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Topic |
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sheygoth
Starting Member
28 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Aug 2003 : 08:28:52
It seems amazing, but from what I read, a PB 500-series with the PCMCIA module can boot and run off a flash card (CompactFlash, etc.). I just got two off ebay, and am very interested in developing this possibility. Apparently you can totally bypass the hard drive, keeping the computer totally silent and dramatically lessening your battery use. Has anyone tried and loved this? |
G4from128k
Full Member
USA
873 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2003 : 06:55:15
I tried it, but it did not work on my PB 190cs. The adapter I used (a "PC card Adapter for IBM Microdrive") only lets me format the compact flash card as a DOS volume. But this is a problem with my adaptor becuase others have made this work with other adapters. So the first thing to check is to reformat the flash memory card and see if you can format it as a Macintosh disk. If so, then you are golden and it should work very well.Other discussions on this trick suggest that flash memory could suffer from a shortened lifespan becuase it is usually rated for only about 10,000 write cycles on each memory location. Heavy duty use, especially using the flash memory card as virtual memory, could wear out the card. But for booting up and routine application usage on an occasional basis, it should be fine. And besides, better to wear out an easy to replace $60 flash memory card than a hard to find $80 battery. G4From128k by Day: Mild-Mannered Engineer and Trapeze(tm) Artist
by Night: Colonel of Truth, Justice, and the Macintosh Way
Reserve Officer in 68kMLA Cantankerous Coot Contingent
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sheygoth
Starting Member
28 Posts |
Posted - 05 Sep 2003 : 14:47:43
Using PCMCIA-CompactFlash as the boot drive is both possible, and an *enormous* speed increase. I have a 133mhz PPC upgrade on a PB540c, and it crawls next to a 520 running off flash memory - in addition to saving battery and turning off the hard drive (and since mine sometimes clatters, that's a major plus). About your problem - you may have a limitation with your adapter, I don't know, but I have a standard PCMCIA-CompactFlash adapter that you can get for under $10, and it works well. The trick to formatting a card in Mac format is to turn off PC Exchange for a minute and re-insert the card. (If you have it on, you're only given the option to format in DOS.) Then you can turn PC Exchange back on.The 500-series as well as the 190/cs will work. I've never seen a 190, but on this page it says you can: http://www.lowendmac.com/macdan/02/1114dk.html --Jon
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Jaz
Starting Member
6 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 12:21:19
Yes, I've got my PB520c booting off Compact Flash too. Very good it is, too...trouble is, I need a new PRAM battery, as it forgets which drive to boot from! Another little job. I've got a new-old stock PCMCIA cage (Rev B) with a Fuji 256Mb card.Out of curiosity, I disconnected the HD and tried to boot the machine up, all I got was the flashing '?' disk icon. Anyone know why? Apologies in advance if this is a stupid question, I'm relatively new to the joys of Mac.
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G4from128k
Full Member
USA
873 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2003 : 05:39:32
quote:
The trick to formatting a card in Mac format is to turn off PC Exchange for a minute and re-insert the card. (If you have it on, you're only given the option to format in DOS.) Then you can turn PC Exchange back on.
You are a genious! I turned off PC Exchange (didn't even have to reboot, just temporarily pulled it from the Extensions Folder) and my 190cs let me format a CF card in Mac format, copy the System Folder. Now I can select the CF card as the Startup Disk and boot from it. Cool! Cool! Cool! Thank you, sheygoth! G4From128k by Day: Mild-Mannered Engineer and Trapeze(tm) Artist
by Night: Colonel of Truth, Justice, and the Macintosh Way
Reserve Officer in 68kMLA Cantankerous Coot Contingent
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Eft37
Junior Member
USA
193 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2003 : 10:58:49
Sorta off topic, but I have a 160MB card in my 1400 with OS9 on it as the boot volume. Zippy! (G3 card doesn't hurt either)
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cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms
USA
4679 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2003 : 20:23:59
It makes me wish that it was possible to make an OSX installation fit in anything less than 3 GB (Then again, I find the TiBook speedy anyway :))I might have to try this if/when I can get an 040 'Book  Official 68k videographer
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Editor of the MLAgazine
"I'm just a normal computer geek who somehow landed a social life" |
G4from128k
Full Member
USA
873 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2003 : 06:42:04
quote:
It makes me wish that it was possible to make an OSX installation fit in anything less than 3 GB (Then again, I find the TiBook speedy anyway :))
Lexar has just annouced a 4 GB Compact Flash disk, so running OS X from a flash card is not impossible.G4From128k by Day: Mild-Mannered Engineer and Trapeze(tm) Artist
by Night: Colonel of Truth, Justice, and the Macintosh Way
Reserve Officer in 68kMLA Cantankerous Coot Contingent
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Derekcat
Junior Member
USA
342 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2003 : 23:57:45
quote:
It makes me wish that it was possible to make an OSX installation fit in anything less than 3 GB (Then again, I find the TiBook speedy anyway :))
Beige G3 DT/233/64RAM/2GBHD/10.1 If I open my window all the bugs will get in…That's just one more reason to use a Mac!
Mac Portable
LC ||
SE/30
||si
||ci
Quadras: 660av, 950
PMs: 6100/G3/233, 6214CD, 5400/120, 7100/80av, 9500/G3/300
PB 5300ce
SuperMac C600 180, 240 |
sheygoth
Starting Member
28 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2003 : 14:46:18
I've found recently that running off a flash disk is something the 190 is particularly good at - it automatically shuts down the hard disk when trashed, and won't reload it. This is sometimes a problem with the 500-series (the control strip is handy here). - But I tried to run a 5300c off a flash disk and could not get it to work - a weird error at startup.
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booting from PCMCIA on the 500
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