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[macStuff]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20GB-External-VST-FireWire-Hard-Disk-Drive-for-Mac-OS-Vintage-Apple-RARE/322332079731?hash=item4b0c7d3673:g:590AAOSwHMJYLoNv

are these any good?
or should avoid?

[FdB]

I've one that's performed without fail for many years now.
A very handy little device.

[macStuff]

can u open them up and replace the drive inside?

[FdB]

I don't know. Might ask the seller because the drive pictured, looks like it
has clear tape down along the right hand side, possibly holding it together
after someone might have already possibly been inside of it "tinkering" with
it a bit. You might want to ask about that and request the other one of the two
available if it has not been opened. Caveat emptor.

[macStuff]

ill just wait for someone to chime in here
these drives were pretty  popular in the USA i think?
thats why i was asking to find out if i could stick an SSD inside the casing
to turn it into an SSD-firewire drive

[FdB]

Quoted, from the Seller:
"I do imagine that they have the capability of being opened and upgraded with a larger hard drive mechanism, whether it is a rotational drive or solid state drive. However, this would require an IDE or PATA drive, NOT SATA drive, and cannot exceed 128GB because of the firmware controller on the logic board may require less than 128GB for capacity support. Drives assembled before 2002 would only recognize a maximum of 128GB on most Macs."

Understand it would be nice to convert such a possible low-cost case,
yet it doesn't seem to be easily done/possible. Anyone else crack one open?

[DieHard]

I have several of these, They are a pain in the ass to change;  They have an outer sleeve covered with glue (that is why you see the tape on the photo cause mine look the same, someone changed the drive or opened the one you showed on ebay); they you have to remove addition feet/rails on the bottom to expose the screws

[FdB]

So, that's an SSD in them, now?

Manufacture date of those VST drives?

Asking only due to the color difference of the drives pictured.

[DieHard]

No SSD, They are Laptop PATA/IDE, not SATA

[FdB]

No SSD, They are Laptop PATA/IDE, not SATA

Thanks.
Wondering if there was much (or if any, change) with the drives after the initial year 2000 manufacture offering
($559.00 / 10mb) after the change from VST (first pictured here) to the later Verbatim "modded" SmartDisk model
pictured here by DH.

Won't be cannibalizing my little 10GB to put a larger laptop HD into it anytime soon, if ever.

[Petros90]

I wouldn't bother, you can spend a fortune saving your money buying secondhand.

I'm getting this

https://www.megamac.com/products/owc-mercury-elite-pro-dual-3-5-drive-performance-raid-enclosure-with-usb-3-0-and-firewire-800-ports-owcmed3fr0gb?variant=33840311120

Which is doubtless available in the US for less money, and throwing in a couple of SSDs.

A couple of adaptor cables and you are "good to go", fast data transfer Mac/PC.

Future proof

[macStuff]

so whats the verdict? these things suck? or are they worth grabbing?

[FdB]

As mentioned by Petros, you can probably get more bang-for-your-buck
with o' alternatives... but for portability, these are quite nice for running
"sneaker-net" between upstairs and downstairs or simply to FW400
G4s. A shame they're not suitable for inexpensive modded SSD boxes.

And, seller seemed firm on cost plus shipping... whereas mine cost
$15.00 total. So yes... good (at slightly less negotiated cost perhaps).

But maybe "RARE" now supports that higher cost/pricing?