Quick Silver Super Drive in Mac Pro

[Redneck1089]

I'm wondering if I can take the Super Drive out of my Power Mac G4 and put it in my Mac Pro. I'd like to have two dvd burners in it for the time being until Blu-Ray burners come down in price; this is why I don't want to spend the extra cash and purchase a second Super Drive for the Mac Pro.

So, can this be done? I have a feeling there will be a size difference because to my knowledge the Quick Silver was the first Mac to have a dvd burner, and I think they were quite large back then...

 

[patrick0brien]

I'm wondering if I can take the Super Drive out of my Power Mac G4 and put it in my Mac Pro. I'd like to have two dvd burners in it for the time being until Blu-Ray burners come down in price; this is why I don't want to spend the extra cash and purchase a second Super Drive for the Mac Pro.

So, can this be done? I have a feeling there will be a size difference because to my knowledge the Quick Silver was the first Mac to have a dvd burner, and I think they were quite large back then...

-Redneck

Size/shape isn't the issue with installing the Optical from a Quicksilver to a Mac Pro - the bus is. Mac Pros run SATA busses, whereas the Quicksilver is PATA. Essentially, you are dealing with a square peg, round hole issue.

 

[Lovesong]

Umm... what? The optical drive in the MP is PATA. Basically any run of the mill superdrive will fit in, and you should be able to plug it in. Yes, the HD's have SATA conectors built into the motherboard, but the optical drive still uses that good old black ATA cable.

 

[patrick0brien]

Umm... what? The optical drive in the MP is PATA. Basically any run of the mill superdrive will fit in, and you should be able to plug it in. Yes, the HD's have SATA conectors built into the motherboard, but the optical drive still uses that good old black ATA cable.

-Lovesong

Oh! Well then, nevermind redneck! My bad!

 

[Redneck1089]

Umm... what? The optical drive in the MP is PATA. Basically any run of the mill superdrive will fit in, and you should be able to plug it in. Yes, the HD's have SATA conectors built into the motherboard, but the optical drive still uses that good old black ATA cable.

Thanks for the help and the picture! Is it hard to install a second optical drive in the Mac Pro?

 

[apfhex]

Easy as pie. If your Superdrive has that sort of plastic face on the end of the tray, you're going to have to snap it off (it's designed to come off) so that it will fit through the door on the Mac Pro's case. But since it's coming from a Quicksilver it probably doesn't.

AFAIK optical drives have remained the same physical size for a very long time now.

 

[CyberPrey]

AFAIK optical drives have remained the same physical size for a very long time now.

ohhh, at least 15 years or so

 

[synth3tik]

Thanks for the help and the picture! Is it hard to install a second optical drive in the Mac Pro?

It's fairly easy. Getting the cables tucked away is the main thing.

 

[Redneck1089]

Okay I removed the optical drive from the Quick Silver today. I don't need any cables or anything, right? Everything I need to hook this optical drive up is in the Mac Pro already, correct?

 

[Redneck1089]

Anyone have an answer to my question above?

 

[aliasbdi]

I'm trying to add an additional superdrive that I purchased. How do you get the side open like in the picture above so that I can install the superdrive?

 

[yippy]

Instructions should have come with your Mac. If not then go here and download either of the instructions about the optical drive. Both tell you how to get the carrier out so you can put in a second drive.

You might need the screws from the optical drive but that is it.