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Macintosh Plus with internal SyMBiotic 20 MB hard disk

mactjaap

Well-known member
Nice find!

I didn't knew they excited. A Macintosh Plus with internal SyMBiotic 20 MB hard disk.

I put some pictures here. Didn't open the case yet.

Boots form hard disk.

Is there anyone with documentation about this hard disk maker?

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PB145B

Well-known member
That's really cool! Hope it had a fan installed too because if not that thing would get really hot!

 

BadGoldEagle

Well-known member
You lucky guy!

My Hyperdrive doesn't work right now, I suspect a bad capacitor on the daughter board and the old MFM hard drives... That reminds me, I need to sort this thing out quick. It's been sitting in my living room for nearly a year.

 

BadGoldEagle

Well-known member
Yeah me too!

Does it have a daughterboard or not, I wonder? Since it uses SCSI and not MFM (unlike the Hyperdrive), there are no extra circuitry required on this one, I think...

I know you can tap into the power supply to get +12V and +5V to power the drive itself.

Someone (it might actually be you mactjaap...I don't remember) linked a picture of a hacked Plus with an internal SCSI hard drive. The job looked woeful but seemed relatively simple...

 

PB145B

Well-known member
Cool! That's good to know. So that basically makes it an SE! Without the NuBus slot of course.

 

mactjaap

Well-known member
Couldn't wait until the weekend, so I opend it up last night.

I found a very serious solution to fasten the hard disk. A real harnas. Also a big fan is included. Wiring is also done proffesional.

The hard disk has a sticker on it with the name Rodime. This was a Scotish hard disk maker:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodime

Hav a look at the pictures:

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PB145B

Well-known member
Thanks for the pics! That's awesome!

Edit: Also pretty amazing that the Rodime drive still works!

 
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HAL2001

Well-known member
Looks great! A quick Google search reveals lots of pages about a Symbiotic hard drive for the Apple II. Haven't found anything about a drive in a Plus.

 

olePigeon

Well-known member
I like that it has the pass-through SCSI.  You could get one of those SCSI ports that fit in the battery compartment.  That'd give you TWO external SCSI ports.  :cool:

 

BadGoldEagle

Well-known member
Nice pics!!

So now I get it. There's a cable sticking out of the back (probably through the security slot) that connects the hard drive to the SCSI port. 

I bought a Plus ED, which I'm sure you're familiar with, mactjaap, since it's from the Nederlands  ;D . I plan on adding an internal SCSI drive to it. 

It doesn't work right now, but I'll fix this guy sooner or later. Need to order some caps now.

Could you please take a picture of where the molex connector wires originate from on the analog board? I think I have a pretty good idea of where to get +12 and +5, but since I'm not an EE at all, I don't want to risk hurting my Mac too much  :p

 

Macdrone

Well-known member
It literally looks like a regular external rodime stuffed insie the plus.  I have a rodime and a half lol no top case on the second, both still work and it looks just like that.

 

mactjaap

Well-known member
@BadGoldEagle

Here is the best picture I could make for connector wires. I hope you can use it. I'm afraid I have to dismantle the harnas to get better ones.

How nice your bought a ED from the Netherlands. I  helped a fellow forum member to export one to. Here you can find them quite often. ( I have one too :) )

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