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#1 2005-06-06 10:17 am
Master/Slave Settings
So I have a Beige G3 MT that was originally shipped with the SCSI HD config. I'm going to be installing an IDE HD in this machine for the first time -- completely removing the SCSI card and drive and using this new IDE as the boot disk. So the IDE bus will have a CD-ROM and this new HD. Originally it had the CD-ROM and ZIP, but I took the ZIP out. I'm guessing the CD-ROM should be slave and the HD master. Is this correct?
Last edited by EricP (2005-06-06 10:18 am)
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#2 2005-06-06 11:32 am
- PowerMacMan
- Assassin of Joy
- From: Green Sector
- Registered: 2001-09-17
- Posts: 2840
Re: Master/Slave Settings
Which Rev is your Beige G3? If it is a Rev A, get an ATA card... period. Rev A models had way too many ATA issues for you to be able to count on reliable operation with two drives on one chain.
MacBook / 2GHz C2D / 2GB / 250GB / SuperDrive / GeForce 9400M / Mac OS 10.5
PowerBook 3400c / 180MHz 603ev / 48MBs / 1.3GB / 12x CD-ROM / Mac OS 8.6
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#3 2005-06-06 12:37 pm
Re: Master/Slave Settings
So you're saying that an ATA HD and CD-ROM on the same bus is unstable? How is that possible when it was the most common configuration in this Mac?
I'm not sure what revision I have (I'm at work). But I have a feeling from past issues that it's NOT Rev A.
Oh, and my question was not really answered either.
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#4 2005-06-06 3:28 pm
- dv
- Negusa Negest
- Moderator
- From: Minneapolis, MN
- Registered: 1999-08-30
- Posts: 18091
Re: Master/Slave Settings
Ignore him - he's always like that.
The problem with rev. A roms is that they don't support slave devices.
Even with a newer ROM, you may have issues booting from a slave device, so you'll want the main boot HD and the CD-ROM on seperate ATA busses (you have two) and connect auxiliary drives (Zip, 2nd HD, etc.) as slaves. If you have more than 4 drives, or more than 2 drives you want to be able to boot from, you will need an ATA card.
Read this for more info.
So, in short, the answer to question is, "No, You're Wrong." But only sort of. Gotta love these complex issues.
"Now commences the process of cutting off the head, which generally takes from an hour to an hour and a half by an expert workman with a sharp blade." -Reuben Delano, Wanderings and Adventures
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#5 2005-06-06 3:47 pm
- PowerMacMan
- Assassin of Joy
- From: Green Sector
- Registered: 2001-09-17
- Posts: 2840
Re: Master/Slave Settings
Ignore me why? Because I beat you to the punch and stated a problem that every owner of Rev A G3s, including myself, has to deal with?
What the smurf...
MacBook / 2GHz C2D / 2GB / 250GB / SuperDrive / GeForce 9400M / Mac OS 10.5
PowerBook 3400c / 180MHz 603ev / 48MBs / 1.3GB / 12x CD-ROM / Mac OS 8.6
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#6 2005-06-06 5:03 pm
Re: Master/Slave Settings
Oh yeah, I forgot about the fact that I have two ATA buses. Believe it or not, I don't have much experience with ATA. As you know, Macs were always SCSI and even after they switched I always had SCSI HDs (the fastest at any given time) installed.
Now that I know this, I have to get another damn ATA ribbon cable!!! Maybe...
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#7 2005-06-06 7:34 pm
- dv
- Negusa Negest
- Moderator
- From: Minneapolis, MN
- Registered: 1999-08-30
- Posts: 18091
Re: Master/Slave Settings
Maybe what? It probably won't work. 
You can get ATA ribbons for mocho cheapo moneys.
"Now commences the process of cutting off the head, which generally takes from an hour to an hour and a half by an expert workman with a sharp blade." -Reuben Delano, Wanderings and Adventures
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#8 2005-06-06 11:23 pm
Re: Master/Slave Settings
It worked.
CD-ROM and HD on the same bus -- I didn't feel like waiting for a new cable to put them on separate buses.
Installed Panther moments ago without issue.
Now I'm going to have to start another thread (last one) to find a video card that will work.
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#9 2005-06-07 9:55 am
- dv
- Negusa Negest
- Moderator
- From: Minneapolis, MN
- Registered: 1999-08-30
- Posts: 18091
Re: Master/Slave Settings
Can you boot from both drives?
"Now commences the process of cutting off the head, which generally takes from an hour to an hour and a half by an expert workman with a sharp blade." -Reuben Delano, Wanderings and Adventures
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#10 2005-06-07 10:04 am
Re: Master/Slave Settings
Well, I booted from an OS 9 CD to install it. Then booted OS 9 from the HD, ran XPostFacto (which worked flawlessly!!!) and installed OS X. Then booted OS X from the HD several times.
So I would say, yes, I can boot from both drives.
As soon as I get a video card I can see if it's truly stable.
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#11 2005-06-07 11:58 am
- dv
- Negusa Negest
- Moderator
- From: Minneapolis, MN
- Registered: 1999-08-30
- Posts: 18091
Re: Master/Slave Settings
"Now commences the process of cutting off the head, which generally takes from an hour to an hour and a half by an expert workman with a sharp blade." -Reuben Delano, Wanderings and Adventures
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