# iBook G3 Dual-USB HD



## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 15, 2009)

I have an iBook G3 Dual-USB and was wondering why my replacement HD won't work.  The HD is a 80GB Toshiba MK8025GAS.  I've tried the HD in my iBook twice now but it isn't recognized by Disk Utility.  Would the fact that it is formated to boot a Intel Mac (aka GUID partition table) have anything to do with it?  I know it is a good HD, as I boot from it quite often over USB.

P.S.  I stuck in the old HD and it works fine.  :?


Thanks,
#1 Rhapsody


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## djackmac (Oct 15, 2009)

#1 Rhapsody said:


> I have an iBook G3 Dual-USB and was wondering why my replacement HD won't work.  The HD is a 80GB Toshiba MK8025GAS.  I've tried the HD in my iBook twice now but it isn't recognized by Disk Utility.  Would the fact that it is formated to boot a Intel Mac (aka GUID partition table) have anything to do with it?  I know it is a good HD, as I boot from it quite often over USB.



Did you actually install the drive internally into the ibook? It won't mount but you should be able to reformat it in disk utility. The first thing I'd check is the HD flex cables connection to the logic board because any sudden vibration will make it pop loose because it isn't the most secure connection. Tape it down real good with some kapton tape.


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## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 15, 2009)

Yes, I put the HD in the iBook, but when I boot from the Tiger Install Disks, Disk Utility won't find the drive.  Should I try formating the drive as the PPC format, then stick it in?


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## Giaguara (Oct 16, 2009)

GUID is wrong for a non-Intel based Mac.
So go with the PPC format.


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## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 16, 2009)

I formated the drive as the PPC format and the Disk Utility on the Tiger install disk won't see the drive.  I know the drive is working because I can hear the drive spinning.  What should I do???    It takes so long to open this iBook and it doesn't work!


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## djackmac (Oct 16, 2009)

Boot to the Tiger installer the go to disk utility. Go to the partition button then select 1 partition leaving the format as Mac OS extended (journaled), then (very important here) go to the options button on the bottom and make sure its set to Apple Partition Map as opposed to GUID, then apply.


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## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 16, 2009)

djackmac said:


> Boot to the Tiger installer the go to disk utility. Go to the partition button then select 1 partition leaving the format as Mac OS extended (journaled), then (very important here) go to the options button on the bottom and make sure its set to Apple Partition Map as opposed to GUID, then apply.



That's what I would do *IF* Disk Utility could see the drive, but it doesn't.  I tried booting from my internal CD drive but now it won't work either.  Both the CD and HD drives spin up but I can't see either.  For some reason the HD is causing the CD drive not to work either.


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## djackmac (Oct 16, 2009)

What happens when you boot holding the option key? What device(s) does boot picker make available?


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## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 16, 2009)

When using my internal CD with Mac OS X Install Disk in the drive nothing comes up, but both the CD and HD spin up (as I said earlier).


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## djackmac (Oct 16, 2009)

#1 Rhapsody said:


> When using my internal CD with Mac OS X Install Disk in the drive nothing comes up, but both the CD and HD spin up (as I said earlier).



(As I asked earlier) Are you holding the option key when booting? Does boot picker give you the option of booting from the optical? Please just answer the question if you want help.

If nothing comes up still. I'd check the cable like I mentioned in the 2nd post. If you already done this, try disconnecting the cable from the logic board to see if it will boot to the installer. This may rule out a bad cable.


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## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 16, 2009)

When holding the Option key (with a CD in the drive) nothing comes up besides the usual refresh button the the startup button (the arrow).

I believe the ribbon cable is good because when the old HD was installed (a couple hours ago), everything worked fine.


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## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 16, 2009)

I think I'll just put the old HD in tomorrow.  I've had enough of taking it apart and putting it back together  

I don't even need the HD in there, but I wanted it 

Thanks for your help, djackmac


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## Giaguara (Oct 17, 2009)

The USB hard drive will not be seen at boot no matter how it's formatted as pre-Intel Macs will not be able to boot to USB drives.


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## djackmac (Oct 17, 2009)

Giaguara said:


> The USB hard drive will not be seen at boot no matter how it's formatted as pre-Intel Macs will not be able to boot to USB drives.



If I'm understanding correctly it isn't a USB HD. It's an internal 2.5" ATA drive that is formatted for an intel Mac, which is kind of curious in and of itself because all the intel Macs are SATA. So unless this drive was used externally through an enclosure using firewire or USB is the only way its being used for an Intel Mac. I'm really curious to see if the old drive works just fine when you put it back.


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## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 17, 2009)

It is a 2.5" in ATA drive that was used to boot an Intel Mac over USB.

In the next hour or so I will put the old drive in.  I'll keep you updated.


Thanks,
#1 Rhapsody

*Edit:*  Never got around to it, but I should have it done tomorrow.


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## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 18, 2009)

Put the old HD in, and sure enough, it's working fine.  I haven't checked the CD drive yet, but I'm sure it's working too.  I think my iBook is just picky   But at least it survived the iBook Logic Board pandemic


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## djackmac (Oct 18, 2009)

#1 Rhapsody said:


> Put the old HD in, and sure enough, it's working fine.  I haven't checked the CD drive yet, but I'm sure it's working too.  I think my iBook is just picky   But at least it survived the iBook Logic Board pandemic



I suppose you could take the GUID drive and put it into another machine that reads it. Repartition it as APM and then connect it to the ibook through firewire enclosure or target disk mode from the machine its in and see if the ibook reads the drive.


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## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 18, 2009)

I don't have a computer to put it in though.  I think i can live without an 80GB HD in the iBook, but it would be nice.


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## icemanjc (Oct 18, 2009)

#1 Rhapsody said:


> I don't have a computer to put it in though.  I think i can live without an 80GB HD in the iBook, but it would be nice.



I'm surprised that it's still in one piece after you took it apart that many times. I put a 60 gig in when the old 40 died and it was never the same after that.


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## #1 Rhapsody (Oct 18, 2009)

icemanjc said:


> I'm surprised that it's still in one piece after you took it apart that many times. I put a 60 gig in when the old 40 died and it was never the same after that.



Well my sleep light attachment broke and my front has nicks from the flat-head screwdriver, but it isn't that bad (my sleep light still works ).


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## #1 Rhapsody (Nov 1, 2009)

I found this topic discussing basically the same problem.  Do you think that if I put in the new drive, then reset the computer it will work?  I'm thinking about trying it if there is a good chance it will work (besides I have nothing better to do tonight ).


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## djackmac (Nov 1, 2009)

#1 Rhapsody said:


> Well my sleep light attachment broke and my front has nicks from the flat-head screwdriver, but it isn't that bad (my sleep light still works ).



Thats why we who do this for a living use these. There would be alot of ticked off people getting their ibook back all marred up.


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## geraldj_dp (May 3, 2010)

Hello,
    I am having the EXACT same problem with my iBook and a Toshiba 60 gb hard drive.  Here is what I have narrowed it down to:
Incompatible IDE drive.
    I know it sounds weird.  I thought a 2.5" IDE was a 2.5" IDE, but, apparently Apple and this iBook think differently.  One thing I did, that I didn't see you do, was to connect the drive externally through USB onto my Quicksilver.  The drive mounts and reads properly.  I then formatted it and re-installed it into the iBook.  Still no joy! I even did a number of firmware commands (setenv) to try and force the iBook to boot only from the CD drive and ignore the hdd.  This also failed.  I began to think I had fried my Logic Board, so I re-installed the 20 gb hdd I took out, and, "VOILA!", it booted just fine.

Ergo:
INCOMPATIBILITY WITH HARD DRIVE!!!

Look for a western Digital or Maxtor 2.5" IDE to go into your iBook.  These are the 2 companies that supplied the O.E. Apple hdds, and I suspect there will be no trouble putting them in there.  I am going to be doing this today, so I will let you know my results.


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## geraldj_dp (May 3, 2010)

#1 Rhapsody said:


> That's what I would do *IF* Disk Utility could see the drive, but it doesn't.  I tried booting from my internal CD drive but now it won't work either.  Both the CD and HD drives spin up but I can't see either.  For some reason the HD is causing the CD drive not to work either.





#1 Rhapsody said:


> I found this topic discussing basically the same problem.  Do you think that if I put in the new drive, then reset the computer it will work?  I'm thinking about trying it if there is a good chance it will work (besides I have nothing better to do tonight ).



Nope.  I reset the PRAM, PMU, NVRAM, and used firmware commands to verify the device tree, and set the boot-device. NOTHING WORKED!!  It's the Toshiba drive that is giving you problems I am suspecting.


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## geraldj_dp (May 3, 2010)

geraldj_dp said:


> Nope.  I reset the PRAM, PMU, NVRAM, and used firmware commands to verify the device tree, and set the boot-device. NOTHING WORKED!!  It's the Toshiba drive that is giving you problems I am suspecting.



Affirmative!!  I placed an Hitachi 40 gb in and everything went smooth as silk.  The little iBook is doing it's system upgrades as I type; and, another Macintosh crisis is solved.

Toshiba and Samsung=2 companies that do not play nice with Apples.


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