Thread
Source for SCSI Hard Drives
Where is everyone going these days to get larger SCSI drives? I've got a WGS 6150 I'd like to resurrect but I'm having a hard time finding a 50-pin SCSI drive that's larger than 2 GB.
If you want to try using larger capacity scsi drives, they'll often be 68 or 80-pin jobs. You can use adapters to connect to a 50-pin world (they run about $10-20), although you may occasionally run into some incompatibilities nonetheless.
Right, I was hoping to find something without the adapters as I've read that it can be hard to fit the drives with adapters in the 6100s.
Generally speaking, 50-pin scsi drives larger than about 4GB are rare (based unscientifically on the fact that I don't own one). I once came across a large stack of 4gig drives in a surplussed server. Bought 10 at a buck apiece and upgraded my old 68k macs. Wish I had bought more (there were maybe 50 of them, total). When I got around to returning to the store, they'd all been sold.
Good luck tracking down these larger drives. They're out there, but getting more scarce day by day.
Good luck tracking down these larger drives. They're out there, but getting more scarce day by day.
I recently bought a 50 Gig Barracuda off eBay that came with a 68-50 pin adaptor. Works fine in my LC 475 if slightly overkill.
ive got a few 9gig 50pins drives. got them free from a guy at work
I have (1) 9GB native 50 pin.
There are 50GB 50 pin drives on ebay all the time (seagate I think)
There are 50GB 50 pin drives on ebay all the time (seagate I think)
yeah i have seen then
Is there anywhere I can still buy 40MB drives?
I have a 40mb drive.
why would u want such a small drive?
Isn't that "50-pin native" 50GB drive on eBay a 50GB IDE drive with an IDE-SCSI adaptor?
Off us probably, if you really wanted such a thing
I'm sure we all have lots of the stock drives that we've replaced after finding a larger drive somewhere. They're pretty useless though, you can only fit the OS and a couple of apps on there and then it's full!
but they are ideal for those restoring a Mac to original state (purists) and for those sticking multiple drives in a Mac and want to keep the OS drive seperate from the "data" drives.
I have started using my larger drives for a/v content and the smaller ones for word proc files (grant it the same drive as the OS), but it keeps the 'media' separate and transferable to another machine very easily.
I have started using my larger drives for a/v content and the smaller ones for word proc files (grant it the same drive as the OS), but it keeps the 'media' separate and transferable to another machine very easily.
I keep the original drives to my Amigas (40-80MB) so if I ever want to put them back into stock condition I can.
For the Macs I don't worry about stock condition, but I do keep the 120MB stock IIfx HD on the shelf (its the 5.25" type). I would think a 200MB HD would be fine for a pre SE/30 compact, but not so good for a Q800.
And yes, I keep A/V drives seperate from the OS and preferable in an external enclosure so I can use those drives with multiple Macs.
For the Macs I don't worry about stock condition, but I do keep the 120MB stock IIfx HD on the shelf (its the 5.25" type). I would think a 200MB HD would be fine for a pre SE/30 compact, but not so good for a Q800.
And yes, I keep A/V drives seperate from the OS and preferable in an external enclosure so I can use those drives with multiple Macs.
I bought an ATA-->SCSI converter so that I could use one big, cheap disk in my 8600. I can easily create partitions to install different operating systems and everything just works. I don't keep data on this Mac because it is just around for experimentation.
My decision for the ATA-->SCSI converter was based on:
1. I can upgrade to a bigger ATA disk if necessary (not sure if the controller will work with 128+MB disks).
2. The ATA-->SCSI converter will work happily in my 68K Macs. Even a Mac 512K with SCSI controller, with limitations.
3. Second hand IDE PCI cards for PowerMacs will become dirt cheap shortly, if not already. And IDE disks are even cheaper. So I am going to buy and scrounge them. SCSI disk that have been lightly used will become rarer. The ATA-->SCSI converter will keep my 68K Macs running on cheap/free hard disks.
I'll second Tom Lee on 4GB 50 pin SCSI drives from servers. Some people have experienced problems using Barracudas and others from Compaq servers, but experiment with formatting tools. Locate a formatter that understands the drive and does not perform a generic format. Apple's formatters, hacked or otherwise, will not do a good job. Use a third party formatter.
My decision for the ATA-->SCSI converter was based on:
1. I can upgrade to a bigger ATA disk if necessary (not sure if the controller will work with 128+MB disks).
2. The ATA-->SCSI converter will work happily in my 68K Macs. Even a Mac 512K with SCSI controller, with limitations.
3. Second hand IDE PCI cards for PowerMacs will become dirt cheap shortly, if not already. And IDE disks are even cheaper. So I am going to buy and scrounge them. SCSI disk that have been lightly used will become rarer. The ATA-->SCSI converter will keep my 68K Macs running on cheap/free hard disks.
I'll second Tom Lee on 4GB 50 pin SCSI drives from servers. Some people have experienced problems using Barracudas and others from Compaq servers, but experiment with formatting tools. Locate a formatter that understands the drive and does not perform a generic format. Apple's formatters, hacked or otherwise, will not do a good job. Use a third party formatter.
... I had great luck with a few 4GB Barracudas from Compaq (ones with vendor string COMPAQPC). Formatted 'em with Drive Setup (patched).
I guess it's really true that your mileage may vary.
I guess it's really true that your mileage may vary.
Most of the issues using 80/68 Pin drives converted to 50 pin is termination and formatting software. I have had decent luck with silverlining (mostly for 030 machines), charismac anubus (for the SEIV and Jackhammer cards), and Micronet utilities (for Micronet cards).
Is it?? Does this seller do this regularly? And who are they?
I don't think it's an IDE-SCSI adapter. An IDE-SCSI 'bridge' as they are called runs about $65, so nobody is going to be selling an IDE drive with one of these cheaply. I think it's a 68 to 50 pin adapter. I have never personally seen a 50 pin drive bigger than 9gb.
50 pins drives are thing of the past 
It could be. Those thingy's are expensive, but there are lots of them that were bundled, so if the seller doesn't know that that thingy at the back of his IDE drive is worth more than the drive itself, there's no sense informing him. Chances are, though, it's just a cheap 50pin to 68pin adaptor.
There is at least one seller in the Mac sections of Ebay who loudly touts "50 pin SCSI" drives which are really adapted SCA (80 pin) drives. If you read his Item Description closely down near the bottom somewhere he'll mention that you can get a 68 pin drive instaed of a 50 pin drive, and, of course, what he really means, is that he'll include a SCA to 68 pin adapter instead of a SCA to 50 pin adapter.
Nowhere in the Item Description does he explicitly mention that he's really selling dirt cheap SCA drives with adapters as "50 pin SCSI drives".
I don't remember the seller's ID, but his auction motif is fairly distinctive with a lot of red, IIRC.
SCA drives with adapters can be made to work, but proper termination is a big issue of which most folks are ignorant. Having an adapter which is capable of handling termination properly is an issue too. And the termination must be handled differently depending on whether the drive is at the end or in the middle of the chain in non-obvious ways.
I wrote some pretty long explanations on this topic in the news groups (comp.sys.mac.***) back when, either under trag@io.com or some variation on walther or jwalther@tnrcc.... Although those explanations may have been for adapting 68 pin wide drives to 50 pins. The principles are the same though.
As for 4GB Seagate SCSI drives...
If the drive you find is an ST15150N, I would avoid it. I had some of those back when they were new and expensive. They are *loud*, *hot* and in my experience, unreliable, but htat could have been a function of the heat. Even with proper cooling, they're still loud. These were some of the earliest, if not the first Barracuda drive and the first 7200 RPM drives were loud.
Another one to avoid is the 2 GB ST32550N. They were kick-bum in their day, but now days they're just loud and slow. Their best real-world data transfer rate is about 6MB/s.
Newer drives than those are probably faster and quieter. I mention those two, because I have experience with them and because I saw many many of them flood the used market when they came out of servers.
The Acard line of SCSI to IDE adapters has support for devices larger than 128 or 137 GB. So, in theory, you can put that $100 500GB drive in your SE/30. What's the maxium volume size on the SE/30? How many disk icons will that give you?
SCSI to IDE adapters are nice, though. IDE drives are common, inexpensive and with modern drives, quiet, cool and low power (relatively speaking). There can be issues about which drives are supported. In my experience, I've never had an IDE drive fail to work with the adapter, but I've read reports from others who have found drives with which their adapter was finicky. Still, IDE drives can be had so cheaply, how expensive is it to try a different drive?
I haven't posted to the Trading Post forum yet, because I want to take some pictures and such, but I have several Acard 7220U SCSI to IDE adapters for sale for $39 + shipping. Or $44 + ship with a 3.5" to 2.5" adapter included. trag@io.com
Nowhere in the Item Description does he explicitly mention that he's really selling dirt cheap SCA drives with adapters as "50 pin SCSI drives".
I don't remember the seller's ID, but his auction motif is fairly distinctive with a lot of red, IIRC.
SCA drives with adapters can be made to work, but proper termination is a big issue of which most folks are ignorant. Having an adapter which is capable of handling termination properly is an issue too. And the termination must be handled differently depending on whether the drive is at the end or in the middle of the chain in non-obvious ways.
I wrote some pretty long explanations on this topic in the news groups (comp.sys.mac.***) back when, either under trag@io.com or some variation on walther or jwalther@tnrcc.... Although those explanations may have been for adapting 68 pin wide drives to 50 pins. The principles are the same though.
As for 4GB Seagate SCSI drives...
If the drive you find is an ST15150N, I would avoid it. I had some of those back when they were new and expensive. They are *loud*, *hot* and in my experience, unreliable, but htat could have been a function of the heat. Even with proper cooling, they're still loud. These were some of the earliest, if not the first Barracuda drive and the first 7200 RPM drives were loud.
Another one to avoid is the 2 GB ST32550N. They were kick-bum in their day, but now days they're just loud and slow. Their best real-world data transfer rate is about 6MB/s.
Newer drives than those are probably faster and quieter. I mention those two, because I have experience with them and because I saw many many of them flood the used market when they came out of servers.
The Acard line of SCSI to IDE adapters has support for devices larger than 128 or 137 GB. So, in theory, you can put that $100 500GB drive in your SE/30. What's the maxium volume size on the SE/30? How many disk icons will that give you?
SCSI to IDE adapters are nice, though. IDE drives are common, inexpensive and with modern drives, quiet, cool and low power (relatively speaking). There can be issues about which drives are supported. In my experience, I've never had an IDE drive fail to work with the adapter, but I've read reports from others who have found drives with which their adapter was finicky. Still, IDE drives can be had so cheaply, how expensive is it to try a different drive?
I haven't posted to the Trading Post forum yet, because I want to take some pictures and such, but I have several Acard 7220U SCSI to IDE adapters for sale for $39 + shipping. Or $44 + ship with a 3.5" to 2.5" adapter included. trag@io.com
Your memory of the 1990s is great, Jeff. Yes, the ST15150N is hot and noisy. All server drives of the same era share the same attributes. Use them in an external case, rather than inside a pizza box Mac. "Unreliability" -- you may have experienced some quick failures, but we didn't. My work colleagues were shouting about lost backups rather than failing Compaq RAIDs. YMMV. Today, I find the ST15150N a useful drive, aside from the formatting problems.
My brother works in IT and just got me a batch of 9 and 18gb IBM drives with 68 to 50 pin bridges. I get lots of throwaways that way.
Great find, Quadraman. I wish someone would throw some my way. I get some from here (IT surplus store in the Philippines)
I just want a good replacement drive - as the 160MB drive my 6100/60 died, but when I asked a few sellers of 68 pin SCSI drives with adapters they turned out to be refurbished.
I would like to keep it standard, I don't really want to fit a drive with an adapter in the 6100/60's empty CD bay.
Aren't there any 50 Pin SCSI drives out there?
I would like to keep it standard, I don't really want to fit a drive with an adapter in the 6100/60's empty CD bay.
Aren't there any 50 Pin SCSI drives out there?
My very first Mac (Q950) back in 2000 came from Herb, he was ok.
He might be a good guy but Herb's payment terms (no credit cards, no PayPal) put me off.