I'd like to know if I can install a scsi hard drive on my 6500/250. It has internal ATA bus and a scsi bus but I don't know if that means I can install an internal drive.
Do I have to go with an external
one or can I go internal?
And if I go internal how do I go about opening the case.
Thanks.

you can get information on opening a 6500 case here:
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/news/133_64006500.txt

I too have a PM 6500 and I have been completely unable to figure out how to open the case to install a SCSI HD.

It seems a little extreme ( not to mention inconvenient and expensive ) in this day and age to have to take my Mac to an authorised dealer ( which a few on the ground in London )to simply install a second HD.

I would be very grateful to anyone who could shed light on how to get into a PM6500.

Regards
Mitch

The top bay is precabled and you can easily place a scsi drive (50 pin) there. There are 2 big release buttons under the front cover and you need to pry the face off carefully- it's a little unnerving the first time.

I have a 6500/275 and have also considered this option. To install one in the top bay with the preinstalled cable you need to have a hard drive with a 50-pin connection. Most new hard drives require 68-pins. If you want to use one of these, you might need to add a new mac-compatible scsi card into one of the PCI slots and thread the cable through the case. The top panel will slide off if you unscrew the screw in the back and slide it back to make things easier. I hope this answers any questions you have.

[Walker]

The 6400 zone has a perfect visual description on opening the 6400/6500. I had a scsi drive installed in my upper bay a few years ago.

here's the link:
http://members.aol.com/zone6400/files/front_top.html

Your going to need a mounting sled for the top bay. You might want to check on eBay.
Search for: "hd sled"

Good Luck
Steve

Well, I have a 9GB SCSI drive in the top bay of my 6500 and I didn't need a sled. I just have it sitting in there. One thing you may want to consider: get a fan. Hard drives (at least the one I have) get fairly hot so I just left the drive panel (the one at the top front) and the top panel off, and stuck the fan over the hole in the top. Not only does it keep the drive cool, but it adds a little unnecessary cooling to the rest of the computer

I know the 6500 guide says not to leave the top panel off, but we do anyway.

Once I get home, I can upload the PDF file I got from Apple's website (I'm at school now so I can't do it). It has FULL instructions on how to take the computer apart - and when I say apart, I mean until everything is disconnected from everything else

If you have any specific questions, you can e-mail me at merciless@mac.com and I could give some more info.

One more thing...in regards to the removing of panels here's how I did it.

1) Remove the screw at the top back of the computer (this allows you to get the top panel off)

2) Feel for the two tabs on the underside of the front panel (just above where the "feet" are) Push those in and pull - hard. If it won't give, use a small screwdriver and pry it under the side of the panel about 2 inches from the bottom (this is where the first "tab" that holds the panel to the computer is). Now, use one hand with the screwdriver to push it underneath the panel while you use the other one to push the button on the side you have the screwdriver on. This should make it a lot easier to get the panel loose. Once you have the bottom out, do the same for the other side. As soon as the two bottom tabs are out (they're more like nubs) the panel will come of easily - just pull from the bottom.

3) Go at the top front panel. Again, with the screwdriver (I found it easier with it) place it in the side of the panel like you did for the front panel. Just pry it off a bit, but start from the bottom because the top of this panel is hooked underneath the panel at the top of the case (I think ). It should pop out after a little prying and do the same for the other side again. You should only have to do it once on each side and then you can pull the panel off (like I said, it's hooked underneath the top panel, so tilt the bottom of it out when you remove it)

4) Remove the top panel. This is probably the easiest because all you have to do (as long as you removed the screw) is to slide it backwards about an inch or so, and lift it up. Once you have those off, you can stick in the drive.

I didn't use a sled, but you can if you want. We just placed the drive on the metal inside the case...however, I'm not sure if this is good for the drive, but the bottom of it was surrounded by metal, so I'd say it's fine. If you're unsure, you can stick the static bag the drive came in underneath it when you place it in the bay.

The SCSI cable and the power cable should be hiding somewhere near the back of the bay and you should be able to pull them out (when my friend wanted to backup his 6400 I brought over the 9GB and hooked it up in the same way, but his cables were a LOT shorter than mine were in my 6500...I had to have the drive sitting upside down on a 45 degree angle hanging out of the top hole ) Just hook them up to the drive and boot up your computer..oh yeah, make sure you have it turned off first before you do any of this! If you need a 68-50 pin adapter, you can just stick it inbetween the drive and cable (we had to).

That should do it, and it took me all of about 5 mintues to do the whole process after I did it a few times. The thing that will take the longest is getting the panels off the first time.

Again, if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Just e-mail me: merciless@mac.com

[This message has been edited by Merciless (edited 06-07-2000).]