Need Help Increasing Hard Drive Capacity on a Mac G5 ASAP!!!

Hi,

I have a Mac G5 tower that, unfortunately, can only hold two drives. I'm running OX 10.4.11. My main drive is 250 GB. I have all my applications on it, and my e-mail. My second drive is a terabyte where I have all my footage and stills. My main drive is almost completely used up. I only have one GB left! I'm afraid to edit until I sort this out.

So, I ordered a Seagate 1.5 terabye drive that I was going to install on my computer as my second drive and make the terabyte drive my main drive. My friend said that is a big mistake because it will take the computer too long to start up.

Is that true? Is that a good or bad plan?

Even so, I'm a little nervous with the Seagate 1.5 terabyte drive, because I've read mixed reviews. I called Seagate, and they said it shouldn't be a problem if it's plugged directly into a SATA port internally, and that the people that are having problems are using a work-around the SATA port. So, I ordered it. Is that a good idea? I'd hate to have a problem with the drive all my footage is on, even though everything is backed up.


Another friend said I should find out what is taking up so much space on my 250 GB main drive before I do anything. I am wondering if e-mail is stored on this drive and using up space.

Please help! Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks!
Colleen

My system HD has all the programs in the world + then some and it is still under 140 GB. You definitely have something fishy going on over there...

Where are your scratch disks located at?? Is it possible you are storing old render files and vault backups on your startup disk?? Start by checking that first.

your friend is correct. 1tb is too big for a boot drive.
i bet you have your capture scratch set to your documents folder...

just get a good external firewire800 drive and youll be set. i recommend this:
[eshop.macsales.com]

Thanks so much!

That's it. I looked under documents and sure enough, there was a FCP folder full of vault files, render files etc. I'll have reset FCP and buy another firewire drive because my terabyte is almost used up. Problem solved!

Do I drag and copy the vault files to the other drive, or do I need to relink or do it in a certain way?

Thank you so much!!!

Hi Colleen,

#1. Nevernevernevernevernever fill your media drive past 90% evereverevereverever.

#2. 250 - 500 GB boot drive max. Nothing but Apps on it (no media).

#3. You didn't tell us what TYPE of media you are editing (DV / HDV / DVCPRO-HD / ProRes / etc). What nobody is recommending (and they should be) is GET A GOOD SOLID EXTERNAL RAID. Just an external firewire drive may not be fast enough because some (most) firewire drives start to lose performance as they fill up past 50%.

Look at the CalDigit VR (Quad interface). That will take care of everything except uncompressed HD and I can sense you are not editing that.

[www.caldigit.com]

Talk to Jon Schiling @ CalDigit. Tell him Joey sent ya

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Hi Joey,

I hate to tell you this, but I have filled up my drives to the max. Currently, it's not, but I have in the past. Now, that I know, I won't do that anymore.

I'm editing standard DV and I have a lot of footage because I'm making a documentary.

I've noticed that about regular drives are too slow. That's why I prefer internal drives. I've never had a raid because they tend to be so expensive. Even so, I'll call Jon tomorrow.

Thank you so much!
Colleen

the caldigit products are SUPERB and their customer service is without peer! but to be honest, for your needs (and budget) id come back to that quad interface OWC drive i mentioned earlier. given the quad interface, it will give you the choice of e-sata, firewire 800, 400 and usb2.0 - so you'll be covered for just about anything. i use them connected to my old powerbook G4 via firewire 800 for field work with DVCPROHD. so for your DV needs it will be way, WAY more than adequate.

CalDigit VR I mentioned = Quad interface (see above). Superior Tech Support to boot.

Talk to Jon. They are not that expensive

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

They used to be...but prices have dropped.

GREAT drives...just to be another voice to the mix.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

shane,

Your sig looks to be infected with some kind of image virus

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

My daughter took that with my iPhone and INSISTED that I use it as my forum sig pic. SO....I had to relent...for a little while. But I need a better pic than the last one anyway. I am not photogenic.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

I like it! Captures that Shane personality. Good haircut. Nice shirt. Pleasant demeanor. Humble yet intelligent. Yeah, good pict.



Michael Horton
-------------------

I swear to god...I didn't know that was you...looks like one of The Temptations in the middle of a dance move.



When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Taken with an iPhone in a dark restaurant...whatchagonnado? Tried a bit of enhancing with Photoshop, but "I suck at Photoshop..."

I'll try to lighten...


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Colleen-

Like you I have a G5 tower. Unlike the newer Intel machines, there is some extra space in the front of the machines. These folks make a kit of parts that lets you install two additional drives in that space. That give you a total of 4 internal, much like the newer boxes.

This takes a small amount of mechanical attitude and a half hour or so of time, but it will get you a ton more storage without an external enclosure, and at fast SATA speeds too.

[www.granitedigital.com]

-Vance

I made my infamous POPSICLE RAID in my G5...

[lfhd.blogspot.com]
[lfhd.blogspot.com]

Just know that that adds a LOT of heat and the fans kicked in overtime. Even with the Granite Digital solution...the fans will kick in and you now have a little heater in your office. Fine for Wisconsin, not fine for Southern CA or Phoenix.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Nice!



www.strypesinpost.com

Shane-

Loved the Popsicle stick approach. I have to say about the only difference between your system and Granite Digital is that they own a punch press.

But about the heat. Internal or External your drives are going to produce the same amount of heat in the room. Unless you put them in a windowbox outside your edit bay.

-V

True...but all the heat from the drives blew into the machine FIRST...hitting the PCI and AGP slots...making them hotter. NOT the best alternative. This is why I moved my drives to an external box...AGAIN, one that I built on my own. At one point I was a cheap bastard.

[lfhd.blogspot.com]


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Hi,

Has anyone had any success adding firewire ports to a G5 which has too few of them. I ordered the external drive that was suggested.

Colleen

Hi Everyone!

Nick was right, I was storing old vault and render files on my main hard drive. I can't figure out how to change the setting. Please advise.

Thank you so much!

Colleen

Menu Bar / Final Cut Pro / System Settings / Scratch Disks (tab)

You can change the Render File & Autosave Vault locations here.

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.