How do I access my iBook G4 hard drive from a Macbook Pro

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Level 1

1 points

How do I access my iBook G4 hard drive from a Macbook Pro

My iBook G4 has not been working for some time now. Once I press the power button, a fan would come on and the screen is blank. I've had this fixed under warranty before as the motherboard had failed, but after it failed again, I gave up on it but would like to grab my files from the hard drive.

Currently I have an Early 2011 Macbook Pro. What would be the best way to copy files from my iBook's hard drive, to my Macbook Pro? Would purchasing an IDE to USB adaptor work if I remove the iBook's hard drive, or is there an easier way to get those files?

iBook, Mac OS 8.6 or Earlier, Defective Motherboard

Posted on Jul 7, 2015 5:42 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Hugh Master Of Technology

Level 2

187 points

Jul 7, 2015 5:45 PM in response to lma900

if you mac has a firewire port plug it into both mac and boot the ibook up holding down T on boot

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Answer 2

Niel

Level 10

726,863 points

Jul 7, 2015 5:45 PM in response to lma900

Connect them with a FireWire cable and start up the iBook with the T key held down. This will require a FireWire 400 to 800 adapter, also known as 6-pin to 9-pin.

(129884)

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Answer 3

Jul 7, 2015 5:46 PM in response to lma900

it you buy a usb to ide/sata and take out the hard drive it with work on your macbook pro

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Answer 4

K Shaffer

Level 7

34,972 points

Jul 8, 2015 5:30 AM in response to lma900

With the old computer's hard disk drive removed, you could try to access the data files

from it by use of an adapter which would allow such an attempt or perhaps success...

Products such as the Universal Drive Adapter USB (USB3.0/2.0, etc) from OWC exist;

these usually include a power adapter to run the removed hard drive, and a cable kit.

This one can be used with ATA/IDE/PATA and the more common SATA connection.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/U3NVSPATA/

Hopefully you are able to access and recover your files. A free file recovery application

such as Test Disk and PhotoRec may be able to help; however this example is not as

refined and will work cross-platform. It also can be customized to just retrieve file types

so experimentation and attention to detail is advised. The link below has more info:

http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

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Answer 5

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Jul 9, 2015 8:25 PM in response to lma900

Good thing it is early 2011. That's one of the last Macs to be able to run 10.6. Although you'll need the original discs that shipped with 10.6 to install on your Mac. That opens up your compatibility to many old documents otherwise not readable from the iBook. Past 10.6.8, you will have a hard time reading any Appleworks documents.

http://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6271

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