68 pin to 50 pin hdd

[habibrobert]

Hi guys,

A couple weeks back, I posted a question about using modern hard drives with old macintosh computers. A few of you mentioned that it would be easier to use a 68 pin ssci hard drive along with a 68 to 50 pin adaptor and call it good. Well I'd like to give that a try. Before I do this, I just have a few questions.

If I get a hard drive larger than 2 GB and am using system 7.1, will the computer recognize the hard drive so I can partition it? Or do I have to partition it using a computer that already has an installed OS and then insert it into the intended computer?

Also, this is my first time installing a fresh OS on a mac so I am a little bit unsure of how it all goes. Do I need an enabler to do this?

My main concern is, do I need to do any tweaking before the hard drive is detected by the computer, or is it as simple as connecting the adaptor, inserting the installation disks and partitioning and voila?

Warmest Wishes

 

[Brett B.]

It would certainly help quite a bit if we knew specifically which computer you're working on here.

This is useful information about partition size recommendations: http://support.apple.com/kb/TA28860?viewlocale=en_US

You can format your drive in the machine, no need for another computer. Just check all your SCSI jumper settings on the drive and/or 68 pin adapter board and set them appropriately.

 

[uniserver]

when i set up my partitions 608 - 7.5.5 i make 1.7Gb partitions, 7.6 - 8.1 i make them 3.7gb's

( if that helps )

 

[habibrobert]

I am replacing the hard drive of a LC 575. I see the 68-50 pin and the 80-50 pin adaptor on ebay. The 68-50 pin adaptors seem to be more expensive than the 80-50 pin adaptors, does anyone know why that is?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Which drives are you looking to buy, or do you already have one?

I've got a total of two 68pin<->50 pin adapters for the few SCSI II drives I have that are 68pin. Most of my drives are SCA, 80 pin connector, Ultra SCSI III 160 or ZUltra 320 drives from servers. These are extremely common, having been built with an AIO connector (power, address & signals) that's hot-swappable in server arrays. Many more of these drive have probably been built over the years than vanilla 68pin SCSI II drives. As I understand it, oodles of them are hitting the market as servers are being upgraded/replaced with units employing serial, rather than parallel HDD interfaces . . .

. . . so more adapters made to meet the demand for adapting more available drives translates into inexpensive Chinese electronic jewelry.