Generally, the Intel-based Macs would have
little problem with using the hardware, or at
least partitions on it; PPC-based Macs may
have an issue. However, if you have some
other external drive, you could experiment
by using Disk Utility in the Mac to change a
known working drive's format, and see if it
has any viable options you can check & test.
{The correct chipset in the enclosure is key.
If it does not support Mac OS X booting, then
you probably won't get far even if the drive
were wiped and totally set up for Mac only.}
You may be able to tell if it is possible to use
the *master boot record* formatted segmented
partition with an HFS+ (journaled) format on
it for use with booting Mac OS X, by using the
Disk Utility in the Mac, and have it check the
partition maps and also use Disk Utility to check
and see if it tells you (there should be info) in
the Disk Utility apps screen where you see the
name of the partition in question and click on it,
then the Utility can check that one section.
The other day, I thought to erase a USB 2.0 flash
thumbdrive since it wasn't reading correctly, had
errors, and would eventually freeze/crash my Mac.
In the process of secure erasing and overwriting it
with zeros, I checked how it would act with HFS+
since the USB flash drive had been MS DOS FAT16.
And after messing around awhile (since I really was
going to see if I could kill the device once & for all)
found I could have a partition on the USB2.0 that
had been formatted master boot record, but just a
partition on it could have HFS+ and support OS X.
However, usually a USB drive won't boot Mac OS X
on a PPC computer. So, I did not go there; instead
I wiped the USB flash/thumb drive again and had the
utility overwrite it with Zeros once more; then had it
put a MS DOS FAT 32 format to the device. It uses
less space on a limited device in formatting than HFS.
So, I think I know what you are talking about.
• *Main issue* is, if a FW external enclosure has
the correct controller chipset (oxford-type) capable of
supporting Mac OS X booting, as well as clone use.
Not all of them can, so that could be one hurdle.
Anyway, I have not really answered your question as I
see it; but I do bring up a few other thoughts.
The Mac can see a DOS or window-ready drive, but
needs to generally have a supported partition map to
run OS X in a PPC computer; and a format on top of it.
Mac OS X and other unix-based systems use variants
of file system support and their demands are somewhat
different than windows. You may have to read up on the
issues to find how variable this matter can be.
Perhaps someone will see your post, now a few days old,
and add comment or observation of a more helpful nature.
I tend to get writing (while listening to the television or ?)
then realize I've written a totem pole of words. Oh well.
• About Master Boot Record - wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masterbootrecord
Newer Macs use the GUID/GPT partition map, while old
PPC Macs generally use the APM (apple partition map)
so the data laid down on the hard disk drive may have a
problem with being used without correct preparation or
without a different partition & format scheme. The use
of a Mac friendly partition map on an already partitioned
hard disk drive should not be impossible.
But it may have to be an Intel-based Mac, unless some
other provision is made to use the PPC computer.
There are a ton of general topics that come up in a search.
One of mine in this matter, is a tip of an ice berg:
*mac os x: ppc booting from master boot record* - google
http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&q=MacOS+X%3A+PPC+booting+from+master+boot+record&aq=&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=8bc48c66f0d3c525
Usually I format hard disk drives for use with OS X apps
and bootable systems in a way different than those used
with data storage where a boot system, especially OS X,
is not going to be installed. Your Mac Disk Utility can help
give you indications of support for Mac booting partitions;
one item that does appear, is the offer of the Utility to put
OS 9 drivers on the partition. They are not necessary for
OS X or non-boot Classic; but can't be put directly on a
drive that was set up under a DOS or windows scheme.
The best answer would be to get a different external drive
unit and use it for the Mac. A newer external enclosure could
be used for new and older Macs, and some PCs; given a
correct initial partition map and then allocate partitions for
each of the different system types. The Mac disk utility is
more likely to be capable of setting up a cross-platform disk.
I've only messed around with a few PCs; I found out what
was wrong with them and decided to re-gift them to PC
folks who could somehow justify wasting time on them.
And I have never bought a non-Mac computer; they were
given to me. Of the 144 (yes, that's a gross) Macs I've
owned, some of them were free and others were traded for
or bought in non-working condition. Most were restored and
donated complete, to charity thrift stores in working condition.
(So, now I have only 6 Macs; 5 work, and one runs OS 8.6.)
There you have it. I have no expert opinion.
Other than being low on coffee & Vitamin D.
Maybe I should run for office now? LOL.
However the original question works out...
Good luck & happy computing! 🙂
