SSD Solution For 5500

[macuserman]

Alright so I managed to get the back plate off my 5500 without busting it a minor miracle. And since then I’ve been trying to do all the maintenance to give as little reason as possible to need to access it inside again since the odds of not breaking it a second time are slim. Max memory, usb combo card, Ethernet, g3 upgrade , recap logic board, the works… I really want to put an ssd in as well to future proof the drive. However I’m having no luck at all, does anyone have a ssd solution that they have had luck with in these machines?

Like to have some input before I throw more money at it and increase my pile of failed solutions. I thought for sure the DOM like what retroaction used in his TAM was my hot ticket finally, however no dice. Works great in my other machines though. HELP Please! This is starting to be a very aggravating search.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

All's gonna be well and good with the 5500 till the analog board needs to be recapped
Anyways, what exact symptoms are the SSD adapters showing? Have you tried good ol' IDE-CF with an "industrial" class card?

 

[macuserman]

All's gonna be well and good with the 5500 till the analog board needs to be recapped

Yeah I know, I'm trying to pretend that the CRT stuff will just last forever, because so far I haven't encountered a failed one on these machines, and 2 I really know nothing about it and really really don't want to mess with CRT stuff. That stuff looks intimidating and hard, it's the main reason I don't own any compact macs. I know it's a foolish and a head in the sand approach. But back to my SSD problem!!!

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

I edited my last post a second before you replied with some SSD advice because I felt bad leaving an unhelpful comment
As for CRT stuff, you should honestly be fine as long as you leave the thing unplugged for a few days first, then just change all the caps. Other stuff can fail but replacing the caps will greatly lower the chances of CRT issues.

 

[François]

I have a Compact Flash adapter (this one) in my Power Mac 6400 and it’s working fine.

 

[macuserman]

I have a Compact Flash adapter (this one) in my Power Mac 6400 and it’s working fine.

That's worth trying, I'll maybe try that next. I do think there is something unique about the AIO machines though that is different from the 6500/6400 machines. With these SSD adapters it's not that the drive isn't detected, it's that the computer won't even turn on the CRT with them attached, as soon as I swap to a spinny disk though we are back in business.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

That's bizzare! Never heard of a Mac doing that. Makes me think it's something power related. Does it boot with nothing attached at all?

 

[macuserman]

All's gonna be well and good with the 5500 till the analog board needs to be recapped

yeah I just really didn't want to mess with that and risk destroying more plastic and it's a bit scary. I suppose I should just bite the bullet.

Anyways, what exact symptoms are the SSD adapters showing? Have you tried good ol' IDE-CF with an "industrial" class card?

That's one solution I have not tried yet. I suppose it can't hurt to add that to my arsenal.

That's bizzare! Never heard of a Mac doing that. Makes me think it's something power related. Does it boot with nothing attached at all?

Yeah with nothing attached it boots to the flashing ? , I actually have two of these machines a 5400 and a 5500, both are rockstar workhorses that I use all the time. Both exhibit the same symptoms, I'm running low on functioning IDE drives in the first place, but whenever I attach one of these SSD type solutions the CRT will not come on at all, I can't remember if it chimes or not but I want to say I don't think so. I can double check that tonight though.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Well, the way I look at it, the plastic is the least brittle it's ever going to be right now, only gonna get worse from here. Heating up and fragile plastic with a hair dryer before messing with them can also help.

 

[macuserman]

Well, the way I look at it, the plastic is the least brittle it's ever going to be right now, only gonna get worse from here. Heating up and fragile plastic with a hair dryer before messing with them can also help.

If I promise to investigate the CRT caps will you find me an SSD solution?

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Don't think I can promise that, I mean:
IDE-SATA Bridge
IDE SSD
DOM
IDE-SD
IDE-mSata
You've tried just about everything, except CF...

 

[macuserman]

Don't think I can promise that, I mean:
IDE-SATA Bridge
IDE SSD
DOM
IDE-SD
IDE-mSata
You've tried just about everything, except CF...

Yeah it's pretty discouraging. Was really hoping someone has a 5500 machine that they had success with a particular brand or something that I hadn't tried.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Hey, well the info will be useful if you figure out what works. I'm on the lookout for a 5400 or a 5500 for my collection, hoping I find one at the VCF East swap meet in june. Will need that info then! Always the chance that you're unit just has an issue as well. Does the same thing happen with your 5400? If you dare take the back off again that is. (Hair dryer on those clips!)

 

[macuserman]

Hey, well the info will be useful if you figure out what works. I'm on the lookout for a 5400 or a 5500 for my collection, hoping I find one at the VCF East swap meet in june. Will need that info then! Always the chance that you're unit just has an issue as well. Does the same thing happen with your 5400? If you dare take the back off again that is. (Hair dryer on those clips!)

Where are you located? Never know what might come up, I've considered parting with my 5500, but it's such a workhorse and just always works except for this SSD issue. And yes both machines do the same thing.

 

[Phipli]

Well, the way I look at it, the plastic is the least brittle it's ever going to be right now, only gonna get worse from here. Heating up and fragile plastic with a hair dryer before messing with them can also help.

We'd best not collect old macs then!

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Where are you located? Never know what might come up, I've considered parting with my 5500, but it's such a workhorse and just always works except for this SSD issue. And yes both machines do the same thing.

Not going to go into specifics other than "east half of the US" and "close enough to make it to VCF East" but Georgia's too far I think. If you made it to the swap meet in June there's a good chance I'll be there, and I'd potentially be interested, but it would be far.

 

[macuserman]

Not going to go into specifics other than "east half of the US" and "close enough to make it to VCF East" but Georgia's too far I think. If you made it to the swap meet in June there's a good chance I'll be there, and I'd potentially be interested, but it would be far.

Gotcha well keep your eye open something will pop it always does.

I went ahead and bit the bullet on another round of adapters to play with.

We'll see what the compact flash does, picked up another SD solution as well because it was cheap and looked interesting. Dunno, something has to work though, the IDE setup on these can't be that special. Says the guy with a pile of adapters that don't work....

 

[Phipli]

Gotcha well keep your eye open something will pop it always does.

I went ahead and bit the bullet on another round of adapters to play with.
View attachment 54731
We'll see what the compact flash does, picked up another SD solution as well because it was cheap and looked interesting. Dunno, something has to work though, the IDE setup on these can't be that special. Says the guy with a pile of adapters that don't work....

To warn you, non-industrial, modern, large CompactFlast cards don't usually work. I have more luck with old 2GB ones from eBay :/

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

On the bright side, if nothing works, you'll have a pile of solid state adapters to use in other systems.
And yeah, you'll need a card marked as "industrial". Basically, the card needs to ID itself as a fixed disk, not a removable one or the computer won't like it. There's no sure-fire way to guarantee the ID unfortunately, but cards sold as "industrial" usually are.

 

[macuserman]

To warn you, non-industrial, modern, large CompactFlast cards don't usually work. I have more luck with old 2GB ones from eBay :/

Ah good to know, if it boots CRT turns on and goes to flashing folder, I'll look for a better card.