a hard drive down to get it into the lower slot would be difficult.

And do I need to do this to be able to use the drive as JUST a slave? I don't want boot files on it---that's what I have the 80GB HD for. I was aiming to use the 2nd, 500GB HD as an extra storage drive to store data and NOT be a bootable item. If this becomes a project, I guess I ought to salvage the 80GB IDE from some cr@p Windows PC I have.

P.S. Is the 2nd rear slot the most optimal?

Please excuse my ignorance on this subject; I have never really fiddled around with my Sawtooth before, even though I have had it since 2010.

 

[Intell]

You must enable lba-48 support to be access more than 128GB. It doesn't matter where in the machine the drive is, so long as the cables are not bent badly or stretched.

 

[turnkit]

here's the "free" version... but you can't find the download
https://web.archive.org/web/20090226125107/http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/29409/overdrive

probably the script is closest to free but I like the $10 SATA card flash better.