Format Any Drive for Older Macs with Patched Apple Tools
- 2007.04.25
Bookmark in del.icio.usLow End Mac Reader Specials
Memory To Go Special: MacPro 8 Core Memory 4GB kit $154 / 2GB kit $94, New 2008 iMac 2GB $46. MacBook Pro / MacMini / iMac Intel Core2 DUO 2GB $44 / 1GB $23--Free shipping available.
Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com
LA Computer Company: LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, Apple Displays, MacBooks, iMac's, MacBook Pros, Laptop and iPod accessories and more. Apple A/C Adapters for laptops starting at $25.00 Call 1-800-941-7654 or Click Here.
OWC: OWC Mercury On-The-Go FW400/800/USB2/eSATA Portables High Performance A/V Rated, **Bus Powered** **Up to 500GB in the Palm of your Hand** Macworld Editor's Choice, CNET 'Very Good' - from $75.99!
Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac.
Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.
Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you.
New iMac 800Mhz Memory 4GB $98, 2GB $50. Click to Maximize your Macs...
With these patches and tips, you'll never need an unreliable, inconvenient third-party hard disk driver again.
Apple HD SC Setup and Drive Setup are the standard tools that everyone has used to prepare vintage Macintosh hard drives. They're not as glamorous as FWB Hard Disk Toolkit or SoftRAID, but they're dependable day-in and day-out computing companions.
Their biggest limitation is that they are only compatible with a drive that came stock in a Mac.
Since we often upgrade our vintage Macs with more modern hard drives, we've been forced to use third-party hard disk drivers. This is inconvenient (and may even be technically illegal). Also, while many have had good luck with third-party hard disk drivers, they've been a source of heartache for me.
Wouldn't it be great it we could just use the appropriate Apple tool with any hard drive?
With these patches, it is possible - and it works great!
Introducing the Tools
Apple HD SC Setup (named for the first external SCSI hard drive for Macs, Apple's 20-megabyte HD SC) is the venerable old standby. When Macs started coming with internal hard drives, its audience broadened, but its name never changed.
Drive Setup arose with the introduction of the Power Macs in 1994. When the LC 630 shipped a few months later, its IDE hard disk was also to be formatted with Drive Setup. Apple HD SC Setup and Drive Setup coexisted until Mac OS 7.6, which dropped the older program.
Two versions of Drive Setup are of current interest: 1.5 and 1.7.3. There are a few versions of Drive Setup newer than 1.7.3, but they are not available for download, so we won't worry about them. Drive Setup 1.7.3 does a fine enough job all the way up to Mac OS 9.2.2.
Choosing Your Formatter
The best tool to use depends upon your Macintosh situation.
For all Macs running "old" System Software from 6.0.1 through 7.1.1, I recommend Apple HD SC Setup. It is broadly compatible with these older System releases and is the tool they were designed to work with.
When I updated from HD SC Setup to Drive Setup on my SE/30, my hard drive performance doubled!
For 68030 and 68040 Macs (like Mac II and Quadra models) running newer Systems from 7.5 up to 8.1, I recommend using Drive Setup 1.5. Using Drive Setup instead of HD SC Setup can increase speed under System 7.5, and it's required for 7.6, 8.0, and 8.1. When I updated from HD SC Setup to Drive Setup on my SE/30, my hard drive performance doubled!
This version avoids a couple of nasty bugs present on 680x0 Macs in Drive Setup 1.6 and higher. See Joerg Erdei's Drive Setup FAQ for more information on why version 1.5 is the best Drive Setup for 680x0 Macs.
For Power Macs, I recommend Drive Setup 1.7.3 regardless of System software version. This latest downloadable version is compatible back to System 7.1.2 on the NuBus Power Macs and up to 9.2.2 on the last Classic-booting eMacs.
HD SC Setup
HD SC Setup is easy to download and patch. Grab the latest version (7.5.3) of the program from Apple (link at end of article). Next, download this patch. It will unstuff into a simple application that updates your copy of HD SC Setup to work on any drive.
Now you can format any extra hard drives by hooking them up to your Mac or copy the patched version onto your boot disks. Enjoy your newfound freedom to use Apple's HD SC Setup with any SCSI drive!
Drive Setup
Patching Drive Setup is also a simple two-step process. Choose the appropriate version of Drive Setup and download it (links at end of article). Make sure to grab the right patch, too: version 1.5 or version 1.7.3. Unpack the program and the patch, launch the patcher, and follow the directions.
When you're done, you'll have a new copy of Drive Setup that identifies itself as having been patched. Launch this application or copy it to your boot disks and enjoy genuine Apple drivers on any hard drive!
Driven by Simplicity
As you can see, it's easy to use Apple's hard disk tools with any drive you might have. You'll gain the familiarity of the old standby tools and can forget all the hassles of discontinued, hard-to-find commercial software.
Next time you need to format a hard disk connected to a vintage
Macintosh, consider using HD SC Setup or Drive Setup in their
patched incarnations. I think you'll like the experience. 
Download Links
Recent Classic Restorations articles
- Mac System 7.5.5 can do anything Mac OS 7.6.1 can, 06.04. Yes, it is possible to run Internet Explorer 5.1.7 and SoundJam with System 7.5.5. You just need to have all the updates - and make one modification for SoundJam.
- Making floppies and CDs for older Macs using modern Macs, Windows, and Linux PCs, 03.15. Older Macs use HFS floppies and CDs. Here are the free resources you'll need to write floppies or CDs for vintage Macs using your modern computer.
- Mac OS 8 and 8.1: Maximum size, maximum convenience, 09.11. Mac OS 8 and 8.1 add some useful new features and tools, and it can even be practical on 68030-based Macs.
- More in the Classic Restorations index.
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- Apple gave Psystar enough rope to hang itself, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 07.18. By not filing suit against Psystar immediately, Apple allowed the company to do enough to give Apple an air-tight case.
- Google's 'really good' iPhone App, 10 alternatives to the iPhone, Car Care app, and more, iNews Review, 07.18. Also iPhone 2.0 gives new life to original iPhone, free and low-cost apps, 3G 'tough to kill', inside the iPhone 3G, accessories for the iPhone 3G, and much more
- 4-core Core2 Extreme mobile CPU in August, 256 MB SSD coming to MacBook Air, and more, The 'Book Review, 07.18. Also Centrino 2 shipping, OS X running on tiny MSI Wind notebook, fuel cell notebooks one step closer, free laptop tracking service, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,649, and more.
- Best Power Mac G5 deals, Low End Mac Deals, 07.18. Used 1.8 GHz single SuperDrive, $600; dual, $799, 2.0, $979; 2.3, $899; 2.5, $1,100; 2.7, $1,249; 2.5 Quad, $1,500.
- Best 17" MacBook Pro deals, Low End Mac Deals, 07.18. Used 2.16 GHz Core Duo, $1,275; 2.33 Core2, $1,888; refurb, 2.4, $1,899; new, $1,949 a/r; 2.5, $2,558 a/r; 2.6 Santa Rosa, $2,449 a/r; more.
- Best Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' deals, Low End Mac Deals, 07.18. Mac OS X 10.5.1 single user, $99; 5 users, $158; 10.5 Server, 10 users, $450; unlimited, $900.
- Mac of the Day: 12" 'dual USB' iBook 500, May 2001 - This compact, squared off, all-white, 500 MHz iBook was nicknamed the iceBook.
- List of the Day: Panther List is for anyone using Mac OS X 10.3.
- July 20 in LEM history: 00: Optimizing Mac software - 01: Moore's Law, new Macs, MHz myths - Power Mac 6360 or 7500? - 06: Apple selling Parallels - 07: iPhone backlash - Why Apple is limiting the iPhone market - Software to darken iMac display
- PowerBook Duo and DuoDock problems, no TPM on most Intel Macs, iTunes for Linux, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 07.17. Also a Mac mini that displays some Web images in grayscale, vintage Mac desktop patterns, where to sell a used Mac, dithered images, and more.
- Best Mac Pro deals, Low End Mac Deals, 07.17. Refurb 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,888; 2.8 8-core, $2,399; new 4-core, $2,124 after rebate; 8-core, $2,589 a/r; 3.0 $3,399 a/r; 3.2, $4,169 a/r.
- Best titanium PowerBook G4 deals, Low End Mac Deals, 07.17. Used 400 MHz DVD, $500; 867 MHz Combo, $550; 1 GHz Combo, $678; SuperDrive, $899.
- Best iPod nano deals, Low End Mac Deals, 07.17. Used 2 GB iPod nano, $70; refurb 4 GB, $99; new, $139; refurb 8 GB, $149; new, $180.
- More links in our archive.
About LEM | Support | Usage | Privacy | Contacts
Have a question?
Ask an expert!
Navigation
Used Mac Dealers
Apple History
Best Used Macs
Video Cards
Email Lists
InfoMac's Low
End Mac Forum
Favorite Sites
MacSurfer
MacMinute
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
Macs Only!
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac
Museum
DealMac
DealsOnTheWeb
Mac2Sell
ramseeker
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System
6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End
Mac FAQ
Abandonware
Petition
Mac vs. PC Info
Affiliates
The Apple
Store
Mac
Connection
MacMall
TechRestore
MacResQ
ExperCom
Crucial
Memory
batteries.com
Advertise
