Nine
Level 1 (15 points)

Q: Power Mac G5 SATA 1.5 compatibility question (with a SATA 3 SSD)

Hi!

 

Basically, I purchased this Solid State Drive to install in my Power Mac G5 single 1.6 Ghz (2004). The Corsair website claims that the drive (SATA 3- 6 gb/s) is backwards compatible with SATA 1 (1.5 gb/s) and Mac OS X. However, my G5 doesn't recognize it. It doesn't show up in the Finder, in Disk Utility, and as far as I can tell, not in Open Firmware either.

 

Assuming that the drive is not defective (it's brand new), could there be a compatibility with the software? I only have Tiger installed (10.4.11). Would a Leopard update fix this issue?

PowerMac G5

Posted on Jan 22, 2012 10:47 PM

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Nine

Q: Power Mac G5 SATA 1.5 compatibility question (with a SATA 3 SSD)

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  • Helpful answers

  • by japamac,Helpful

    japamac japamac Jan 23, 2012 4:53 AM in response to Nine
    Level 7 (24,390 points)
    Jan 23, 2012 4:53 AM in response to Nine

    We can assume that the drive is completely and properly connected (physically), and that those connections do work with a different drive?

     

    Except for a couple of old, out of production drives, SATA Rev. 2 (3 Gbps) drive will work with the G5's onboard controller.

     

    Typically, however, a SATA 6 Gbps drive must be limited to SATA 3 Gbps to allow for proper auto-negotiation with the G5 SATA controller.

    With SATA 6 Gbps mechanical drives, this is done with a jumper.

     

    While the claims of the maker regarding backward compatibility are correct, as that is a requirement of the SATA standards, the G5 doesn't play by standard rules when it comes to the latest SATA Rev. 3 (6 Gbps) drives.

     

    As for OS being the issue, I doubt it, as the G5 controller negotiating ability (or inability) has been called into question before, and compatibility issues have been seen before.

    Still, old software and new technology can have quirks.

  • by Nine,

    Nine Nine Jan 23, 2012 11:17 AM in response to japamac
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Jan 23, 2012 11:17 AM in response to japamac

    Thanks for the information. I am assuming that there is no way to configure a jumper on a SSD (this is the first one I've worked with), as I don't see the switch mechanism that I see on mechanical drives. I will test the drive with a newer computer to verify that it works, and then attempt to upgrade the G5's OS. If that doesn't work, then I guess I'll take the drive back. Thank you for the help!

  • by Nine,

    Nine Nine Jan 23, 2012 9:50 PM in response to Nine
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Jan 23, 2012 9:50 PM in response to Nine

    In case anyone has the same question, I ended up not upgrading to Leopard: I exchanged the SATA 3 drive for a SATA 2 and it works. As soon as I was done booting into the OS, the Finder informed me that it did not recognize the disk that I inserted (i.e. installed). Disk Utility then launched and I formatted it.

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Jan 23, 2012 10:08 PM in response to Nine
    Level 10 (123,516 points)
    Jan 23, 2012 10:08 PM in response to Nine

    Great, thanks for the report!

  • by japamac,

    japamac japamac Jan 24, 2012 1:18 AM in response to Nine
    Level 7 (24,390 points)
    Jan 24, 2012 1:18 AM in response to Nine

    I exchanged the SATA 3 drive for a SATA 2 and it works.

    As expected.

     

    Now, G5 owners considering SSD need to hurry and get a SATA Rev.2 drive before they are all gone.

    If not, then the search for a compatible PCI card will be needed to use SATA Rev. 3 drives......

  • by hauffen,

    hauffen hauffen Jul 27, 2012 7:01 PM in response to Nine
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 27, 2012 7:01 PM in response to Nine

    I just closed a case with Corsair Tech Support after a few replies. They couldn't help me get their Corsair Force GT 120 GB, SATA 3 even show up on my PowerMac G5, Dual 1.8 GHz (SATA 1) on Leopard 10.5.8).

    Their last reply conveyed advice from Apple to install Snow Leopard! That's ridiculous! Any Mac user with some experience knows that OS Snow Leopard 10.6 works only on Intel Macs.


    I explained that I cloned the OS internal drive and the Corsair SSD was bootable and perfectly operational, but only via firewire. It won't even show connected to the internal SATA hookups on either of the two bays. They saleman at Fry's Electronics assured me it would work!

    I'm still trying to figure out if SSDs SATA 3, and probably SATA II work only on Intel Macintoshes. I'm aware I would only get 1.5 Gbs, but I'd be happy to have instead of my 7200 rpm hard drive.

    Can anyone offer a solution! I will very much appreciate it.

     

    Alberto

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Jul 27, 2012 7:21 PM in response to hauffen
    Level 10 (123,516 points)
    Jul 27, 2012 7:21 PM in response to hauffen

    Haven't heard of this with SSDs yet, but occasionly G5s will see and use a SATA II drive that doesn't readily step down to SATA I speed, if there's another SATA I Drive internally... might be some kind of negotiation going on AFTER the G5 sees one proper SATA I drive.

  • by fpdesign,

    fpdesign fpdesign Sep 17, 2012 3:53 PM in response to Nine
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 17, 2012 3:53 PM in response to Nine

    I have a tried a OCZ vertex 2 240 gb  on a  PowerMac7,3 and work perfectly