Mac OS 9 Lives

Classic Mac OS Hardware => Storage => Topic started by: moof on May 15, 2022, 04:25:32 AM

Title: SyQuest Drives
Post by: moof on May 15, 2022, 04:25:32 AM
Hi Folks,

Just wondering if anyone has advice on resurrecting access to old SyQuest cartridges. I can source a SyQuest 270 drive, in either SCSI or IDE format.

I have as options for older Mac hardware a PPC Mac Mini, and possibly (if they still run) Lombard (with the fat SCSI Cable), & Pismo Powerbooks, as well as my main Mac Pro.

I recall under classic MacOS the SyQuest drives used Hard Disk Toolkit to mount, but I can't recall ever using them under OS X.

Would an IDE to USB adapter be the easiest way to get a connection happening - afaik IDE to USB is a little easier than SCSI, right?

Thanks.
Title: Re: SyQuest Drives
Post by: FBz on May 16, 2022, 03:39:05 PM
Were the SyQuest 270 drives backwards compatible with the 44 & 88 GB SyQuest discs?

I still have an old, working SyQuest drive that reads both - but I have only used it on a SCSI equipped Mac. I suppose that a SCSI card in a newer G4 might be a fairly easy way (and not too expensive path) to accomplish this as well.

https://www.applefritter.com/node/24408
Title: Re: SyQuest Drives
Post by: robespierre on May 16, 2022, 11:24:33 PM
Were the SyQuest 270 drives backwards compatible with the 44 & 88 GB SyQuest discs?
No, because a 270MB cartridge is 3.5", and a 88MB cartridge is 5.25". (conventional sizes)

SyQuest had different product lines that evolved in parallel:

3.9" drives: 5 MB -> 10 MB -> 20 MB

5.25" "C" drives: 44 MB -> 88 MB -> 200 MB

3.5" drives: 105 MB -> 270 MB [ -> Nomaï 540 MB -> 750 MB ]

2.5" "Iota" drive: 42 MB

1.8" drive: 80 MB

3.5" EZ 135 MB -> EZFlyer 230 MB

3.5" Sparq 1.0 GB
3.5" SyJet 1.5 GB

3.5" Quest 4.7 GB

It can be very confusing.