ATA Hi-Cap Driver for OS X 10.5

Question

ATA Hi-Cap Driver for OS X 10.5

Hi ALL

Has anyone here tried out the Intech's ATA Hi-Cap Driver for Mac OS X 10.5?

+*About the Intech ATA Hi-Capacity Driver (KExt)*+

+The ATA Hi-Cap Support Driver (file name: IntechATA6.kext) software was created to allow the use of extended capacity ATA drives (drives greater than 128 Gigabytes in size) on older (Pre-Mirrored Door) G4 and all G3 Macintoshes running MacOS X versions 10.2 and later. Without this software installed, any extended capacity drive which is connected to the native ATA bus on older Macintosh models will be limited to only 128 Gigabytes. Later model G4’s and all G5’s do not suffer from this limitation. The IntechATA6.kext (“kext” is short for “kernel extension”) driver has no user interface of its own. Rather, it is installed and/or removed via the included installation software program.+

Once you install the kext(s)/extension(s) for Mac OS X v10.5.x, what is/are the(ir) name(s) and where do it/them reside!?

Thank you ALL for any hint!

JoMel

Power Mac G4 Cube DP 1.7GHz + 7V zalman base fan, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Oct 6, 2008 4:35 AM

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Answer 1

R C-R

Level 6

17,794 points

Oct 6, 2008 4:52 AM in response to Community User

I have no experience with this software but all "kext" files should be installed in /System/Library/Extensions/ if they are to be available to the OS.

However, if the included installation software program can remove this software (& presumably reset anything necessary to use the old, size- limited driver) it probably would be best to use that for any install/removal that might be necessary.

BTW, your quote from Intech lists the name of the extension as "IntechATA6.kext" so is there any reason to assume that it is differently named?

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Answer 2

Oct 6, 2008 7:03 AM in response to R C-R

*R C-R*: Thank you for you reply!

The Intech's quoted text file is dated 2006 and basically explains the way the kext file works for the following:

+• MacOS X 10.2 or later+
+• All Macintosh G3ʼs (except Rev "A" Blue & White G3)+
+• All Macintosh G4ʼs which do not currently support extended capacity drives+
+• Internal ATA Hard Disk Drive greater than 128 Gigabytes in size+

I am currently running Mac OS X 10.4.11 which has the compatible IntechATA6.kext file in order to have the whole 160GB HDD capability available in my system (G4 limited to 128 Gigabytes).

Recently Intech released a compatible Mac OS X 10.5 kext file but the PDF doesn't help a lot, because it does not says anywhere the filename (for Mac OS X 10.5.x).

I am testing/installing it in an external HDD which has a fresh 10.5 and the software installer states that the v3.0 kext is properly installed, but each time I go to folder...

/System/Library/Extensions/

I am not able to spot any IntechATA filename... /sigh/

JoMel

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Answer 3

R C-R

Level 6

17,794 points

Oct 6, 2008 7:14 AM in response to Community User

Just a guess, but are you looking in the /System/Library/Extensions/ folder for the same drive that the installer targets? IOW, if the installer only installs the file on the startup drive, you would have to start up from the external drive with the fresh 10.5 OS for it to be installed there.

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Answer 4

Oct 6, 2008 8:26 AM in response to R C-R

*R C-R*: there's no doubt about it... I am going through:

Hard Disk > System (X labeled) > Library > Extensions

... and I can't spot the Intech .kext file inside the folder.

Weird thing is, each time I boot the 10.5.5 system and open the +MacOS X 10.5 Hi-Cap Installer.app+ to install/uninstall, this is the information shown at the main application window:

*Intech Hi-Cap Installer for MacOS X 10.5*

*+Select one or more System volume(s) for Hi-Cap Driver Installation or removal with a checkmark below:+*

MacOS X 10.5 Volumes > Installed Driver > • External HDD 160GB > Hi-Cap v3.0

Driver Status: Running
(Options) √ Remove / √ Install

+© 2007 Intech Software Corporation : www.SpeedTools.com+

So my guess it is installed and properly running.

Anyway, still listening to opinions/advices...

JoMel

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