150GB Raptor?

A Dual Core 2.0 G5 with PCI Express video may not need a controller. And SeriTek has yet to offer their PCIe model. So right now, IF someone really needed a controller AND they had a late 2005/early 2006 G5, there is no bootable SATA controller available.

Luckily, that isn't true.

WD Raptor WD740GD 74GB 8MB cache and, does not require a controller on PCI/PCI-X G5s.

G4 MDD 1.25 1.75GB UL3D 15K/10K RAID Mac OS X (10.4.6) SoftRAID 3.5

Much helpful input on this thread...

Many Thanks to you all for contributing...

Facts that I happen to know (which may be useful), are...

G5 Dual Core 2.0 Systems (PCI-X), if the Raptor 150GB is used for the boot disk, can work just fine with no apparent problems, without the use of a SATA controller card of any kind.

No 80GB+ file transfers are involved in such a setup.

My brother (Fang Suede on other discussions) is using such a set up...

To say that he is pleased with it, is an understatement.

Brothers being brothers, I have a Quad, which runs 4 internal 500GB Hitachi SATA II's in a 5 level RAID (SwiftData200R).

The array works fine.

On the other hand, my system boots off of a Western Digital 250GB SATA I.

It could be faster, according to my several discussions with the folks at Western Digital.

I will be installing a 150GB Raptor X (desktop option, as opposed to enterprise or RAID option) without TLER (time limited error recovery enabled) next week.

I will use the migration option and keep you posted on my hopeful saga...

Cheers,

Tyvol


Quad Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Quad Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Quad Mac OS X (10.4.7)

G5 Dual Core 2.0 Systems (PCI-X), if the Raptor 150GB
is used for the boot disk, can work just fine with no
apparent problems, without the use of a SATA
controller card of any kind.


I will be installing a 150GB Raptor X (desktop
option, as opposed to enterprise or RAID option)
without TLER (time limited error recovery enabled)
next week.

Cheers,

Tyvol

From Apple Store:

Dual-core 2GHz PowerPC G5 processor
512MB of 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-4200)
Three open PCI-Express expansion slots

I mention because I never saw or heard of Dual Core and PCI-X in the same specs.
I was under the impression that TLER was disabled on both Raptor models and you pay extra for Raptor-X.

Anyway, just good to know both of you are happy Raptor campers 😉

Thanks for the encouragement!

I am keeping my fingers crossed that operational Raptors in G5's run in the family...

I'll keep you posted when I get mine next week.

Just so you know, Fangsuede's Dual Core with PCI-X is actually one of the earlier Dual 2.0's that Apple produced.

I think it's rare too, but that's the way it sets up...

(I believe that Fangsuede may have responded to you over on the "RAID or Raptor?" discussion...)

In reading the helpful contributions in this "150GB Raptor?" discussion, I had the same "TLER disabled on all Raptors" impression as you, but in talking with WD last week, I was assured that the X model "was not configured with it" and in the enterprise or RAID version (cheaper priced version) it was a standard feature.

I decided to go for the X because I wouldn't know how to disable the TLER (which I don't want in the boot drive) and all they (WD) would relate is, "that's how these Raptors are configured."

All the more confusing as Fangsuede is running his G5 just fine with the "non-X" Raptor as his boot drive...

We shall see what develops...

Just want to add/say that when there is a 200-character URL hanging off to the right.... it makes throws page display w-a-y o-f-f

WD has the most confusing set of jumper "documentation" (If it comes with a jumper on pins 1-2 that means OFF, but if there is no jumper present, then adding jumpers makes it ON, or something along those lines). ;-(

I wonder if your brother has what would be last prototype while they were designing? definitely rare. The important part is whether is has "newer SATA" ports and support.

NCQ also doesn't help desktop use (although I think I could see how OS X boot drive might - one of the problems of reviews and benchmarks written for Win/XP and unable to change or disable NCQ on Mac).

I know a couple people with PCI-X late models running boot drive on 150GB model also not "X" just fine. I tried to get xlr8yourmac to both ask for a poll, or to mention that it is 'safe to use' but he's sticking to what WDC says for now.

Only thing people can do is add their drive experience to
Drive Upgrade DB

Many thanks for the URL input!

I'm being rude and I don't even know it!

This has to be fixed...

Does this response also have the 200 character URL you mention?

I'd sure like to know because I can't see it and my page display seems to be fine...

I also can't even see it in the previous two replies, but I am a very new nubie at this...

I also appreciate your pointer to the drive upgrade DB at xlr8yourmac.com...

I'll post my (hopefully excellent) results there, as well.

Well...

Recieved and installed 150GB Raptor in my G5 Quad...

As it is the boot disk, it works more than fine, because of its speed.

I happen to have all data on a RAID, but I do notice that all usual application operations are a little bit quicker to do stuff...

Then, of course, decisions are requested (of you) much faster...

In terms of sound, I can modestly hear it over all other noise, but it sounds like small, brief and pleasant wind chimes...

And, guess what?

All sound goes away (that I can hear) as the disk gets a little more data...

So, for those of you that are interested, the 150GB Raptor works just fine in the most recent Apple G5 Quad....

Cheers,

Tyvol

G5 Quad, CPU=PPC (4 @ 2.5 GHz) Mac OS X (10.4.7) GPU=7800 GTX 512MB, RAID=1.4 TB (Level 5), 23" HD Display, Canon LiDE 500

Hey Luciano Caballero and others.

If your going to post a very wide link, use html instead.

Note: remove the *'s in this example.

<a href ="paste some darn long link here between the quotes" >Now write a description here <*/a>

Visit HDforIndies.com

Thanks. 🙂

Just a small update...

It's been over a month now with the 150 GB Raptor installed as the boot drive in my Quad and I've not experienced any problems that I can see, anyway, so far.

I did a few iMovie HD projects and some large DVD creations with this setup, but I made sure (taking your advice) that all the heavy lifting (large file stuff) was done by a level 5 RAID setup.

Even the iPhoto Library and all audio files are on the RAID.

Also, I'm trying to keep the 150 GB Raptor so that it has about 70-80 GB free, but I'm not sure that this makes any difference.

A couple more months and I'll check in again...

Cheers,
Al

Started a new thread: Your Raptor 150 GB experiences with system config

If you'd like to share it would be appreciated...

I finally think I may have gotten some where with WDC customer support.

This may just be a firmware issue folks. It is so weird that on the exact same computer configuration, one Raptor 150 will freeze when copying files, while another will work just fine. I have tested over 7 different drives on all the different revisions of G5.

The only G5 that seems to work regardless of the drive are the last revision Dual core model. Every other G5 system I tested had issues.

Maybe it was luck, or a strange coincidence, but I noticed that all the Raptors with firmware 19.06P19 froze on the non dual-core G5's, while models with the 20.07P20 firmware worked just fine.

The newer firmware models have a full model number of WD1500ADFD-00NLR1.


Can everyone check their system profiler and note the model and revision numbers? This may just be an issue with a newer revision working fine in the non dual-core G5's while the older version has compatibility problems.

Im running integrity X hardcore nonstop on two systems (one a dual 2.0 original, and one a dual 2.7 3rd gen), each loaded with a 20.07P20 model and they havnt had a hitch so far.

Can a few others check into this?

Dual 2.7 G5 Mac OS X (10.4.7) 3GB RAM, X800XT

rpg, Thanks for keeping this thread alive. A Raptor is on my list of upgrades and have been watching these issues for a while. I have the first quad shipped in the UK, so these reports of yours and other are very informative.

Thanks.

So what's the verdict -- stay away from the 150G for a Quad G5 still? Looks like there is success by Oliover at xlr8yourmac.com forums. Comments welcomed. Thanks.

Hi,
Any more news on these 150GB Raptors?

I finally got around to reading this entire thread, good stuff.
I have been using a Raptor 150GB for some time now in my DP2.0GHz G5 will no ill effects.
It is curious to note that my Raptor is the enterprise version Model WD1500ADFD-00NLR1. TLER is off.
I regularly make iMovie HD movies (up to 2 hours) and burn them to iDVD, then move those files to my 300GB backup storage disk - no problems experienced so far.
Maybe I don't move large enough files often enough, or it's the newer WD Firmware on my Raptor.
Who knows?

My Mac G5 was made in March, 2004 in Elk Grove.
It is the 2.0GHzDP PCIx model.

Regards,
Dave

I have not tried one yet in my Quad G5 -- my 74G Raptor works fine for a year now