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telecomm
May 8, 2008, 09:04 AM
Now that I've got a MBP I'm thinking of getting a FW800 external drive. I've currently got three FW400 drives in a chain, so I'm wondering whether I'll be able to connect to a new drive via FW800 and then chain the old drives through the new drive.

Anyone done this or know if it works?



CWallace
May 8, 2008, 09:07 AM
Works great.

I have a Western Digital MyBook 750 connected via FW800 to my iMac and then a Maxtor OneTouch 500 connected to the MyBook via FW400.

MacAodh
May 8, 2008, 09:10 AM
Now that I've got a MBP I'm thinking of getting a FW800 external drive. I've currently got three FW400 drives in a chain, so I'm wondering whether I'll be able to connect to a new drive via FW800 and then chain the old drives through the new drive.

Anyone done this or know if it works?

From what i know there shouldn't be a problem... but not 100%

telecomm
May 8, 2008, 09:19 AM
Works great.

I have a Western Digital MyBook 750 connected via FW800 to my iMac and then a Maxtor OneTouch 500 connected to the MyBook via FW400.

Cool, thanks. I've got two MyBooks (500 and 250) and a bus-powered notebook drive in a case in a FW400 chain right now. You can't have too much HD space!

catachip
May 8, 2008, 04:45 PM
Now that I've got a MBP I'm thinking of getting a FW800 external drive. I've currently got three FW400 drives in a chain, so I'm wondering whether I'll be able to connect to a new drive via FW800 and then chain the old drives through the new drive.

Anyone done this or know if it works?

I'm pretty sure this wont work. You are trying to go: computer-->Firewire 800-->Firewire 400, right?

I'm almost certain that you can only daisy chain FW400 and FW800 drives, one or the other. Anyone else?

Consultant
May 8, 2008, 05:16 PM
I'm pretty sure this wont work. You are trying to go: computer-->Firewire 800-->Firewire 400, right?

I'm almost certain that you can only daisy chain FW400 and FW800 drives, one or the other. Anyone else?

There are cables that goes from 400 to 800 and vice versa, so it will work.

However, I would connect 400 devices to the 400 bus and 800 devices to the 800 bus.

Guiyon
May 9, 2008, 01:07 AM
Now that I've got a MBP I'm thinking of getting a FW800 external drive. I've currently got three FW400 drives in a chain, so I'm wondering whether I'll be able to connect to a new drive via FW800 and then chain the old drives through the new drive.

Anyone done this or know if it works?

Chaining the drives will work fine assuming you have the proper 9->6 cables (also assuming the FW800 drive lacks a 6 pin port). The only downside is that the FW800 drive will switch into FW400 mode so it will run a bit slower.