Q: HD swap from PPC G4 tower to iMac PPC G4?
I have an iMac PPC G4 (the original flat panel w/ dome base), and a Power Mac PPC G4 "Digital Audio". These both have their original 'insides'.
My iMac HD has died, it appears, and I want to make one 'puter out of both.
Can I put the HD from the Pwer Mac tower into the iMac?
The HD from the tower is a Maxtor, and the one from the iMac is a Seagate, but they are very close to each other in dimensional size, and only 20 g's dif in HD space. I have looked at them both, and it seems like it should work, but know many of you out there are way more knowledgable than I on stuff like this.
Also, if I do this, will I be able to reload my original iMac discs on it? Would like to still have a computer that can run OS9xx, as a personal preference...
I have a new iMac Intel, but I want to keep the old one running for my kids and older iPods, etc.
Thanks in advance for your input!
Alicia
PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.4.11), G4 "DA" Tower, 733 MHz, 1.5 MB
Posted on Aug 14, 2012 8:04 PM
They use the same type of hard drive, which is IDE/ATA. You need to make sure the jumpers (for the master/slave setting) are set the same way for the replacement as the original. I believe the hard drive is on the same IDE bus as the optical drive, on that iMac. NOTE: You need to refer to the jumper diagram, because not all hard drives use the same jumper placement to mean the same setting.
Also, if it's an early model iMac G4, hard drive capacity above 128GB may not be recognized. Later iMac G4 models can go beyond 128GB. If the replacement drive is under 128GB, you don't have to worry.
Posted on Aug 14, 2012 8:23 PM