extra hard drives won't show--MacPro

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MaryW Author

Level 6

15,854 points

extra hard drives won't show--MacPro

My Mac pro:

Early 2008

4 GB ram

El Capitan

2 x 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 256 MB

500 GB SATA Disk

I am posting this again cause I seem to have lost the original post---nowhere to be found...LOL

I installed 2 HD's from my PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8), G4-AGP:450:Sawtooth:2GB ram:2HD, I did as instructed by opening the door, removing them then placing them into the HD bays of the Mac Pro. Unfortunately neither one will be acknowledged. One was used for storage so there is not OS in it, just files but the other was/is a master drive so that is most likely the reason it hung up on reboot, it got confused as to which drive to start with, old or new...it has Mt. Lion

Do the additional drives for the Mac Pro need to be a certain kind, these are ATA drives that do not show.

Mac Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), 4GB ram, Early 2008

Posted on Oct 2, 2016 3:46 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 2, 2016 7:40 PM in response to MaryW

Drives for the Mac Pro are SATA drives, and have a distinctive two-part connector that supplies power on the 15-pin side and data on the 7-pin side:

(click to enlarge)

image from wikipedia

Did you use the sleds from your Mac Pro? did you tighten the screws so that they were all "just snug" and slightly compressing the washers? were you careful to be certain the drives were fully seated into the backplane connectors? Did you have any trouble at all closing the door?

Is it that Finder can't see them? >> Use Finder Preferences to show all drives.

...or that they cannot be seen in Disk Utility?

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Answer 2

MaryW Author

Level 6

15,854 points

Oct 3, 2016 12:20 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I guess since they are ATA and not SATA could be the reason for them not being seen.

I looked in finder prefs and see nothing for show all drives.

finder nor disk utility can see them, had no problems installing them, door shut find and dandy.

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Answer 3

lllaass

Level 10

210,519 points

Oct 3, 2016 2:00 AM in response to MaryW

The HDs in a PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8), G4-AGP:450:Sawtooth:2GB ram:2HD, are PATA, not SATA and thus will not work in a 2008 except for possibly using the PATA connection for the optical drive.

The HDs in a G5 Power Mac are SATA but not a G4

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Answer 4

MaryW Author

Level 6

15,854 points

Oct 3, 2016 2:02 AM in response to lllaass

Phooey, I was told when I bought it that they would work. Oh Well, maybe one day I can get a usb holder for them to be used still as externals...maybe the one can be bootable since it has mt.lion or erased then put OS 9.2 for daughters older games

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