using compact flash as a hard disk for powerbook via addonics adapter

[supernova777]

http://lowendmac.com/reviews/07/flash.html

this article contains some info
basically make sure that the compact flash u intend to use supports UDMA mode
and not something called "removable type"
they mention brands that worked were
"sandisk"
be aware that all compact flash are definately not created equal and there is a large large
difference in speed + compatibility between different brands + types

Advice

If you have a PowerBook or iBook with an IDE bus and have outgrown its hard drive, want to reduce the 'Book's weight by several ounces, would like to run more quietly, or simply like to tinker, the Addonics CF Hard Drive Adapter could be worthwhile investment - especially if you have some CF cards that aren't being used.

The adapter should work in any PowerBook since the 150, which was the first to use an IDE hard drive interface. That was the era of 80 MB hard drives, so today's $20 2 GB CF card will give you an incredible amount of storage space, and 16 GB cards should be adequate for modern 'Books and Mac OS X.

If your 'Book has room for it, I'd suggest you spend the extra $5 and get the dual-card adapter, which would allow two 16 GB cards today - and higher capacity ones in the future. Note that some Macs only have room for 9.5mm thick hard drives, and the dual adapter is 10mm thick. It may squeeze in; I have no way of testing that.

High speed cards are faster than older, low speed cards. Again, I don't have a lot of testing options here, but my SanDisk Ultra II and PQI Hi-Speed 120 are about twice as fast as my other cards, and this speed may be limited by other factors such as the IDE bus on the PB 1400 itself.

Addonics states that their adapters are compatible with DOS, Windows 3.1, NT4, 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP, Vista, Mac, and Linux. I can verify compatibility with Mac OS 7.6.1, 8.1, 8.6, and 9.1.

Silence is golden - and not all that expensive when you can add it to the notebook computer you already own. LEM

UPDATE: Addonics also offers a SATA adapter, which will let you use a single Compact Flash cards in a MacBook or MacBook Pro.