Recommendation for SSD in MDD 1.25GHz

[davorin]

Evnin'

Read some topics here regarding replacing the IDE drive with a SSD version...
What wonders me is that people here can use a 240GB SanDisk SSD through a PATA/SATA adapter....

When I connect my PATA/SATA adapter the drive setup program doesn't recognize more than 128GB....can't even partition a 240GB SSD with 2 partitions each 120GB....it stucks at 128GB...


For PCI SATA cards....seems to be hard to find nowadays on Ebay...only some cards with external SATA connectors only....No Si3112 cards at the moment....or too far away (o;


Attached the picture of my current PATA/SATA adapters..some other adapters are still on a boat from China (o;

[MacTron]

The maximum size of a partition, file, or boot volume is mainly determined by the system software version and the interface used to access the hard disk. As a rule of thumb, how much older is your mac more tight are those limits.
Mac Os 9 , even can manage up to 2 terabytes in volume size, it only can boot from a volumen lower than 204 GB in size (once formated) .

The early ATA 66, ATA 33 and olders, are limited to a 128 GB maximum volume size. The Ultra ATA/100 and SATA arrived with 48-bit addressing, so in theory supporting drives up to 144 petabytes.

If the volume is HFS formatted:
#The maximum volume size under System 6 and System 7 is 2 gigabytes.
System 7.5 increased that limit to 4 GB
System 7.5.2 (and later) increases that limit to 2 terabytes on some computers, including:
any computer that came with System 7.5.2 or newer.
any Macintosh computer with PCI slots.
# The maximum file size is 2 gigabytes.

If the volume is HFS+ formatted:
#The maximum volume size is 2 terabytes
# The maximum file size is 2 terabytes.

[davorin]

So which Mac models do you run with your PCI SATA card?

I thought the MDD 1.25GHz can boot from a volume larger 128GB....but might be that the drive setup from the 9.2.2 rescue CD from here is an older version not supporting that....

Well..the MDD motherboard has 3 PATA interfaces...haven't found a connector description yet...
Assuming the one beside the CPU is ATA 100....the CD ATA is ATA-33...and the spare one for two drives below the CD slots is ATA-66...right?

[GaryN]

Assuming the one beside the CPU is ATA 100....the CD ATA is ATA-33...and the spare one for two drives below the CD slots is ATA-66...right?

Right.

[davorin]

Hmm...but I am still wondering why MDD can't use drives > 128GB.....drive setup just cut offs anything above and shows only up to 128GB....

[GaryN]

It's not the MDD. What you're saying is that: "OS9 Drive Setup" won't format a volume larger than 128Gb.

Are you selecting HFS+ ?

[DieHard]

From our Webpage...

As far as the Mac OS revision, you will be stuck with Mac OS 9.2.2 only, as it contains Apple Drive Setup V2.1 that will be needed to format and partition drives greater than 128GB. We also recommend that you keep your partitions to sizes of 190GB or less or OS 9 will not boot and Norton Speed Disk V6.03 will not be able to defrag it. To clarify, if you are putting a 500GB in you Mac, simply break it into 3 partitions of 120GB for the OS, 190GB, and 190GB (format all volumes Mac OS Extended).

Please verify your version of Apple drive setup

[GaryN]

It always helps to have somebody in the discussion that actually knows what the hell they're talking about…

Gracias, DH

[davorin]

So where do I find this "drive setup" that supports disks larger than 128GB?

The drive setup from the OS 9.2.2 CD from here (v 1.9.2) doesn't even list HFS+ as an option...

Not sure if the IDE/SATA adapter is responsible that drive setup always shows a capacity of 128GB though...

[davorin]

Found it now over at macintoshgarden.org:

http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/drive-setup-21

Formatting a 500GB SATA drive all went fine...also restoring from the macos9lives.com 9.2.2 CD...
But when restarting it just hangs at the Finder...clock shows up quickly and disapperas...and mouse/keyboard frozen...

[davorin]

Okay...a little further....

When I disable system extensions during startup it boots up normal and shows desktop with the new 1TB SATA drive (o;

Now going through all extension and disable each one by one...*uff...


Okay..wasn't that many tries...just one (o;
Removed unneccessary USB extensions like USB Rio, USB recording as well as Web Sharing...

[MacTron]

The drive setup from the OS 9.2.2 CD from here (v 1.9.2) doesn't even list HFS+ as an option...

HFS+= "Mac Os Extended"

Drive Setup 1.9.2 supports disks larger than 128GB. This version of Drive Setup support a large variety of devices than 2.x.

Not sure if the IDE/SATA adapter is responsible that drive setup always shows a capacity of 128GB though...

It shoudn't.

[davorin]

Well got it sorted...as the drive setup 1.9.2 on the macos9lives.com restoration CD didn't show anything larger than 128GB....drive setup 2.1 did...

Testing some other drives now...seems a 2nd partition with 800GB causes a bomb to throw on the screen when booting with extensions off (o;

Though sticking with the 240GB SSD for now with 2 * 120GB ;-)

[DieHard]

From mactron

This version of Drive Setup support a large variety of devices than 2.x.

Yes, I think Apple did remove the ability copy drivers to a DVD-RAM disk (so that you can boot off a DVD-RAM), in v2.1, and maybe the ability to see MO drive, but I am not sure of that, so please clarify what the differences are, i am very curious

Drive Setup 1.9.2 supports disks larger than 128GB.

The reason I quoted v2.1 is that I have seen v1.9.2 does not always see drives larger than 128GB in some configurations; so I was taking the safe route

[MacTron]

The reason I quoted v2.1 is that I have seen v1.9.2 does not always see drives larger than 128GB in some configurations; so I was taking the safe route

That's Ok. 
I use the 2.1 version usually too. But in some cases this version show a drive as "unsupported", whereas the 1.9.2  version can deal with it normally.
If I have some spare time I'll make further investigations about both versions ...

[DieHard]

Yes, we need the "Mactron Labs" MARL to get this sorted out

[hunk]

I have very little information when it comes to recommending SSDs, but I've heard Samsung and Intel SSDs are good.

[hunk]

This site has a pretty good review for many ssd http://pc4u.org/best-ssd/

[MacTron]

I have very little information when it comes to recommending SSDs, but I've heard Samsung and Intel SSDs are good.

Yeah, but Mac Os 9 can't boot into recent Samsung models. Do a forum search.