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jed · Nov 15, 2001, 08:31 PM

I have an internal CDRW I'd like to put in my quicksilver tower, but I've noticed that the bottom slot will only accomodate a smaller drive. What has to be done to get it in there? I'd rather not buy a case if I don't have to. Has anyone done this? I think I saw a thread on this awhile ago on some forum but I can't find it. Thanks.

kbbaucom · Nov 16, 2001, 02:53 AM

You'd have to make your own drive casing for the two drives. Then probably modify the front of the case. Then, after you remove the motherboard, you might be able to close the case. I don't actually have a QS here with me to verify, but I know it is just not possible on the other G4s. I'm pretty sure it's the same with the QS.

SpeedRacer · Nov 16, 2001, 06:50 AM

Originally posted by kbbaucom:
You'd have to make your own drive casing for the two drives. Then probably modify the front of the case. Then, after you remove the motherboard, you might be able to close the case. I don't actually have a QS here with me to verify, but I know it is just not possible on the other G4s. I'm pretty sure it's the same with the QS.

I disagree. The main impediment to the use of a larger, second 5.25" drive on the grey G4 line is the placement of the CPU (and it's heatsink) and the lack of a wide 2nd opening in the front of the machine.

From what i can tell, the QS line has addressed both of these: moving the CPU to a different part of the mobo and providing a larger slot in the front of the machine. A move that is even more of a slap in the face for those of us who have no need for aging ZIP technology and don't appreciate having a large external bay daggling off the back of our machine after we spend $3500 on the latest and greatest offerings from Apple.

Jed -

More power to ya. I would love to see someone with a QS attempt this procedure. It's clearly one of the most limiting factors of the G4 that still exists - best case design on the market, intentionally limited by ol' Stevie b/c he doesn't want the RIAA getting on his case about encouraging disk-disk media copies.

Speed

rjenkinson · Nov 16, 2001, 07:35 AM

sounds like a job for... an external firewire burner!

-r.

l008com · Nov 16, 2001, 10:30 PM

As for the graphite G4's, not only have I seen many a web site about doing this, i just opened my door and the CPU is behind the drives, its not in the way of them at all. They only thing stopping me from doing such a thing is i'm too afraid to cut into such a new expensive mac :-) but it can be done and when its all said and done, if you didn't kill your mac, you'll probably agree it wasn't even that hard to do.

Jason King · Nov 17, 2001, 10:09 PM

Can you post the links for some of those sites that show how to do the hack?

Thanks.

SpeedRacer · Nov 18, 2001, 09:30 PM

Originally posted by l008com:
As for the graphite G4's, not only have I seen many a web site about doing this, i just opened my door and the CPU is behind the drives, its not in the way of them at all.

Ditto on Jason's comment. To add, it might help to identify which graphite G4 you're referring to as well. The single CPU, 1st generation AGP graphics station i used the other day has a HS design that appears to extend below the optical drive, making a wider 5.25" drive and/or a cutting of the front bezel to fit a larger drive, seem a bit difficult.

Speed

JoeG4 · Jan 2, 2002, 01:53 AM

Just use a lot of duct tape

No, seriously, if I'm right, a CD drive can fit through that slot (dito), but it only takes a little dremeling to mod it a little..

Once that's done, attach the other drive to the main case with some duct tape, and enjoy

suckfuldotcom · Jan 6, 2002, 02:46 PM

I have not seen the inside of the QS, but I used to have the original AGP G4-400, and it would not have been possible to do so for two reasons:

1) The heat sink was in the way.
2) The mechanism that controlled the flap could not be duplicated to allow a flap-style lower drive.

I hope someone does this with a QS (maybe me, someday).

SdC

suckfuldotcom · Jan 6, 2002, 04:47 PM

Certainly LOOKS doable.....They have moved the proc towards the back, leaving what appears to me enough room for an additional 5.25" bay.

SdC

SpeedRacer · Jan 14, 2002, 09:09 PM

Well i took a closer look at one of QS the other day and adding a 2nd 5.25" drive is definitely possible (not to mention the reports of folks on xlr8yourmac.com that have already done this!).

What needs to happen is the standard removal of the 4 screws holding the CD/Zip cage, then the removal of the front face plastic (accessible after removing the top and bottom handle allen screws). After removing the front plastic you should see a couple screws for a metal plate that (when removed) expands the front opening to accommodate a 5.25" drive.

From what i can see the actual QS case was originally built to utilize 2 full-size drives, Apple simply added in the 3.5" shim after the case was put together.

Don't know about everyone else here, but the knowledge that i can install a 2nd full-size drive makes the QS a considerably more attractive option. It's the one thing (beyond unnecessarily high prices) that has kept me away from "going pro."

Speed

suckfuldotcom · Jan 14, 2002, 10:04 PM

What are you going to do for an eject button? The keyboard button only works with the top drive.

SdC

Dogma · Jan 16, 2002, 12:54 PM

Originally posted by suckfuldotcom:
What are you going to do for an eject button? The keyboard button only works with the top drive.

SdC

The same as always - use the good old drag and drop method from the desktop. Seriously, there isn't even an emergency paperclip hole easily accesible on the Quicksilver - so if you want access to the actual eject button, it's time for that drill again. You could just drill a hole directly through the case (metal and all - make sure you're using a diamond tip!) and make up some contraption much like that on all the older machines, a sort of sprung lever. A couple of bent paperclips should do this okay, although it'd look ugly.

It's gonna look kinda ugly anyway since you won't have the oval flap on the front, so I wouldn't really be bothered by a daft piece of metal or plastic poking out the front. I'm sure you could hack together something that'll work. Make sure and practice on someone elses machine first though.

JoeG4 · Jan 16, 2002, 05:09 PM

With a little work you can actually mod that second drive bay cover onto the front of a CD drive, so it'd be fit with the rest of the case.

Or better yet, manage to find a place that you can get the CD door parts and just mount it on, I bet it'd probably fit..

SpeedRacer · Jan 17, 2002, 06:39 AM

Originally posted by suckfuldotcom:
[QB]What are you going to do for an eject button? The keyboard button only works with the top drive./QB]

Have you tested the eject button with a 2nd optical drive installed in the QS? Because the eject button does work on an external Firewire drive installed in my Pyro case.

Speed

SpeedRacer · Jan 26, 2002, 05:41 PM

Well it looks i am mistaken. Took apart the QS completely the other day and even after removing the inner cage bracket it appears that the exterior metal case simply does not allow the use of a 5.25" drive bay w/out hacksawing the metal itself.

Bummer. Looks like it's back to the WinAMD for desktop, Mac for portable theory.

Speed

jed · Jan 30, 2002, 09:47 AM

ugh. That's what I thought. I got all excited reading your previous post, too. Also, my QS seems to be that the plastic itself behind the oval door is too small. It appears to be part of the full frontal part of the plastics of the machine, and not a separate plate. And on top of all that, the screws holding the "shim" in place are the kind that look like they don't come out (they look like rivets, with burled washers under them)

Jan 31, 2002, 01:59 AM

Wouldn't a hammer break off the shim?

SpeedRacer · Feb 4, 2002, 04:23 AM

Originally posted by jed:
ugh. That's what I thought. I got all excited reading your previous post, too. Also, my QS seems to be that the plastic itself behind the oval door is too small. It appears to be part of the full frontal part of the plastics of the machine, and not a separate plate. And on top of all that, the screws holding the "shim" in place are the kind that look like they don't come out (they look like rivets, with burled washers under them)

They look like rivets b/c you're looking at the tips of the screws, not the head. The screws screw in from under the front panel of the machine. This is what threw me off - w/out removing the front panel plastic you'd think (like i did) that removing the CD/ZIP cage would allow full access to full-width drive bays.

Speed