Replacing IDE HDD with optical drive on Performa 6320CD

[carian]

Hi,
I have a broken CD-ROM drive on my Performa 6200/75 and it's hard to find SCSI optical drives. I have a BlueSCSI and it works at SCSI CD-ROM port or externally just fine. I wonder if it is possible to replace IDE HDD with a generic IDE CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
Thank you.

 

[Phipli]

Hi,
I have a broken CD-ROM drive on my Performa 6200/75 and it's hard to find SCSI optical drives. I have a BlueSCSI and it works at SCSI CD-ROM port or externally just fine. I wonder if it is possible to replace IDE HDD with a generic IDE CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
Thank you.

It will be tricky. The hard disk is 3.5" wide, a CD drive is 5" wide.

You might be able to re-route the IDE cable over to the optical bay with an extension, but you'd have to remove the existing blade push connectors and possibly create a new back stop.

 

[Realitystorm]

What about a ZuluIDE?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

IDE was a barely just kinda compliant abomination in that series. It supported only a single HDD and I'd be very surprised if it's possible to interface with an Optical Drive.

 

[finkmac]

What about a ZuluIDE?

at that point, might as well just use a zulu-compatible scsi emulator for the cdrom
i assume the OP wants a physically working cdrom though

 

[carian]

BlueSCSI can emulate HDDs as well as optical drives but I want to use real drive with extension cord in CD-ROM drive bay. I'd like to know if it's possible with installing an appropriate driver.

 

[finkmac]

give it a try, but don't be surprised if it doesn't work.

 

[croissantking]

I'd like to know if it's possible with installing an appropriate driver.

I don’t think anyone has tried this, you will have to experiment. As has been mentioned, the implementation of IDE on these Macs is very primitive and possibly non-compliant in a number of ways.

Getting the cabling over to the 5.25” bay will be a big challenge, as has already been stated.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Getting the cabling over to the 5.25” bay will be a big challenge, as has already been stated.

Indeed, but just checked the length of the IDE cable. It can easily reach an optical sitting in front of the HDD bay as can the power cable. Drive may be upside down, but ready for testing with the CD inserted via power cable only hookup before IDE cable is installed.