Comments on: Universal Hard Drive Adapter IDE Laptop or Desktop SATA and PATA

By: Jim Warholic

Jim Warholic — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:18:07 +0000

The adapter can be used for an IDE parallel PATA or Serial ATA SATA drives. I believe that the earlier Apple PowerPC 7000 series computers had SCSI interfaces. This adapter will not work on SCSI drives.

By: J

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 23:16:30 +0000

Can the Universal Hard Drive Adapter be used to access data from any of the hard drives of any G3, G4, or G5 Mac computer? How about accessing the data from hard drives of the older Power PC computers, model 7200 series, previous to the G3 Macs? Will the adapter work with the hard drives from these older machines? I have a couple of dead computers just lying around here that I would like to get the information off of before I sell or dispose of them, Thanks for your help.

By: Jim Warholic

Jim Warholic — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 09:47:50 +0000

To Gwen,

If an external hard drive is not recognized by the computer, the adapter will probably not help you there. The adapter is mainly used with a bare drive. An external drive is essentially a internal hard drive inside a case with a USB adapter built in to it.

In your particular case, from what you said about the external hard drive not being recognized, there are two areas that could be faulty. One, the hard drive itself could be damaged (in my mind, most likely), or the electronics interface inside the case is defective (less likely). Additionally, you could have a problem with your computer itself (either software or hardware) that is preventing the external hard drive from being recognized. A quick way to verify that, is take the external hard drive to another computer and plug it in to see if it will recognize the hard drive there.

Hope that helps.

Good luck,

Jim

By: Gwen Butler

Gwen Butler — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 06:09:51 +0000

I have an external hard drive that is no longer recognized when I connect it to my computer. Will this adapter work for me to transfer data to another storage area?

Thanks.

By: Ron

Ron — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 22:22:58 +0000

Jim,
Thanks it kinda worked I loaded 10,400 photos & videos but now in the new iphoto some showed up but most are grey dotted boxes that when you click on just give triangle with exclamation mark! The videos show camera & time of video but click on & you get movie contains invalid data reference? It appears the older & newer Iphoto are not compatible? I spoke with Apple & they said I was 4 days past the 90 day period since i did not purchase apple care? They think it may be software issue? Actually they are not much help unless you want to pay for everything? Have you heard of this problem before & have any suggestions? I admit I’m bit of a novice on computers. I now have a back up hard drive.

By: Jim Warholic

Jim Warholic — Sun, 22 May 2011 01:11:10 +0000

To Ron,

First off, yes the Apricorn Drivewire adapter will work to get the information off your hard drive assuming that the files are not completely corrupted. I would say, there is a reasonably good chance your HD could still be able to read the files, even if you can not boot from it. However, if the HD is physically bad on the inside, the adapter will not work miracles.

Many times, the HD will fail due to fluctuating voltages due to bad capacitors in the PSU and/or on the MOB. I have seen many iMacs that have the capacitor problem which was ongoing for an owner, though they might not have recognized it as such, and then the HD and/or the operating system gets corrupted. Once the HD is removed from the system, and plugged in using the adapter, the files could then be transferred. The only way to know for sure is try it and see.

I have to say, my adapter has come in handy for a number of drives over the years.

By: Ron

Ron — Sat, 21 May 2011 23:22:57 +0000

Jim,
Bought Apple I Mac G5 new in 2005. Started having issues took to genius bar & was told it has capacitor problems. Brought home pulled back cover & just as your sight showed capacitors on MOB are bulging & leaking. Went back to purchase the latest I Mac just a week ago & was told that the old Mac hard drive had failed & not able to transfer data? When I purchased the new one they said even though old one would not boot up they could remove hard drive & install in another computer & transfer data. But now that they said the hard drive failed could not do transfer? They refunded the $100.00 one on one transfer fee. I have many pictures & did not back up. I have viewed your sight & removed the PSU & the capacitors look good just the MOB has bad capacitors. Will this Apricorn Drivewire enable me to retrieve the pictures? Should I even try to replace the MOB capacitors? The new I Mac works great using it now, Just need to retrieve my family photos. Looking for options can you help me? Thanks,I appreciate your sight very helpful.

By: Jim Warholic

Jim Warholic — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:59:01 +0000

I think these connectors are different. I think you would probably require an additional adapter. For example, you could use the following: AMP USB to 40-pin PATA ZIF IDE Adapter — ZIF SSD Drive Cloning Tool or the ZIF CE 1.8 Micro Drive to 3.5 IDE 40 Pin Adapter.

The AMP USB to 40-pin PATA ZIF IDE Adapter — ZIF SSD Drive Cloning Tool

# USB 2.0 Interface Plugs into any USB port (cable not included)
# 40-pin IDE and 40-pin ZIF connectors plug into standard PATA ZIF and IDE SSDs and HDDs
# Two ZIF Cables Included
# Ideal for Cloning ZIF hard drives and SSDs through USB port (cloning software not included)

Whereas it sounds like the ZIF CE 1.8 Micro Drive to 3.5 IDE 40 Pin Adapter could be used in conjunction with the Apricorn DriveWire – Universal Hard Drive Adapter

“ZIF CE 1.8 Micro Drive to 3.5 IDE 40 Pin Adapter Description: Ideal for Hitachi & Toshiba ZIF HDD to connect to Desktop. 1.8″ ZIF/CE micro drive can be detected and used as a regular 3.5″ IDE hard drive. Allows you to connect a 1.8″ ZIF/CE hard drive to a 40 Pin IDE One end is ZIF/CE connector and another end is IDE 40-pin male connector. 4 pin Molex Power type connector.”

By: Help with Pata drive

Help with Pata drive — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:49:54 +0000

How to recover the file’s from the Pata drive Macbook air with
40-pin ZIF connector.
Is it possible to this with Universal Hard Drive Adapter
Thanks for help

By: Jim Warholic

Jim Warholic — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 18:43:27 +0000

If the connector is intact on the HD itself, you will be able to plug it in. If the connector is broken on the HD electronics board, you would have to have that fixed before the adapter could be plugged in. If the connector is broken on the external box that the HD is mounted in, then simply remove the HD from the external box and plug it in to the adapter. It is unclear from your questions as to which end and what connector is really broken.

Note that most external hard drives that I am aware of, have an internal HD mounted inside a self contained box that is set up with a USB or FireWire adapter connector on the external box itself. If that connector is broken on the external box housing, then you could essentially bypass the external plug and use the adapter to plug in directly to the HD main connector plug.

As far as shipping to Australia, I am sure Amazon will ship it there.

By: ben

ben — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 11:56:05 +0000

I have a Western Digital external hard drive and the end you plug in from computer to hard drive has broken off on the HD mother board. Will this gadget allow me to connect on the huge pin thing to recover all my hard drive info? How much does it coast and where in Australia can i buy it from?

By: Jim Warholic

Jim Warholic — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:05:46 +0000

Hi Robert,

The adapter will work on any hard drive, even the small hard drives from inside laptops. Simply remove the drive from the laptop, and plug it in to the adapter, and then plug the other end into a USB port on another computer. Then you will be able to view and copy files from the old hard drive onto the new computer. Now keep in mind, recovering information from the old hard drive is assuming the hard drive is still good. If you need to do a hard drive recovery, on a damaged hard drive, then that is a different story all together. Much more can be said about that.

Regards,

Jim

By: Robert beardall

Robert beardall — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:57:58 +0000

Hi I have a alienware aurora laptop which has died a death, will this adaptor work on the hard drive from this laptop?

Thanks in advance

By: Jim Warholic

Jim Warholic — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:02:21 +0000

Hi Ray,

Before making a hard drive purchase, I would want to see inside the back of the iMac and check the capacitors onboard the logic card and inside the power supply unit. If either of those two items are problematic, then it could very well cause the issue you are facing.

I suggest reading the various iMac G5 repair articles I have written, specifically about the logic cards and the power supplies.

If after determining that the MOB and the PSU are OK, then I would turn my attention to the hard drive. To install a new drive requires the original restore software disks or a newer version of Mac OS X Leopard. Note that the newest software as of this posting from Apple, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, will not load or run on PowerPC iMac G5s.

Good luck to you.

Regards,

Jim

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:08:10 +0000

Hi Jim,
I wanted to ask you how to proceed here. I bought a brand new Apple Imac G5 with ISight 17" monitor version, in 2005 I think, it was Christmas, so going into the next year, fresh start. My Imac G5 is the PowerPC version, there was no mention of Intel when I bought this. ABout 2 weeks after I bought this, suddenly there was the Intel Imac G5 with ISight, for hardly any price difference. I asked about switching, and why I wasn't told, but to no avail. I was told mine was actually better, being a true solid Apple Mac.

Anyway, just this week, I went into room to use the computer, and it was a dark screen, but making weird sounds, like clicking. I Rebooted, by unplugging it, because there was no other way. It made that initial musical note, and I thought it was gonna boot up. Wrong. It made the clicks, went from a Black screen, to a greyish screen, then sudenly right in middle of screen, I got a Toggling File Folder Icon, with Finder Image, and then a Question Mark, and this continually toggled back and forth. Then the Fan came on very loudly, and fast, then screen went black again, and it seems to shut down eventually. I tried removing all cables, and power, etc,,, for lengths of time. But this keeps on happening. I tried hitting certain Keys of the Keyboard, and still, the toggling File Folder/Question Mark appears. Im not sure what is wrong. Some have suggested the Harddrive has failed, and died. I dont know.

If this is the case, what would be the smartest move? Buy a New HardDrive that would fit inside? Then try using your adapter and software to get my Important Photos and Files from the Dead Drive, onto the New Drive?? How would I get the New Drive to get back as it should be? An Apple Imac G5 PowerPc?? Any special Discs? Or just use my Original Restore Disc? I am wondering what steps to take, and in what order, to correct this problem?? I would like to have a working ImacG5 again...and cant afford a new one. Can you advise me on the best steps to take in fixing this up, and getting my IMac G5 Back Running again? Thanks, Ray

By: Jim Warholic

Jim Warholic — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:38:16 +0000

Hello Justin,

Yes, you can transfer pictures and other documents from a PC Hard Drive to the new or old Mac with the Apricorn Universal Hard Drive Adapter. I confirmed this myself with a drive that was removed from a PC computer, and plugged it into the hard drive adapter, and then plugged the other end of the adapter cable, which is USB 2.0 or 1.1 capable, into the USB port on a Mac, and the drive automatically shows up on the Mac desktop.

Once the hard drive is on the Mac desktop, you can navigate to each of the folders and copy files and pictures to the Mac hard drive. Once everything is copied, then you can eject the external hard drive off the Mac desktop, and unplug the hard drive from the USB port.

Note, that this device is for converting those internal hard drives to be an external hard drive using the hard drive adapter. You would have to remove the hard drive from the PC and set it on the desk with the adapter plugged in, or just remove the IDE or SATA cable on the PC to the HD, then attach the Apricorn Hard Drive adapter to the HD and use a USB extension cable on the output of the hard drive adapter from the PC to the Mac. Or, you could have the PC and the Mac close together so the USB cable would reach from the adapter to the Mac.

Jim

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:42:21 +0000

Jim,

I switched from a PC to a MAC. Can I transfer pictures from my PC to my MAC using this device?

Justin

By: Jim Warholic

Jim Warholic — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:34:40 +0000

On an an Apple iMac, simply remove the hard drive from the inside of the computer and plug it in to the adapter. As a reminder, on an iMac there is a heat sensor on the side of the hard drive that you need to unplug before removing the hard drive. It is a small plug that plugs into the sensor and the MOB. The hard drive mounting adapter can remain attached to the HD.

The hard drive will show up on another Apple computer as an external HD on the desktop.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:26:10 +0000

I have a Nov. 2004 IMAC G5 20" Won't start up – doens' get pass the gray screen. Before trying to replace the capacitors I want to make a more recent backup. Does the hard drive need to be taken out before using the adapter? If yes, any instructions/pictures on removing the hard drive?

By: Jim Warholic

Jim Warholic — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:05:33 +0000

You can use the adapter for drives on a PC that are formated in either FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, and probably others. However, the MAC OS HD is formated in MAC OS Extended (Journaled) mode, and will display on another MAC as an external hard drive, but does not appear on my PC desktop when I tested one out.

Now, that isn't to say that you can't reformat the HD from a MAC, and use it in a PC, but I do believe there are some limitations on the crossover from simply plugging in a Extended (Journaled) HD into a PC, and reading the files, because of the Microsoft OS software.

Actually I just did some research and found a reference to a program that you can download on your PC that reads the Mac disks.

Here is the quote from the forum:

"Search for a program called 'MacDrive'. It works quite nicely."

If the program works like it says, then maybe you can read an external Apple HD on a PC.

There may be other programs out there too.