68kMLA Classic Interface

This is a version of the 68kMLA forums for viewing on your favorite old mac. Visitors on modern platforms may prefer the main site.

Click here to select a new forum.
I have a couple hundred drives I need to archive. SCSI and IDE. What would be your ideal setup to accomplish this?
Posted by: shu82 on 2026-04-01 18:02:41
Lets say I have access to almost any platform/peripheral and a bluescsi v2. SCSI ones are the challenge really. What would be the optimal setup to have the best success? I was thinking an early or mid PPC tower. But I do have an old world g3 as well, scsi cards, and drive enclosures. How would you do it? Any software preference?
Posted by: finkmac on 2026-04-01 18:09:10
with scsi, i'd use a Zulu-compatible scsi emulator that has initiator mode. that will image the drives well... all you need is two drive enclosures and appropriate cabling.

for ide, i'd get an ide/usb adapter and image with a modern computer.
Posted by: chrisrueckert on 2026-04-01 22:53:47
For the SCSI drives you can use the BlueSCSI v2 in Initiator Mode. It'll copy the disks once you connect the drive to it without the need of a Mac.
Posted by: shu82 on 2026-04-02 09:01:26
For the SCSI drives you can use the BlueSCSI v2 in Initiator Mode. It'll copy the disks once you connect the drive to it without the need of a Mac.
That was my first thought to do. But, I was wondering if a direct install into a working old world tower would still be the preferred method. Then I also have a sata card with an ssd. I was wondering if going that far would cause complications vs staying on the scsi chain.
Posted by: finkmac on 2026-04-02 09:26:35
only reason i'd use a tower would be to steal the molex power.
Posted by: rabbitholecomputing on 2026-04-05 10:35:56
For the SCSI drives you can use the BlueSCSI v2 in Initiator Mode. It'll copy the disks once you connect the drive to it without the need of a Mac.
@shu82 and @chrisrueckert, FYI, initiator mode was originally implemented for ZuluSCSI, which is where BlueSCSI got said initiator mode support from.

See the second line of https://github.com/BlueSCSI/BlueSCSI-v2/blob/main/src/BlueSCSI_initiator.cpp#L2C3-L2C65, where it clearly states:

This file is originally part of ZuluSCSI adopted for BlueSCSI

The SCSI initiator mode code exists because Rabbit Hole Computing developed and tested it, and was a basic feature of ZuluSCSI RP2040 when it was announced in March of 2023. The BlueSCSI team then added hardware support to a later hardware revision of BlueSCSI V2, which was released in ~September of 2023, five months after we chose to make it publicly available under an open source license.

ZuluSCSI Blaster (Ultra SCSI), ZuluSCSI Wide, and ZuluSCSI RP2040 Compact all support initiator mode, and have from day one.

It's also worth noting that the BlueSCSI V2 firmware was shamelessly forked form ZuluSCSI firmware, and began life as a wholesale search-and-replace. It does not represent an original work at the time of the fork. Other than BlueSCSI Toolbox, which was ported over from BlueSCSI V1, the initial firmware development of BlueSCSI V2 was done by Rabbit Hole Computing. Their primary contribution was to design a work-alike Pico-based board, instead of using an integrated/laid-down RP2040 microcontroller.

Rabbit Hole Computing then released ZuluSCSI Pico OSHW in October of 2023 under a "true" open-source license, the CERN Open Hardware License, which did not restrict commercial use/sale.

Eleven months later, on or around September 9th, 2024, the BlueSCSI team announced they were re-releasing their hardware designs under the exact same CERN OHL-S license, instead of the previously used Creative Commons Non-commercial license. This is a clear pattern of behavior, which continues with the recent release of BlueSCSI Ultra/Ultra Wide, which is similarly derived from firmware written by Rabbit Hole Computing, for ZuluSCSI.

It's pretty clear who is paying for and doing the actual hard work.
Posted by: chrisrueckert on 2026-04-05 12:02:56
So Shu82 had two options. Great!
Posted by: luRaichu on 2026-04-05 12:26:04
It's pretty clear who is paying for and doing the actual hard work.
Yeah, but their clone is cheaper and in stock more often for US buyers.
The market follows the best value item
1