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First post, by ruthan

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Hello,
i have problem to clone original Sata WD 160 GB iMac G5 to Corsair 250GB SSD.. Original disk is working fine, but clone dont - white screen os booting is not initialized..
I have installed MacOS 10.4 + Linux, there is not bootloader screen visible its booting into MacOS unless some hotkey is pressed to boot in to Linux.

First problem would be that not standard partition scheme is used.. but some AppleGUID, i though that R-Drive drive image would work, because its able to recognize Apple Partition scheme, but i tried data clone (faster with fill free space with zeroes) and bit copy, but its still the same. At this moment im fine with not using additional 90 GB on SSD..

Maybe someone has more experience with it.. I dont thing that i could clone it inside Mac without any USB enclosure and even that PowerPC architecture would be problem, i dont thing that for old MacOS exist some life cloning and apple partitions would be probably problematic even Linux and CloneZillas and similar stuff.

Last edited by ruthan on 2021-07-26, 21:28. Edited 5 times in total.

Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 1 of 48, by Jo22

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Hi! I'm using Carbon Copy Cloner for this, if memory serves.
There's an older version that runs fine on Tiger. Used it on a G3/G4 Mac.
The newer one, too, on a non-name intel "Mac" running Snow Leopard.

Good thing is, that it creates archives (*.dmg) that are compatible with Disk Utility.
So they can be restored with a Mac OS X boot CD.

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 2 of 48, by ruthan

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So i have to create image from Live MacOS with Carbon copy and after boot from MacOS boot CD and with USB enclose with new target disc and recover image on it? I guess that it doesnt support network backup or recovery, so question is its possible to save image on same partition which is backuped? Or it would need additional step - safe copy to USB enclose... and copy it back on original disk and use it as source, because new disk in USB enclore would be now target..

Update: I tried to install Carbon Copy 3.4.7 which should be last one, but there seems that only MacOS volume could be copied not Linux one.. i dont see there nothing like source whole disk as source, only volume what would be not probably enough is that dialog is not misleading.

Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 3 of 48, by bofh.fromhell

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ruthan wrote on 2021-07-19, 19:26:
Hello, i have problem to clone original Sata WD 160 GB iMac G5 to Corsair 250GB SSD.. Original disk is working fine, but clone d […]
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Hello,
i have problem to clone original Sata WD 160 GB iMac G5 to Corsair 250GB SSD.. Original disk is working fine, but clone dont - white screen os booting is not initialized..
I have installed MacOS 10.4 + Linux, there is not bootloader screen visible its booting into MacOS unless some hotkey is pressed to boot in to Linux.

First problem would be that not standard partition scheme is used.. but some AppleGUID, i though that R-Drive drive image would work, because its able to recognize Apple Partition scheme, but i tried data clone (faster with fill free space with zeroes) and bit copy, but its still the same. At this moment im fine with not using additional 90 GB on SSD..

Maybe someone has more experience with it.. I dont thing that i could clone it inside Mac without any USB enclosure and even that PowerPC architecture would be problem, i dont thing that for old MacOS exist some life cloning and apple partitions would be probably problematic even Linux and CloneZillas and similar stuff.

Ar you sure the new disk actually works properly in the G5?
I know that my Power Mac G5 was very picky with what SSD I could use on it.

Reply 4 of 48, by ruthan

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Hmm, how to check it? Is somewhere the list? I can only tell that is working with USB enclosure, but when i copied it by Carbon Copy its not booting.. So far i copied only MacOS partition.

Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 5 of 48, by Jo22

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Hm, I don't know what to say. I have a little bit experience with Power Macs, but not with Linux on PPC platform.
Also, the OP is right about different partition types. Apple uses a different type on PPC/x86.

If this was a x86 system, I would run Acronis True Image and make sector-based copy.
This worked with a Linux installation once. ATI detects the filesystem as "RAW" (it doesn't detect it at all),
so resizing doesn'work. It allows making a sector-based 1:1 copy, though. Destination can be another HDD or an image file (*.tib).

I'm sorry that I can't offer a better belp. 🙁

Maybe there are some Linux tools ?
GParted ? Clonezilla ? Partition Image (Partimage) ?
I don't know for sure if they support these partitions, though. 🙁

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 6 of 48, by ruthan

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Hmm, make Linux partition working, seems to be next step.. that even Disk copy is not working is problem. I even deleted disk through disk utility, before copy. I dunno what is maximum partition size, but disc utility was ok with 232 HFS parition, or 2 - 180GB and 50GB with second - which reserved as place for Linux, which i would try to import later.

Clonezilla and Gparted are overrated - in Linux community, they have lots of bugs too, Windows tools are usually better, more sofisticated, fail proof. Gparted have to have PPC port, so Apple partition scheme is probably supported, but its not cloning tool, maybe it could be cloned by some lowlevel dd copy or something like that, but i would like to avoid it, its not fail proof at all..

Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 7 of 48, by ruthan

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My problem really look like some low level HW incompatibility.. because when i press right ATL for boot menu with need disk inserted, i get only blue screen without any boot device icon, even when MacOS boot cd inserted, its stuck.. When i do same test with original HDD, i get MacOS, Linux and MacOS boot cd icons..

So Crucial 250GB SSD is not right one and need something else.. True is that is Sata3 (550 MB/s).. G5 supports only Sata1 (150 MB/s) , but it should be backwards compatible im using these disk, even with some Super Socket 7 PCs and its working fine.

Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 8 of 48, by ruthan

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Ok i found some list from internet threads:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/42166/SSD … n+a+PowerMac+G5
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/best-ssd … mac-g5.1810580/

It should works:
Intel 320 series 120/160GB SSD // Checked by me - Intel controllers, seems to be same as is used in Intel 710
WD Green 120 GB // Checked by me, Silicon Motion Controller
PNY XLR8 120GB
Corsair Force 120gb SATA III
Crucial M500 240GB
Corsair Force 3
Sandisk SSD Plug 240 GB // Name is probably wrong..
Samsung 840 Pro 512GB // Vogons users

Not working- system not see it, or kernel panic boot, or its working only in safe mode:
Crucial MX500 - my testing
Intel 530 - my testing
OCZ vertex+ (Sata-2)
SanDisk Extreme SSD with 120 GB
Crucial "M4"

Im not sure what is difference, if its about controller, or there is theory about sector size 512bytes vs 4096bytes (unsupported).

Last edited by ruthan on 2021-08-01, 00:12. Edited 7 times in total.

Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 9 of 48, by pentiumspeed

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Ahh. 4K sector support or "advanced format" aka AF, This can be a issue, As long as the SSD supports 512 byte sector support will work. Needs older SSD pre-4K / pre-AF SSD.
This means before 2016 or so.

Also Micron branded SSD (usually went with OEM computers), but can be purchased via ebay. I focus on OEM brands:

Liteon
Micron or Crucial
Sandisk
Intel (caution: consult the Intel SSD wiki to pick one without Bigfoot controller/Sandforce).
Toshiba older SSD drives.
Samsung Pro or 850 or 860. 840 had quality issues.

Cheers,

Great Northern aka Canada.

Reply 10 of 48, by ruthan

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Which diagnostic program will tell me, if SSD is using advanced format? I found some Intel 530, regarding this info, it should be 512..
https://community.intel.com/t5/Solid-State-Dr … ize/td-p/206680

Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 11 of 48, by ruthan

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AIDA is has this info, is this what i need? I have that 512/512 everywhere even on my 4TB Sandisk SSD..

Update: Crucial MX500 also shows same 512 bytes values, so it has to be something else..

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Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 12 of 48, by pentiumspeed

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These that new will still have AF using 512 sector emulation.

Could be these drives are SATA III, have you tried older one that supports SATA II or I, try this with old hard drive if you have one on hand for a trial?

Cheers,

Great Northern aka Canada.

Reply 13 of 48, by ruthan

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As SSD are dying i usually get ones.. i have only one old Intel Sata 2, but its used, in other machine.. but from list above some working models are SataIII.

Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 14 of 48, by pentiumspeed

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I use google to find out what they have internally and their pdf datasheets, and review websites.

Intel 320 is SATA II and used intel controller, try this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_SSDs

Curcial M500 is also SATA II and good choice to use. Usually has Marvell chipset controller, I liked these controller so much. Try this also.

Sandisk is also good but Plug model I did not find any. Is there a mistake?

The rest of the SSD I don't want to use. Tend to use dramless controller or some old ones used Sandforce or Barefoot controller which is a problematic.

SandForce SF-2281 is in your Sandisk Extreme 120GB, not good choice to have.
OCZ Vertex Plus is Barefoot controller and is notorious for issues.

Crucial "M4" SSD is SATA III (600Gbps) even it uses Marvell chipset (good to keep for other uses).

Cheers,

Great Northern aka Canada.

Reply 15 of 48, by ruthan

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Intel 530 is also no go, its not that boot freeze, as for Crucial, but its not booting and see only blinking MacOS icon after boot.

Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 16 of 48, by pentiumspeed

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The iMac G5 is strictly SATA 150 Gbps (SATA I) and choice of software cloning should be running on your iMac off the original hard drive and prepare the SSD in a external box attached to your iMac to be bootable and correct partitions.

May have to buy a cloning software.

Cheers,

Great Northern aka Canada.

Reply 17 of 48, by ruthan

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Too many variables, if would be sure that SSD is compatible i can try to experiment with other cloning software..
I found other small SSD WD Green SSD 120GB WDS120G2G0A - its using some silicon motion controller..

Im old goal oriented goatman, i care about facts and freedom, not about egos+prejudices. Hoarding=sickness. If you want respect, gain it by your behavior. I hate stupid SW limits, SW=virtual world, everything should be possible if you have enough raw HW.

Reply 18 of 48, by darry

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While this may not be explicitly relevant to your use case, it might give you some ideas . I have a very picky multi-track recorder from 1998 (Roland VS-880EX) and have tried multiple adapted SATA SSDs in it and found only 2 that worked :

Samsung 860 EVO 500GB (Samsung custom controller)
Kingston HyperX 240GB SHFS37A/240G (SandForce SF-2281 based)

Though your G5 might have other reasons to not like certain disks and might have different tastes than my VS-880EX, the above SSDs (or variant based on the same controller) would be worth a try, IMHO .

See Using a vintage multi-track recorder as a mixer, namely the Roland VS-880EX - might apply to other Roland VS- units for gory details .

This is what did not work :

a) Kingston 16GB CF card : VS-880EX freezes at boot
b) Sandisk 4GB and 2GB cards : VS-880EX freezes at boot (even setting fixed disk bit on the 2GB card changed nothing)
c) INIC-2051 based microSD to CF card reader (tried with multiple microSD cards 8GB, 16GB and 32 GB) : VS-880EX lets me try to format, but errors out.
d) FC-1307 based microSD to CF card reader (tried with multiple microSD cards 8GB, 16GB and 32 GB) : VS-880EX successfully formats card, but wants to re-format on every boot .
e) Nikon 8MB (not a typo) CF card : VS-880EX successfully formats card and works, even after reboot (would not want to record on it, but for a mixer it's fine).
f) Verbatim 128MB (not a typo) CF card : VS-880EX successfully formats card and works, even after reboot (would not want to record on it, but for a mixer it's fine).
g)Kingston A400 120GB (likely Phison S11 based, did not disassemble it) : has the same behaviour as the Sandisk CF cards, the Verbatim 2GB CF card and the Kingston 16GB CF card (freezes at boot) .
h)Kingston KC600 256GB (Silicon Motion SM2259) : has the same behaviour as the Sandisk CF cards, the Verbatim 2GB CF card and the Kingston 16GB CF card (freezes at boot) .
i) HP S700 250GB (Silicon Motion SM2258XT) : has the same behaviour as the Sandisk CF cards, the Verbatim 2GB CF card and the Kingston 16GB CF card (freezes at boot) .
j) Adata SU655 120GB (Maxiotek/Maxio (JMicron spin-off) MAS0902A-B2C ) : has the same behaviour as the Sandisk CF cards, the Verbatim 2GB CF card and the Kingston 16GB CF card (freezes at boot) .

Reply 19 of 48, by darry

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ruthan wrote on 2021-07-22, 17:18:

Too many variables, if would be sure that SSD is compatible i can try to experiment with other cloning software..
I found other small SSD WD Green SSD 120GB WDS120G2G0A - its using some silicon motion controller..

If you want to know if your SSD is compatible, why not do a temporary clean install on MacOS onto it just to test it first ?