Replacement internal ATA hard drive

[chopperT]

Righty-ho! This should be a doddle for you clever lot!

I'm thinking of replacing the hard drive in my aging iMac G3 500.

Can I buy any ATA, which is physically the same size as the existing one?

If so, is it as simple as switching the drives, starting the machine from OS X CD and then frantically waving a magic wand around?

I'd presumably install the system onto my 'new' disk from the CD, then copy my installation files (and re-install applications) and data files to the 'new' disk?

Could I make a clone (using Carbon Copy Cloner?) onto an external HD, format the 'new' disk and then do a sort of reverse-clone from the external to the 'new' disk?

And yes, before any one suggests, just buying a nice new G4 or G5 would be a better idea

Thanks for reading this far, without nodding off!!!



Chops

 

[bobw]

Yes, just about any IDE/ATA drive will be fine.
Just that simple also

If so, is it as simple as switching the drives, starting the machine from OS X CD and then frantically waving a magic wand around?

Yes

I'd presumably install the system onto my 'new' disk from the CD, then copy my installation files (and re-install applications) and data files to the 'new' disk?

Yes to that also.

Would I make a clone (using Carbon Copy Cloner?) onto an external HD, format the 'new' disk and then do a sort of reverse-clone from the external to the 'new' disk?


Yes to that also - but my choice would be to install everything from disks.

 

[nixgeek]

You should be able to swap one IDE drive for another. We have some G4s in our office and we used some 8 GB IDE drives as slaves in them, and they work fine. I've also used a regular PC IDE hard drive in a Performa 6300 and it works great.

 

[edX]

http://www.nelsonbc.ca/mactech_supprt_html/imac_hard_drive_replace/imac_replace_hard_drive.html

follow that link for instructions on replacing the drive. i just did it with my 400 last sunday. yes, you can clone and then clone back but just about as easy and maybe a bit better is to install the system on the new drive and then just copy back your cloned copies of the library and user files. and of course any apps. just make sure you've updated back to the same point as you were before the change. that's what i did and my new 40 gb maxtor works great. be prepared for longer startup times with a larger drive. i personally wouldn't go bigger than a 60 gb with that 500, but to each their own.