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500mb mac harddrive

  • 21-03-2012 9:42pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 470 ✭✭


    does anyone know how i can get data of an old mac hard drive from 1994 its a 500mb harddrive.
    the mac itself stopped working wont power on and i cant find the fault.
    with the hard drive i tryed using a usb thing connected to windows pc
    just shows up as unallocated space and i cant create a drive path
    try downloading some programs that make mac harddrives show up on windows but they no work.
    will i have to buy a second mac and transfer the hard drive


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,042 ✭✭✭Rulmeq


    You're going to have to post more details.

    Was it an internal HDD, or external. What type of connector does it have (500MB in 1994 would have been top of the range).

    Take a picture of the connectors and post it here if you don't know what type it is.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 470 ✭✭moonlighting


    it has standard ide connection hard drive (internal hard-drive)
    i dont know much about macs as in what format they used in the harddrives etc so dont know how to take the data off it


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,042 ✭✭✭Rulmeq


    What machine was it in?

    (As far as I can remember all Macs at that time used SCSI for both internal and external HDDs), but if you give the name/model of the machine, I can check to be certain.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 470 ✭✭moonlighting


    performa 630


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,163 ✭✭✭ZENER


    It's IDE ok. I think they used HFS Plus back then ? Not sure if there is a driver available for windows though.

    Linux I think should be able to read it - if you can get a Linux Live disc you can boot from it without needing to install it and see if it can read the drive. Linux Format usually has a Distro on it's cover discs. I prefer Ubuntu or Kubuntu but pretty much any of them should do the job.

    The spec is here. If you're in North County Dublin I might be able to help ?

    Ken


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,042 ✭✭✭Rulmeq


    Checked mactracker and both the 630s used IDE internally.

    You could try and download something like http://www.catacombae.org/hfsx.html and see if it works.

    It would need to be HFS+, but that came out about 91 so you should be good.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 470 ✭✭moonlighting


    Thanks for the advice guys.
    I tryed catacombae software didn't work.
    I will try Linux as suggested i have some old computers with win 98,
    what full version of Linux would you recommend for win 98 machines
    need one with a basic gui dont have the time to learn Linux programming


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,042 ✭✭✭Rulmeq


    Just checked wikipedia
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HFS_Plus
    and it would appear that I'm out by a number of years (I really thought it came with System 7).

    Anyway, that probably means you will need to find a really old mac with an older OS (pre 8.1) to read this.
    Sorry for the confusion.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 470 ✭✭moonlighting


    does this also mean linux wont read it
    where would i find an old cheap mac like the performa


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,042 ✭✭✭Rulmeq


    does this also mean linux wont read it
    where would i find an old cheap mac like the performa

    Unfortunately I believe that it does mean that linux won't be able to read it.

    There might be some up on adverts.ie (I didn't look, but there might be), failing that, you could post over on clubmac to see if any of them would be willing to help you out ( I know some of them have their own "museums" of old machines )


    Edit:
    There's one guy on adverts selling old macs:
    http://www.adverts.ie/other-apple-products/mac-collection-for-sale/1242518

    The performa 5400 has an IDE internal HDD. That price (€80) is high though, but I guess if it gets your data off the disk, then it might be worth it to you.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,163 ✭✭✭ZENER


    HFS+ is the current preferred filesystem still used on Macs today. Apple added journaling to it and it was called HFS Extended.

    If you know anyone with a Mac computer the USB adaptor you have should quickly connect it up and recover your files.

    MacDrive is a product for reading Mac formatted disks in windows. There is a 5 day free trial version on the site which should be long enough to recover your files.

    If that doesn't work pm me and if possible we could meet up and try recover your files.

    Ken


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 470 ✭✭moonlighting


    from the research i have done the hfs stuff started in 1998
    the os was version 7 which uses something different as far as i can see
    i did download a few apps that read the different variations of hfs but to no avail

    if anyone from galway/connacht has an old mac preforma or similer with ide support and os 7 let me know
    i can buy it or trade for similar stuff
    i only need the mac case not the monitor/keyboard etc


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 470 ✭✭moonlighting


    i have 2 old macs now to try and get the data of this 500mb ide harddrive
    at the back of the 2 old macs are scsi connections
    is there such a thing as an scsi to ide converter for the old macs


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