adapter hardware to hook up ide drives to my iMac

[Straitsfan]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but here goes:

I have a couple of old IDE drives from a long gone machine that may have some files on it that I need.

I was wondering if there was any hardware/equipment out there that I could buy, with a usb 2.0 drive or above, to connect to my iMac so I can look at the contents of the drive.

I think I came a cross some stuff online, but I'm not sure, so rather than buy something and risk having it not work, I thought that someone out there might have some experience with this and could recommend some possibilities.

 

[ferrarr]

Yes, you will get a lot of hits, if you do an internet search for, ide USB adapter or PATA USB adapter. Most likely eBay or Amazon.

 

[Straitsfan]

I take it that I won't need any software or anything? The mac will be able to read it?

 

[harryb2448]

Something like this would be the go. Search eBay in your own country which you have not included in your avatar:-


http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Hytec-PA...978511?hash=item48866da74f:g:r3sAAOSwgyxWVoUL

 

[ferrarr]

I take it that I won't need any software or anything? The mac will be able to read it?

You “should not” need any software to read from the disks, it really depends on the format & partition type. You haven’t provided much info about your current Mac, or what type of PC the drives came from.

 

[Straitsfan]

You “should not” need any software to read from the disks, it really depends on the format & partition type. You haven’t provided much info about your current Mac, or what type of PC the drives came from.

Don't remember the OS -- it was windows, but I think it was Windows 7 or XP. I started out with windows 98, but I upgraded, I think.

I have an iMac running el capitan,

 

[ferrarr]

Your iMac should be able to read from the drive without the need for additional software.

 

[Straitsfan]

Okay -- so I got the adapter, but wouldn't you know it -- it can read one disk that I have, but that one doesn't seem to have the files on it. The other disk it sees but asks if I want to format it. I can't see what's on the drive at all. I think it was done in Win 98. Anyone know if there's a way to see those files and get them?

I have a Vantec usb to sata/ide adapter, model number CB-ISATAU2

 

[Slydude]

If the device read one drive that suggests it is working correctly and probably not the culprit. I wonder if the directory structure hasn't gotten corrupted on the second drive. It might be worth connecting the drive to a Windows box and using whatever utility you have to check the directory structure.

 

[chscag]

I think it was done in Win 98. Anyone know if there's a way to see those files and get them?

If it was done with Win 98, the file format would have to be FAT-32 or FAT-16 both of which macOS can read and write to. I suspect the drive (as Slydude indicated) is probably corrupt or defective. Also since Win 98 is ancient and the drive is that old, probably time to toss it.