Accelerate Your Mac! - G3 Internal IDE drive upgrade

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IDE Slave Drive Upgrade for the B&W G3
Published: 1/27/99

Intro | Removing the Tray | Mtg the Drive | Reinstall the Tray | Prep. the Drive

Step 1: Removing the Drive Mounting Tray

Caution:
Adding components to the inside of your Mac is not a job for the inexperienced. This article documents what steps I performed, and is not to be construed as a recommendation for those not qualified to attempt the same. Consult a local qualified technical or Apple service center for assistance with upgrading your Mac. CompUSA, etc. can provide the drive and install it for a nominal fee. You assume all risk of personal injury or damage to your computer for any work you perform inside your Mac. Modifications like this may void your Apple warranty. Void where prohibited.

Ensuring the Mac was powered off, I disconnected the AC power cord from the back of the case. The B&W G3 case side cover makes servicing/upgrading the machine a dream, the best I've seen in over 20 years working inside personal computers. To discharge any static electricity, I always touch the metal chassis of the system to ensure both the Mac and I are at the same potential (voltage level). Even better is to wear a grounding wrist strap connected to the metal chassis. Often you can degrade the life of electronic components from static discharges that are not readily apparent. Although it may not destroy the componet, its life is shortened. Many infant failures of components are actually the result of improper handling during assembly (a fact proven by case studies).

About Cables: (Update: A reader sent a note that this company sells 24" ATA/66 cables with a 7 inch master to slave connector spacing that should reach the side-by-side spacing of the rev 1 drive tray. However make sure you test for data errors with any B&W G3 rev 1 and any drive. The Drive Compatibilty Database has many B&W G3 owner reports, some from rev 1 models (noted in their comments usually. Safest is to use a PCI IDE controller (Sonnet Tempo is $99 list) to avoid any issues of data corruption from the rev 1's IDE chip. See the IDE articles page for more info on PCI IDE controllers for Macs - PCI IDE controller cards made for PCs *will not work* in Macs.)
The first obstacle you'll likely encounter is finding a cable to fit (reach) both of the drives due to the non-standard side-by-side mounting used on the Apple tray. I was fortunate that the standard IDE cable I had fit fine, but some IDE cables have too narrow a master to slave drive connector spacing to fit. (I think the max spec spacing is 6"). Read on for solutions for this.
The stock IDE boot disk cable in the B&W G3 rev 1 (single drive cable) is the shortest I've ever seen, period. Shorter cables minimize the possibility of interference, ringing, and susceptability to other radiated emissions inside the case. UltraATA cables (80 conductor, 40 shields) were designed to also address these potential issues. The stock cable is short since the HD connector is right at the hinge of the cover, only a few inches away from the motherboard connector and because Apple does not support IDE slaves on this channel (there is no 2nd drive cable connector). The picture below shows the stock Apple UltraATA IDE cable and a standard (non-UltraATA) IDE cable I originally used for this project.

The stock B&W G3 primary (Boot disk) IDE cable is an 80-conductor high-density cable with a 40-pin (std IDE) connector. These cables are recommended for the new UltraDMA/UltraATA (and especially ATA/66) interfaces and drives to provide better shielding/lower noise, etc.. The additional conductors are used as ground/shields for improved signal quality. In my tests in the new G3, there was no performance improvement over a standard IDE cable, but the improved shielding is a bonus and use of these cables are highly recommended. (For performance comparisons between the (cheap, unshielded) standard and UltraATA cables see this ATTO Tools graph)
Last year in the main site news I mentioned a company that sells Ultra/ATA 80-conductor cables: https://www.ultracable.com/. Check their FAQ for more information. Update: I received one of their standard cables and regret to report it will not work due to the drive connectors being too closely spaced to reach the drives in the Yosemite. I'm trying to find out now if they can make a cable with wider spacing, at least as wide as the standard IDE cable I used for this article. In PCs drives are normally vertically stacked, but the horizontal layout of the Yosemite results in too much width between the two drives for the cable to work. Reversing the cable did not work but read on for a solution.
Std UltraATA Cable Tip: Patrick Stepp sent a note that reversing the standard Belkin ATA/66 18-inch cable worked, but you must move the master drive on the tray to the center position, with the slave in the original drive's position (in front of the motherboard IDE connector). Connect the Blue cable connector (normally for the motherboard IDE connection) to the Master drive, the Gray connector to the Slave and the Black (normally slave) connector to the motherboard. You must move the original master drive to the center position, as reversing the cable otherwise will not work (as the blue connector mated to the slave drive did not work in my tests).
Custom Cable Lengths: Several companies (including the above) will make custom IDE/UltraATA cables. Prices are as low as $12.99 plus shipping (there may be a 2 cable minimum however). What seems to work best for a B&W G3 is 5 inches of cable from the motherboard IDE connector to the first drive, then 9 inches from that connector (master) to the Slave drive. Again - watch out for IDE cable connectors that have one pin blocked (punch it out if it is).

Disconnecting the Power Supply and boot disk IDE Cable
The primary (UltraATA) IDE cable for the yosemite has a small 'handle' as an aid to disconnecting it without putting stress on the ribbon cable/connector junction. The Power Supply connector must be disconnected from the motherboard as well before the drive mounting tray can be removed. The ATX connector has the standard locking latch on the back side (see inset view in image below), depress it with your finger as you pull the connector up. The image below shows the P.S. connector being removed (IDE cable shown already removed).

The image above shows primary IDE (marked Ultra-ATA) motherboard connector (the cable has been removed). The ribbon cable to the right of the primary IDE interface connector is the secondary IDE interface used for the CD/DVD ROM drive and ZIP (optional). It is labeled "IDE". According to the developers notes, the Yosemite uses two separate IDE controllers (unlike the PC which has dual channel UltraDMA/ATA-4 standard). The Paddington I/O controller handles the slower 'IDE (ATA-3/16.6MB/sec spec) channel as well as audio, ethernet and ADB. The "Ultra-ATA" port is controlled by a separate ATA-4 (33.3 MBytes/sec max) controller on the motherboard.
I disconnected the power supply connector by pressing on the plastic latch on the cable connector and removed the primary IDE cable by pulling up on the attached handle on the cable.
[Update: As noted in the main site news in mid-March 1999, new B&W G3s are said to have a 3 piece tray, making adding/removing drives easier and the new design allows adding 1.6" high drives, where the previous tray/chassis allowed only 1.5" high drives.]
Removing the Drive Mounting Plate:
Now that the PS and IDE cables are removed, the next step is to remove the drive mounting tray. The drive tray is secured in the chassis by a small screw retaining a locking plate at the rear of the chassis.

After lifting out the small retainer plate, slide the drive tray to the rear and carefully lift it up and out of the chassis. Be careful not to allow the tray to hit any part of the chassis or motherboard during removal. The photo below shows the tray with attached original hard disk after removal from the system.

The next step deals with adding the new drive on the mounting tray.

Index of Yosemite IDE Slave Drive Article Intro | Removing the Tray | Mtg the Drive | Reinstall the Tray | Prep. the Drive

For more Info on the new B&W G3 see the main Yosemite Page
Back to G3-ZONE for more Apple G3 Info
or
Back to XLR8YOURMAC.COM
for Daily News & Upgrade Reviews (CPU/Disk/Video/Games)
(If you're trapped in a frames site - click here to clear frames)

Copyright © 1999
No part of this sites content is to be reproduced or distributed elsewhere without written permission.
All brand or product names mentioned here are properties of their respective companies.
Users of this web site must read and are bound by the terms and conditions of use.


IDE Slave Drive Upgrade for the B&W G3 Published: 1/27/99
Intro \| Removing the Tray \| Mtg the Drive \| Reinstall the Tray \| Prep. the Drive
Step 1: Removing the Drive Mounting Tray
Caution: Adding components to the inside of your Mac is not a job for the inexperienced. This article documents what steps I performed, and is not to be construed as a recommendation for those not qualified to attempt the same. Consult a local qualified technical or Apple service center for assistance with upgrading your Mac. CompUSA, etc. can provide the drive and install it for a nominal fee. You assume all risk of personal injury or damage to your computer for any work you perform inside your Mac. Modifications like this may void your Apple warranty. Void where prohibited.
Ensuring the Mac was powered off, I disconnected the AC power cord from the back of the case. The B&W G3 case side cover makes servicing/upgrading the machine a dream, the best I've seen in over 20 years working inside personal computers. To discharge any static electricity, I always touch the metal chassis of the system to ensure both the Mac and I are at the same potential (voltage level). Even better is to wear a grounding wrist strap connected to the metal chassis. Often you can degrade the life of electronic components from static discharges that are not readily apparent. Although it may not destroy the componet, its life is shortened. Many infant failures of components are actually the result of improper handling during assembly (a fact proven by case studies). About Cables: (Update: A reader sent a note that this company sells 24" ATA/66 cables with a 7 inch master to slave connector spacing that should reach the side-by-side spacing of the rev 1 drive tray. However make sure you test for data errors with any B&W G3 rev 1 and any drive. The Drive Compatibilty Database has many B&W G3 owner reports, some from rev 1 models (noted in their comments usually. Safest is to use a PCI IDE controller (Sonnet Tempo is $99 list) to avoid any issues of data corruption from the rev 1's IDE chip. See the IDE articles page for more info on PCI IDE controllers for Macs - PCI IDE controller cards made for PCs will not work in Macs.) The first obstacle you'll likely encounter is finding a cable to fit (reach) both of the drives due to the non-standard side-by-side mounting used on the Apple tray. I was fortunate that the standard IDE cable I had fit fine, but some IDE cables have too narrow a master to slave drive connector spacing to fit. (I think the max spec spacing is 6"). Read on for solutions for this. The stock IDE boot disk cable in the B&W G3 rev 1 (single drive cable) is the shortest I've ever seen, period. Shorter cables minimize the possibility of interference, ringing, and susceptability to other radiated emissions inside the case. UltraATA cables (80 conductor, 40 shields) were designed to also address these potential issues. The stock cable is short since the HD connector is right at the hinge of the cover, only a few inches away from the motherboard connector and because Apple does not support IDE slaves on this channel (there is no 2nd drive cable connector). The picture below shows the stock Apple UltraATA IDE cable and a standard (non-UltraATA) IDE cable I originally used for this project. The stock B&W G3 primary (Boot disk) IDE cable is an 80-conductor high-density cable with a 40-pin (std IDE) connector. These cables are recommended for the new UltraDMA/UltraATA (and especially ATA/66) interfaces and drives to provide better shielding/lower noise, etc.. The additional conductors are used as ground/shields for improved signal quality. In my tests in the new G3, there was no performance improvement over a standard IDE cable, but the improved shielding is a bonus and use of these cables are highly recommended. (For performance comparisons between the (cheap, unshielded) standard and UltraATA cables see this ATTO Tools graph) Last year in the main site news I mentioned a company that sells Ultra/ATA 80-conductor cables: https://www.ultracable.com/. Check their FAQ for more information. Update: I received one of their standard cables and regret to report it will not work due to the drive connectors being too closely spaced to reach the drives in the Yosemite. I'm trying to find out now if they can make a cable with wider spacing, at least as wide as the standard IDE cable I used for this article. In PCs drives are normally vertically stacked, but the horizontal layout of the Yosemite results in too much width between the two drives for the cable to work. Reversing the cable did not work but read on for a solution. Std UltraATA Cable Tip: Patrick Stepp sent a note that reversing the standard Belkin ATA/66 18-inch cable worked, but you must move the master drive on the tray to the center position, with the slave in the original drive's position (in front of the motherboard IDE connector). Connect the Blue cable connector (normally for the motherboard IDE connection) to the Master drive, the Gray connector to the Slave and the Black (normally slave) connector to the motherboard. You must move the original master drive to the center position, as reversing the cable otherwise will not work (as the blue connector mated to the slave drive did not work in my tests). Custom Cable Lengths: Several companies (including the above) will make custom IDE/UltraATA cables. Prices are as low as $12.99 plus shipping (there may be a 2 cable minimum however). What seems to work best for a B&W G3 is 5 inches of cable from the motherboard IDE connector to the first drive, then 9 inches from that connector (master) to the Slave drive. Again - watch out for IDE cable connectors that have one pin blocked (punch it out if it is).
Disconnecting the Power Supply and boot disk IDE Cable The primary (UltraATA) IDE cable for the yosemite has a small 'handle' as an aid to disconnecting it without putting stress on the ribbon cable/connector junction. The Power Supply connector must be disconnected from the motherboard as well before the drive mounting tray can be removed. The ATX connector has the standard locking latch on the back side (see inset view in image below), depress it with your finger as you pull the connector up. The image below shows the P.S. connector being removed (IDE cable shown already removed).
The image above shows primary IDE (marked Ultra-ATA) motherboard connector (the cable has been removed). The ribbon cable to the right of the primary IDE interface connector is the secondary IDE interface used for the CD/DVD ROM drive and ZIP (optional). It is labeled "IDE". According to the developers notes, the Yosemite uses two separate IDE controllers (unlike the PC which has dual channel UltraDMA/ATA-4 standard). The Paddington I/O controller handles the slower 'IDE (ATA-3/16.6MB/sec spec) channel as well as audio, ethernet and ADB. The "Ultra-ATA" port is controlled by a separate ATA-4 (33.3 MBytes/sec max) controller on the motherboard. I disconnected the power supply connector by pressing on the plastic latch on the cable connector and removed the primary IDE cable by pulling up on the attached handle on the cable. [Update: As noted in the main site news in mid-March 1999, new B&W G3s are said to have a 3 piece tray, making adding/removing drives easier and the new design allows adding 1.6" high drives, where the previous tray/chassis allowed only 1.5" high drives.] Removing the Drive Mounting Plate: Now that the PS and IDE cables are removed, the next step is to remove the drive mounting tray. The drive tray is secured in the chassis by a small screw retaining a locking plate at the rear of the chassis. After lifting out the small retainer plate, slide the drive tray to the rear and carefully lift it up and out of the chassis. Be careful not to allow the tray to hit any part of the chassis or motherboard during removal. The photo below shows the tray with attached original hard disk after removal from the system. The next step deals with adding the new drive on the mounting tray.

Index of Yosemite IDE Slave Drive Article Intro \| Removing the Tray \| Mtg the Drive \| Reinstall the Tray \| Prep. the Drive

For more Info on the new B&W G3 see the main Yosemite Page Back to G3-ZONE for more Apple G3 Info or Back to XLR8YOURMAC.COM for Daily News & Upgrade Reviews (CPU/Disk/Video/Games) (If you're trapped in a frames site - click here to clear frames)
Copyright © 1999 No part of this sites content is to be reproduced or distributed elsewhere without written permission. All brand or product names mentioned here are properties of their respective companies. Users of this web site must read and are bound by the terms and conditions of use.