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Using Modern Hard Drives on Old Macs?

HOLY SCSI VOODOO, BATMAN!!!!!

Just tested the other two DB-25 terminators and they both work! However, the one that looks very much, but not exactly, like the terminator that you guys have ordered (or did you buy two OF THEM, uni?) still doesn't work.

One of them, similar to the one in the auction, has no maker's mark, but is labeled PASSIVE . . .

The other is labeled AST25 & SCSI Terminator and is a passthru type without the "passive" indicator . . .

I surrender! :-/

 
Congrats, that looks just like the only one of the three that I have that didn't work. Mine could be flat out bad, but or from a different mfr. In either case, I still think it's SCSI Voodoo working in your favor in this non-standard configuration.

If there's room in any given installation, I'd strongly suggest using an internal passthru terminator, passive, or better yet, active. They're available here for $2 and $7 respectively.

http://www.cablesdirect.com/search_scsiterm.asp

I50MF-AT_LR.jpg


I'd check those out if I were you, uni. I'll be getting an active one and a few of the passive variety for some of my lot of drives. ;)

 
if you see any more lots of these hd's feel free to post.

that adaptor for 2.20 plus shipping is $11.15

on the bay the are $ 8 bucks free shipping

The adaptor in my above post is 5.12 out the door free shipping.

( i bought 3 more )

So far they seem to have preformed an exorcism and killed the voodoo.

 
A batch of them will have combined shipping, IIRC. Those guys are all right, not like the eBay gang that won't budge on the shipping.

You haven't killed the voodoo, you've harnesswed it fairly successfully for a very non standard configuration that's not supposed to work. Cheaper is not always better. Voodoo can rear its ugly head when you put devices other than, or in addition to, a Zip on the external chain. With the proper config, you should never have a problem.

 
There is no room for anything else to add on the chain, internally, with all of my current machines.

Externally? well hell we know that works.

Yada yada bigger Quadras, I don't have any of those, and would cross that bridge when i get to it.

very non standard configuration
Click to expand...
everything about installing a 73gig SCA hd in a 68k mac, with a SCA adaptor is NON standard…

 
Could you do me a favor and post a link of a proper terminated SCA adaptor? in your opinion? one that is $$ cheap, but works...

Thanks,

Much appreciated trag.

 
Limited supply . . . :-/

. . . I'm liking the small package possible using this adapter.

There should be no difference between that and the passive passthru connector/adapter combo I'm using now. The active passthru ought to be better in some applications, but not necessary because the way I've done it has the termination resistors at the end of the chain per SCSI standards.

 
Will the one I got work in an external enclosure, such as the Apple HD20SC?

If it doesn't work as is, will it work if I get a passthrough terminator?

c

EDIT: Looks like it probably will?

 
Right, I know that, but will termination (or lack thereof) preclude this particular drive from working?

c

 
The HD-20 has no termination, it has the passthru, baled Centronics 50 Connector pair found on any properly designed external SCSI enclosure for use with a standard (Centronics 50) external terminator when it's positioned end of the chain.

I've never opened mine up, but it's likely that even the ID setting cable of the HD20SC will work with the "problematic" low profile adapters. If so, you'll have no jumpers on the adapter's headers, just the cable connecting the three ID select headers to the switch on the back.

It should work great. Matter of fact, avoid terminated adapters if the resistor packs aren't removable or powered from a jumper or switch.

 
OK, great!

I got one of Uniserver's hard drives and adapter, and I was planning on using it in a Apple HD20SC enclosure. It sounds like it should work just fine.

If I want to use it on the end of the chain, I plug one of those Centronics terminators into the empty jack on back (with the other connected to the Mac, of course), correct?

Otherwise, it's plug and play?

c

 
You got me . . . had to crack it open and try it . . . ::)

. . . yep, almost plug-n-play . . . there's enough slack in the MOLEX and IDC50 cables and beacoups slack in the SCSI ID cable . . .

. . . just gotta nip off the bottom (extra/useless) SYNC header pair for SCSI ID cable connector clearance and make an extension "cable" for the LED . . . ;D

The PSU outputs 2A @ 5V and 1.5A @ 12V and the cooling budget is for the original half-height 5.25" HDD. Mine has (had?) a functional full-height 3.5" MiniScribe/Adapter in it.

Gotta check the specs, but you should be able to put at least two of these things in there with no problems. I think I'll stow the original connector/cable harness inside my HD20SC and reversibly hack it into a stealth, end of chain, duplex HDD unit (one at a fixed ID, both terminated) with drives formatted and partitioned for multiple OS configurations. [}:)] ]'>

Just checked, hack's halfway done, I've unbolted the top Centronics50 connector and bent it back about 45 degrees on its cable. There's plenty of room to snake in another connector for the duplexed drive, leaving the original daisy-chain cable assembly intact and in place. Heck, I've probably got almost enough junk, cables and adapters on hand to make the new topside connector fast/wide! :approve:

YO, mcd! One functional MinisSribe incoming for your restoration projects!

 
10-6=4 and counting . . . piccie to follow . . .

. . . these not only work flawlessly so far, the're MOLEX side correct! T-7 days to ZERO, get 'em before . . . }:)

uni, I assume you snagged the other three, if nobody else wants 'em, how's about we split the last two? ;)

 
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