[ginoledesma]

I just acquired a CD-R/RW Drive and now I'm faced with a problem: the PowerMac G4 has NO ROOM to accomodate this drive!

How do I use this drive? I'd really like to get the Zip Drive Bay out because I have no intention of buying a Zip Drive -- and if I do, I'd get the external version...

Please advise.

[exa]

Yep, that drive down there was specifically meant for zips. I think you have to screw out the metal frame there (is it a metal frame?). I'm merely guessing here...

The lower drive bay can only accomodate 3.5" drives. It is a one piece bracket that is attached to the upper 5.25" bay. Personally, I have an IDE Orb drive mounted in the lower bay and it has worked great.

[reader50]

The lower drive bay can take a 5.25" drive, but some work with a hacksaw is reported to be required. This sort of mod falls into the hack-your-mac, void-your-warranty category. I have read a thread on this mod, but have not been able to find it again on short notice. Sorry.

OK, so we have a good idea of what can be put in the case. But now I'm trying to tinker with a cdrom drive from my PC, and for the life of me, I can find how to get to that part of the case - everything seems so solid.

How can I get access to that 5.25 + 3.5 bay combo?

Well, yeah, If you release the plastics in front of the drive area (2 little tabs stick out just inside the door frame, just press them gently in, and voila!), then there are two screws that allow the whole drive rack to come out the front.....however???, is there any software yet that will drive an IDE CDR or CDRW, particularly an internal? seems like installing is the easy part

Were you able to find a bezel for the ORB drive? I've wanted to do the same thing, but can't bring myself to make the front of my G4 look so ugly as to have a missing bezel.

Originally posted by Edmond Lai:
The lower drive bay can only accomodate 3.5" drives. It is a one piece bracket that is attached to the upper 5.25" bay. Personally, I have an IDE Orb drive mounted in the lower bay and it has worked great.

[G4MacBoy]

You guys should be aware that the heat sync attached to the motherboard has been molded around the 5.25" and 3.5" bays. installing a CD-R Drive would prevent you from correctly closing your G4's door. :-)

...is there any software yet that will drive an IDE CDR or CDRW, particularly an internal? seems like installing is the easy part

I put an HP CD Writer Plus 9300i into my G3 and it works as a CD-ROM drive with the Apple driver and I can burn CD's with the latest version of Toast.

The drive cost me $245 and Toast cost me $80. HP doesn't include any software for the Mac.

--Mike

[reader50]

Found one thread on the subject of hacking a 5.25 drive into the lower front bay.

I would sugest an external case setup, although these seem hard to track down if the drive is IDE. I have modified a SCSI case to have IDE conections with a plug also fited into the computers case. {Note: this was done on a friends PC but should be esay to do provided you have a free PCI slot.}

[Elderloc]

http://home.pacifier.com/~stevel/products.html

Try this link this guy has G4 Graphite Bezels to replace the apple ones. They look just like stock and they allow for PC style mounting (they show the whole Zip or 5.25 face) they are priced pretty good I found this supplier on EBAY

Yes, I have the Universal 3.5" Face Plate made by Proline. I don't remember where I bought it exactly (ClubMac?), but if you goto www.proline.com, they can probably help you track one down.

Originally posted by Reciprocity:
Were you able to find a bezel for the ORB drive? I've wanted to do the same thing, but can't bring myself to make the front of my G4 look so ugly as to have a missing bezel.

[Herr Newton]

Wow... When I first saw the title of this thread, I instantly thought, "Who the hell would want to put a 5.25" floppy drive in a G4". And then I thought, "And you know, damnit, it's probably possible as the driver support is likely still in the OS."

Yea, I'm odd :-)

[ginoledesma]

LOL @ Herr Newton!

Hehehe...

That's what I thought the thread was about first, too :-)

Well I dunno, I've got stacks of 5.25" floppies in one of my drawers I never got round to, well, doing anything with... . I wonder if Verbatim would still honour their "lifetime warranty"?

Originally posted by Herr Newton:
Wow... When I first saw the title of this thread, I instantly thought, "Who the hell would want to put a 5.25" floppy drive in a G4". And then I thought, "And you know, damnit, it's probably possible as the driver support is likely still in the OS."

Yea, I'm odd :-)

[blue]

You don't need a bezel - you can pop out the lower section of the faceplate which accomodates the cd tray easily.

it worked fine on mine, just had to paint the drive face electric blue to match!

Here's what I want to know: can I swap out the DVD-ROM for a CDRW? And will I be able boot the Mac from a CD-ROM disc after I put a third-party PC-compatible IDE CDRW drive in there? Or will the Mac boot only from an factory installed drive?

[blue]

i used the sony cdr100e cdrw + i can start up from a cd + a cdrw.

works like a charm, but i got a little frustrated switching drives all the time, so i did a bit of hacksaw work + presto, two drives!

.blue.

blue: why did you have to switch drives all the time?

[g4-guy]

You could always put it in an external case, but I really don't know any more.

Regards,

g4-guy

[blue]

i had to switch drives because before my little hacksaw operation i could only fit one drive in my g3 - i byun a cd, then i want to watch a dvd - turn off computer, snap out drive bezel, unscrew drive case,disconnect power cable + ide cable, take out cdrw drive, replace with dvd drive + go through that little operation in reverse.

kind of a hassle, no?

.blue.

[ginoledesma]

Hi again...

I was just curious if there were any developments to this.

I'm considering a new setup: external ATA/IDE setup. Do you think this is possible? I'm thinking if I could rereoute the ATA Cables and power cables to the back of the machine somehow...

Not much affordable SCSI drives here.

[g4-guy]

Hello everyone,

Ok, I have this figured out. Go to MegaHaus and order a FireWire 5.25" drive case (USB if price is more important than performance). That case, however, does not support Plextor or JVC drives.

------------------
Regards,
g4-guy

[ginoledesma]

That's one elegant, though a bit pricey, solution. Thanks.

I'll just try to see if there's any way to make the zip drive bay go out neatly. :/