Hi all,

Found this great site when searching for an answer to a stuck Zip drive. Thanks for the help!

I wanted to use the Zip drive to retrieve data off my old Power Mac G3, but the drive is "toast." Does anyone have any ideas about how to get info off there so it can be input into my new iMac? It seems like I had at one time an external CD drive that was always causing me problems. I have an old Jaz drive that works, but don't think they make Jaz drives with a USB port. Okay, I just found a Jaz USB adapter. Has anyone used one, do they work well? They are not in stock on Amazon.

Have had this trusty old computer for maybe 15 years?! and hate to give it up, but it's taking up a lot of room.

And if anyone is interested, it could be for sale at a great price!

Thanks!
Connie

Hmmm...a Jaz drive, eh? I remember when we thought Zip drives were the cat's whiskers... Okay, then, connietheartist, you have a few options. See if you turn on File Sharing on both machines, then hook up an ethernet cable (could work)
If the PowerMac G3 supports it, use Firewire Target Mode* and transfer the info over that way...and, as a last resort, shut the computer down, remove the hard drive, and transfer it into a usb/firewire enclosure of some kind and get the data off that way...that should be more reliable than messing around with a Jaz drive. Also, try and find out what kind of hard drive is in the machine, there's probably a usb cable for it, and that may solve your problems

* apparently anything after 1999-ish will do FW Target mode

well, it's a start

John b

Wow, could I borrow part of your brain while I do this? : )

I tried to do the file sharing, but it is way over my head. The computer is older than 1999, I believe, so Firewire Target Mode is out. So, where would I find one of these usb/firewire enclosures?

Thank you very much for your help and suggestions. Would you like this machine as payment for your expertise? : )

Well, file sharing would sure work but you might find it easier to use the G3 to access the iMac rather than accessing the G3 from the iMac. And on the iMac, set its hard drive icon as a 'shared folder' it its Get Info window for easier access.

Or, you could pickup and install a PCI USB card for G3 Mac that are often selling for $10.00-$20.00 and then use a flash drive for any 'sneaker net' file transfers. Or even a more expensive USB/FW combo PCI card.

The PowerMac G3 could have either a SCSI hard drive or a IDE hard drive. Which is it in yours?

If it is IDE, then just get a USB - IDE drive enclosure or a USB-IDE drive adapter cable, remove the drive and plug it into the new machine.

The Startech USB2SATAIDE adapter with power supply is $33

Canada RAM, thank you for your suggestion. I believe I have a SCSI hard drive, but I have an adapter that looks like it might be adapter from SCSI to IDE. (I used that to get my Jaz drive to work.) So in that case along with the adapter that I have, would I be able to use the machine that you mention? The Startech USB2SATAIDE?

File sharing doesn't seem to be working, although it is probably just that I haven't figured it out yet. I am willing to spend $33 to transfer the data.

Thanks so much to all of you. Mac users really are especially nice, even more so in Canada. : )

We have a Jazz Drive here at work if your in the Toronto area, even has the SCSI card with it if you want to make an offer. Fairly sure it works as it was pretty new when it was stored. Of course I would test it first to make sure but don't want to bother doing the hook up if it is not needed. Also have a bunch of Disks if you need those. Just looking for a fair offer.

20733

Thanks, I already have a Jaz drive, it is my Zip drive that does not work. I can transfer data onto Zip disks and then onto a Zip drive that is USB.

Where are you located?

If the hard drive is a SCSI then the easiest thing may be to borrow, rent or purchase an IDE drive of 120GB or less, install it temporarily in the machine - using the CD ribbon cable if need be, and transfer the data to the IDE drive, then use an enclosure or IDE-USB adapter to transfer it to another Mac.