What does it do?

This firmware updater changes the firmware on the card from Apple's to ATTO's.

What card does this apply to?

This little hack applies to the PCI SCSI card that shipped with many of the original Beige G3s and some of the B&W G3's. It is easy to tell if you have this particular model, just open up Apple System Profiler and click on the "Devices and Volumes" tab. On the PCI branch, click on the expansion triangle next to any listings that say "SCSI Card". You have the Apple OEM card if the "Card name:" field reads "Apple53C875Card".

Why would I want to do this?

One very good reason...Apple hasn't put out an update for this card since September of 2000, and they will probably never put out another one. However, ATTO continuously makes updates for this card. Also, Apple's firmware didn't fully support devices connected to the external connector on the card, as evidenced by the sticker put over most by Apple. This firmware also allows you to use ATTO's ExpressPro Tools to configure the card.

How do I install the hack?

Download the Updater file. I highly recommend disconnecting all drives from the card before applying the firmware update. If your boot device is connected to the SCSI card, then you may have to boot from a bootable Mac OS Install CD.

Once you have unstuffed the updater file, double-click the" Apple->ATTO SCSI Card Hack" application. If you have an eligible card, it will be displayed in the window. Click the checkbox next to that card and click update. Ignore the version numbers displayed on the screen. The firmware version that will be installed is 1.6.4f. You will recieve confirmation that the update completed. Restart you computer. Verify that it worked by checking the Apple System Profiler. Your SCSI card entry should now look like this:

* UPDATE * A newer version of the firmware (1.6.6) was just recently released from ATTO. After you use my firmware updater, ATTO's firmware updaters will now recognize the card and enable you to apply the latest firmware. You can download it from this here.

** UPDATE ** A user who was having trouble using the updater offered this solution: The trick is using a PC to do the flash. The DOS software has no problem seeing the card as an ATTO Express PCI and merrily overwrites the OEM Apple firmware. My guess is that Apple only replaced the Mac part of the firmware with OEM data and left the PC part alone. Even the DOS firmware program loads in new Macintosh firmware onto the card.

Issues:

One user reported that the internal bus on the card stopped working after the update, but the external port continued to function. That was the only report of that happening. I must mention that there is no going back after this update is performed, and I'm not responsible for damaged cards or lost data.

How can this possibly work?

Simple. The Apple53C875Card is and has always been an ATTO ExpressPCI PSC. For support purposes Apple put thier own firmware signature on the card so that people wouldn't go to ATTO for support help, since it is Apple's obligation to provide support on OEM equipment. At the same time, they did not want ATTO releasing firmware for an Apple supported card. Putting thier own firmware on the card solved both of these problems for Apple, but left customers with no options for configuration or updates.