>> To: "PCI PowerMacs" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Subject: PCI PowerMacs Digest #2824 snip >> ............................................I have > a Power Mac 6500 machine, with an installed G 3 400 CPU. I have an external > second Hard drive. I installed Firewire/USB card to which I connected this > external hard drive, using a firewire port. I copied my entire 4 Gig > original Hard drive to the external 40 gig HD, including the OS 9.1 > operating system folder, as a backup. My computer has the original > motherboard, and it cannot be upgraded or so I've been told (it is soldered > in, I think). Is this correct? So if my original installed hard drive > "died", I cannot even start up my computer & have it boot up? > > I notice that when I boot up, the HD #1 icon appears, then the HD #2 icon > appears on the desktop. I keep it active so that when I hit the power > button, it spins up. I can turn it off, but it has a rather "delicate" > on-off button that a portion broke off of & my neighbor (a computer > engineer) glued a piece on to the button so that it could be used. However, > I am afraid it might break again, so keep it on at all times. > > Of course I am saving this Digest for future reference, but would appreciate > someone answering the above questions. > > Thanks, > Ginny
The motherboard is screwed in or press fitted, it consists of lots of electronic devices many of which are soldered on. Some people claim one can start from a firewire HD with the right software, others claim it cannot be done. Assume it cannot be done until someone you can trust has actually done it. And even then, examine what trouble is involved. Use your firewire to keep the backup on and for much else and realise that not being startup capable is not a disastrous loss. There are other ways to start a PCI Mac if your normal HD fails, from a zip or CD for example. Once started from the CD or zip, as long as the system and firewire extensions are appropriate, you have access to the firewire so you can see your files, and barring any special criteria that some apps demand, operate normally. Certainly for an emergency, this should do. Longer term, either get an extra HD of the same type as your internal as stand by (you need only actually fit it if your HD fails using the procedure described above to start and then transfer files from the firewire). Use the firewire to store things and lots of other non-startup purposes. If you are not regularly using the firewire external, just unplug the thing before starting your Mac, don't keep it on because the on/off switch is a bit dicky... David Elmo -- PCI-PowerMacs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Sonnet & PowerLogix Upgrades - start at $169 | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> PCI-PowerMacs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/pci-powermacs.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive:<http://www.mail-archive.com/pci-powermacs%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
