G4 hard drive size limit

Question

Level 1

8 points

G4 hard drive size limit

Hi folks – I'm a long time PC user surrounded by Mac users who tell me they are so much better. So I’ve decided to try.

I’ve acquired a PowerMac G4 Model M8570

It needed a replacement hard drive. I have been fortunate to be able to clone its sister machine running OS X 10.4.7 using Carbon Copy Cloner. They both had 60 G drives. The one I put in is 320 G. The OS saw the drive as 120 G..

Is there a way to force it to see the full size of the drive?

M8570, Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Apr 8, 2008 6:03 AM

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Answer 1

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Apr 8, 2008 3:29 PM in response to rpuma

Hi-

OK- so you installed the 320gb drive into a Quicksilver (I believe) that doesn't support large drives, and did the formatting, correct? This would explain the 128gb size.

If you need to go the clone route for the OS in the MDD, clone the sister to a smaller drive, install into the MDD (along with the 320gb drive). Boot to the smaller drive, reformat the 320gb drive, and clone again.

Two drives (can support up to 4 in the MDD) should both be jumpered to Cable Select.

For future ID purposes, use these articles:
Power Mac G4: How to Differentiate Between Models
Power Mac G4: How to Differentiate Between Models, Part 2

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Answer 2

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Apr 8, 2008 6:37 AM in response to rpuma

Hi-

Welcome to Discussions!

Can you provide more info on the machine? CPU speed? Number of CPU's?
The M8570 is a Mirror Drive Door (MDD) G4. All the MDD's were able to support drives larger than 137gb (128gb formatted). A 320gb in an older (pre-MDD, some QS's) machine would show 128gb formatted...the 120gb is a bit confusing....
How is the 320gb drive formatted? Mac OS Extended?

The drive shouldn't need "forcing", and as such, as in a PC, there are no BIOS hacks or what not in OS X....

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Answer 3

rpuma Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 8, 2008 7:54 AM in response to japamac

Thanks - you may be close to the answer. The "sister machine" that I cloned off was an G4 - M8493 - could this be it? Maybe I have to find another drive and clone back and forth on the M8570.

The Mac tells me that it has two processors running at 867 MHz with 1.25 GB RAM

When I installed it in the M8493, the OS told me that a disc had been installed which could not be read, and asked if I wished to Initialise it. I said yes, and it offered MAC Extended (journalled) formating - the same as the hard drive that was to be cloned. I accepted this.

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Answer 4

Nadav

Level 3

566 points

Apr 11, 2008 9:51 AM in response to japamac

Japanmac,

Really, we all know that the MDD macs including MDD FW800 + mine which is the 2003 MDD can support hard drives larger than 128GB, but in reality, what is the ABSOLUTE MAX that the MDD can support, or is it ENDLESS? In other words for example, if it existed, a 2TB drive?

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Answer 5

Nadav

Level 3

566 points

Apr 11, 2008 6:07 PM in response to japamac

Ok, so it only supports up to petabyte capacity? When will we be getting up to petabyte drives?

hahah.. ok, I think I now know! Thanks!

Please check into my response regarding the 1.25/1.42 rivalry. regarding my heating problems.

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Answer 6

May 21, 2008 5:45 AM in response to rpuma

I had the same problem, I purchased a 500Gb IDE Hard drive for my Digital Audio G4. I searched high and low for a cost effective solution - I was aiming at purchasing a PCI card.

Then I came across this script that you can run and then your computer will pick up the drive at its correct size. Been using it for a while, and so far no problems, of course I cannot take any responsibility if things go wrong but works fine for me.

http://themacelite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=772

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