Mac Forum / General / Hardware / May 2008

Paul wrote:
<< I have two old 4.3 GB SCSI hard drives which used to
reside on early PowerMacs, and may hold copies of data files
I have subsequently lost (old
tax returns, etc.) in transit to newer Mac systems. Is there
a way, short of
buying a PowerMac 7100, for me to get at and download those
files? >>

There are some Firewire-to-SCSI adapters out there, such as
this:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Ratoc/FR1SX/
...but it's on the pricey side and not sure if it will fit
(or work) with older SCSI drive connectors (perhaps with an
adapter cable, but that's more $$$).

It might actually be _cheaper_ to find an old Mac in working
condition like a 7100 or (better yet) a 7300, 7500, or 7600.
You could get the drive up and running in the 7300, and then
perhaps use Ethernet to connect the 7300 to your current Mac
and transfer the files.

Or, find a dirt-cheap USB 1.1 PCI card, and transfer the
files via a flash drive.

- John