Performa 400 (really old Macintosh) w/prob dead HD

Question

AlisaK2000 Author

Level 1

0 points

Performa 400 (really old Macintosh) w/prob dead HD

Hello,

I have an old Macintosh Performa 400 purchased back in 1992 that I wanted to reinstall the System 7.5 OS on but discovered the HD is dead (won't spin) and was wondering if anyone knows if I can simply substitute any 80MB (yes MB NOT GB) for the Apple HD - I am refitting it to give away to like a preschool as that is all it is worth and do not want to spend any money on it. I know I should just toss it but it was my baby (my first computer) and it is in mint shape w/all original manuals, boxes and software and even additional software.

My additional question is that if a regular PC HD is used will the installation floppies (yes this unit was built pre-CD/DVD days - also no internal network card either nor modem) format the HD to Mac and then install?

Thank you,
AlisaK2000
I can be contacted at AlisaK2000@aol.com if needed.

Performa 400, Mac OS 8.6 or Earlier, Yes, I know it's ancient but....

Posted on May 25, 2009 9:09 PM

Reply

Answer 1

May 25, 2009 10:19 PM in response to AlisaK2000

Yes, any 50 pin scsi hard drive can be used. The problem comes in getting it formatted correctly. Apple's HD SC setup utility only works on drives with an Apple rom. A third party utility such as Lido or FWB's hard disk toolkit can correctly format the drive. There is also a hacked version of the setup utility floating around the internet that can format any drive.

Reply

Answer 2

AlisaK2000 Author

Level 1

0 points

May 25, 2009 11:11 PM in response to John Helock

Sounds like I will have a lot of work ahead of me - problem being that this is the only Apple machine I have - after this one it became more prudent for my career path at that time (and pretty much even now) that I go PC - even though Macs are a better quality machine. There are fewer of them in use in mainstream business - hence why I work on a PC help desk for Liz Claiborne and also Macs are more expensive. (I truly wish I could afford a Mac though). Sounds like the simpler way would be to get my hands on a Mac HD - I have an Apple store near me I will visit tomorrow and see what they might be able to yield in knowing where I can get old scraps. Since I am moving I will back burner this project as I am moving this Thursday and it sounds like not fast work to fix this.

Do you know where (In Bergen County, NJ) I can get my hands on a Mac HD like I need?

Alisa

Reply

Answer 3

May 26, 2009 6:01 AM in response to AlisaK2000

You can go ahead and use any (smallish) SCSI drive you can connect to your Performa. You need a patched version of HD SC, though. See this page:
http://www.euronet.nl/users/ernstoud/patch.html
or this page:
http://lowendmac.com/sable/07/mac-drive-setup-patch.html

Reply

Answer 4

May 26, 2009 10:35 AM in response to John Helock

There was a problem with drives of about that size -- they developed sticky lubricant on the platters and would not spin up. You may be able to get it free by tapping it against something fairly forgiving (like the palm of your hand). Dropping it or hitting with a hammer will wipe it out permanently.

Reply

Answer 5

AlisaK2000 Author

Level 1

0 points

May 26, 2009 10:55 AM in response to JustSomeGuy

Hello,

With what is being suggested would I have to put the "tools" you are suggesting onto a Mac formatted floppy disk and then run it w/the new non-apple HD installed? If yes, then "Houston, we have a problem" as this old relic is the only Mac I own or have access to therefore I cannot format a floppy disk for Macs.

I will also try the gentle palm tapping of the existing drive to see if there is an easy fix for this. I haven't run this machine in well over 10 years approximately.

FYI - to any readers of this thread - remember this Mac is my only mac as I have gone PC a long time ago.....so anything needed must be w/out needing a running Mac to facilitate the fix.

Alisa

Reply

Answer 6

May 26, 2009 8:09 PM in response to AlisaK2000

This sounds like a stuck drive to me as well.

The other way to try and free it up is to pull out the drive and swish it side to side a few times in the hope that it loosens itself up enough to spin up. Any hard blows will kill it though.

As for finding another, the real problem with stuff this old is that you might wind up with another dead/bad hard drive or one on it's last legs due to it's age.

Your particular Mac loads up it's system from floppies, you don't have the set that it came with? If not you can find them on eBay by searching for, macintosh system 7 disks.

Plan B might be to track down a local Mac User Group or MUG and see if someone in the group has old parts and software.

Kevin

Reply

Answer 7

May 26, 2009 8:13 PM in response to AlisaK2000

Alisa,

If you can get the original drive working again, that is best. If you can get a non-Apple drive and need the setup utility on 3.5" diskette, send me an email. I would have no problem sending you one.

John

Reply

Answer 8

AlisaK2000 Author

Level 1

0 points

May 26, 2009 8:48 PM in response to Niteshooter

Hello,

I have all of the original floppies - both for system 7.0 which came on the unit and then also the 7.5 upgrade (don't remember if it is an upgrade or the full OS install - non-dependant on unit having 7.0). I will take a crack at removing the drive and lightly tapping it (my sledge hammer is already packed for the moving company on Thursday..LOL!). It has been a while since I tinkered with this old technology so my knowledge is def rusty. If the drive isn't savable then I take it my options are to best case find an ancient replacement drive (thank goodness I have an Apple Store near me to ask at) or figure out about the patching thing which w/b needed if I use a PC drive. My big question is the patch kit that I was provided links to - does that need to be put onto a Mac formatted floppy or is PC floppy fine - and - when patching will the drive need to be in the Mac or will I have to remove it and attach it some how to my PC to get it patched? Last question - if I need to go the "patch" route what happens in the future if the unit needs to have the system software reinstalled again at some point - will the person whom gets the computer need to know what they are doing and be aware they have a hybrid unit or will it be permanently patched and accept w/o question the reinstallation of the Mac OS w/o needing repatching every time?

Alisa

Reply

Answer 9

May 27, 2009 6:56 AM in response to AlisaK2000

AlisaK2000 wrote:
If the drive isn't savable then I take it my options are to best case find an ancient replacement drive (thank goodness I have an Apple Store near me to ask at)

The Apple Store probably won't be able to help. The Geniuses were probably born after your machine was built. 🙂 But it's worth a shot.

AlisaK2000 wrote:
or figure out about the patching thing which w/b needed if I use a PC drive. My big question is the patch kit that I was provided links to - does that need to be put onto a Mac formatted floppy or is PC floppy fine - and - when patching will the drive need to be in the Mac or will I have to remove it and attach it some how to my PC to get it patched?

Your Performa 400 has a drive that will read PC formatted floppies, so you can move the files from place to place that way.

AlisaK2000 wrote:
Last question - if I need to go the "patch" route what happens in the future if the unit needs to have the system software reinstalled again at some point - will the person whom gets the computer need to know what they are doing and be aware they have a hybrid unit or will it be permanently patched and accept w/o question the reinstallation of the Mac OS w/o needing repatching every time?

The person inheriting the machine will probably want to go to some sort of solid-state storage solution rather than having physical platters spinning at 5000 RPM. (Or whatever RPM they spin at.) If someone is going to be nursing one of these old machines along, it always pays to have a few different ones around to help each other. A single vintage Mac among PCs needs a little help from its friends. 🙂

Reply

Answer 10

Proxify

Level 1

0 points

May 27, 2009 10:01 PM in response to AlisaK2000

I use Transmac on my Windows Pc to write Mac Formatted floppys from img files. It is a 30 day trial and then requires registration for more use.

Reply

Answer 11

Proxify

Level 1

0 points

May 27, 2009 10:36 PM in response to Proxify

If you could find a Disk Tools img on the net that should work with your mac you could download it and write it to a disk using Transmac. I have a Mac OS 8.0 Disk tools disk. Only disk I need to boot up to scan my drives if they aren't working properly. However I am unsure if apple created a disk like this one before Mac os 8.0.

Reply