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Seagte GoFlex + USB 3.0 Expresscard + Lacie Driver

Grunze

Grunze

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 16, 2006
168
0
Hi,

I thought I would be able to piece together a solution for usb 3.0 on my macbook pro, but I was mistaken.

I tried using the following components
1. Monoprice.com usb 3.0 exprescard adapter
2. Lacie usb 3.0 driver
3. Seagte goflex portable 1.5tb

In theory this plan should work, but it does not. The driver installs correctly, and detects the usb 3.0 card adapter, but when I connect my hard drive it doesn't mount. It does light up on and off, and then beeps, but never mounts. I also tried connecting the extra usb power cable, but it does not help.

Anyone have better luck then me?

Thanks,
Ari
 
M

Makosuke

macrumors 604
Aug 15, 2001
6,662
1,242
The Cool Part of CA, USA
It's worth noting that LaCie's own USB3 expresscard very specifically ONLY works with their USB3 enclosures. They say this in the fine print, and I've read reports elsewhere that it's indeed true.

While this could be a hardware limitation, if the card you're using detects as the same as their hardware, it's not unreasonable to assume it's a limitation with their driver, so you'd see the same issue with your card. Based on that, unless you buy a LaCie USB3 enclosure, or they update their driver, I wouldn't get my hopes up with that working.

To my knowledge, the CalDigit option is the only USB3 that will work with the MacOS: http://www.caldigit.com/KB/index.asp?KBID=108&viewlocale=1

Presumably, if you didn't want to buy their card (which isn't all that expensive), you could find whatever chipset it uses and try their driver on a generic one.
 
Grunze

Grunze

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 16, 2006
168
0
Hey. Thanks for the reply. I just tried the caldigit driver, but it didn't work.
What do you mean by 'find whatever chipset'? Does chipset mean card?

It's not that I mind buying their card, it's just that I already bought one not realizing that it would be a problem.

Thanks very much
 
T

tibbyme

macrumors newbie
Nov 15, 2010
3
0
ca
What OS are you running?

what OS are you running? If you're running the latest 10.6.7, then the reason the CalDigit driver didn't work was because the CalDigit hasn't released the latest driver for the Apple update yet. It should be out soon and than your CalDigit card should work.

Your best bet would be to continue to check their support pages for the update.
 
M

Makosuke

macrumors 604
Aug 15, 2001
6,662
1,242
The Cool Part of CA, USA
Grunze said:
Does chipset mean card?
Click to expand...
Chipset is the specific hardware chips that particular card uses. I had assumed you bought the card knowing that it used the same chips as the LaCie card, rather than just getting lucky. A lot of people do this with off-brand eSATA expresscards that are based on a chipset for which the manufacturer has a generic MacOS driver.

A particular driver will only work with the specific chipset it is designed for. In some cases, it won't even work with cards by another manufacturer even if they do use the same chipset. Based on the fact that the LaCie driver seems to work for you, I'm assuming that your card must use the same chipset as it, and that their driver isn't checking for who manufactured the card. Which surprises me a bit, but maybe that's because it'll only work with their enclosures anyway; could also be that even though it claims to detect the card, it won't ACTUALLY work, period.

The CalDigit driver not working means that either A) It's just not 10.6.7 compatible; B) It will only work with a CalDigit card; or C) The CalDigit card uses a different chipset than yours. More than one of the above could also be true, and if it's either B or C, you're completely out of luck with the card you have.

I will add that I haven't thus far ever read of anybody getting a generic USB3 expresscard working on the MacOS, while there's a lot of discussion of eSATA, both successful and unsuccessful (which I take to mean there's at least some interest).
 
Grunze

Grunze

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 16, 2006
168
0
Hi again,

That's a real bummer. It looks like I'm out of luck.. unless somebody releases a generic driver in the next two weeks before I leave on my trip that I need these for.

Let me know if you hear of any new developments!

Thanks!!
 
B

Bobpick

macrumors newbie
Apr 17, 2011
1
0
Lacie express card

Although they don't really spell it out, the card will only work with Lacie drives. Australian PC User's May 2011 edition highly commends some of their USB 3.0 drives. If you happen to find a work-around, I would be interested. Have a MacBook Pro and options are limited. Have Buffalo USB 3.0 PCI card in my PC. Caldigit also produce a card for Mac, but it is much more expensive, especially in Australia. Bob P.
 
Last edited:
Peterkro

Peterkro

macrumors 68020
Aug 17, 2004
2,151
1,707
Communard de Londres,Tiocfaidh ár lá
The LaCie USB 3.0 drivers have been hacked by people at InsanelyMac (modbin :) ) works fine with SnowLeopard and cheap generic express card (NEC chip ) and cheapo Icy enclosure and any old drives. Haven't tried with Lion but should be possible.
 
M

MacRumoren

macrumors member
Jul 20, 2010
72
1
Canada
I just installed Lacie's ExpressCard/34 on MBP 17" running Lion, but it's not detecting its own Lacie d2 Quadra 3TB USB 3.0 drive


What else can I do?
 
nwcs

nwcs

macrumors 68030
Sep 21, 2009
2,722
5,262
Tennessee
MacRumoren said:
I just installed Lacie's ExpressCard/34 on MBP 17" running Lion, but it's not detecting its own Lacie d2 Quadra 3TB USB 3.0 drive


What else can I do?
Click to expand...

I happened on this thread and since I just got this same drive and card I thought I'd mention how I got it to work. I downloaded the usb driver from their site. I put the card into the MBP and then installed the 106 driver while the card was plugged in. I rebooted and it worked right away. So I'm using the LaCie right now in USB 3. I'm a little surprised by how much I notice the speed increase.
 
L

lehestro

macrumors newbie
Mar 26, 2009
16
0
Peterkro said:
The LaCie USB 3.0 drivers have been hacked by people at InsanelyMac (modbin :).
Click to expand...

Do you have a link? I went over to their site, but they were talking about altering hexidecimal stuff, and that's a bit beyond me.

I'm trying to connect an Iomega SSD USB 3 external. Really need it to edit effects-heavy keyed video on the go. Am desperate for a solution. I splurged on the caldigit card, express shipping and all, because I read it was unlocked, and for nothing. It reads my lacie usb 3, but not my other 2 usb 3 drives (verbatim HHD, Iomega SSD).

I'm running OSX 10.7.1 (unfortunately. Oh how do I miss snow leopard).
 
I

indiandragon

macrumors newbie
Jan 18, 2010
6
0
Seagate USB 3.0 Express card support in OSX Mountain Lion

Guys hope this thread is still alive !!

Since OSX Mountain Lion brings in native USB3.0 support, did any one try the seagate USB 3.0 upgrade cable package with express card adapter?

According to seagate KB (http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/217951en#13) ,
The Express card Adapter would provide USB 2.0 speeds in OSX as there was no USB 3.0 support, but since now we have USB 3.0 support does the adapter work and give better speeds than before .

I know the limitations of Express card bandwidth, and that it cannot give full USB 3.0 speeds for PCI based express card but a USB 3.0 support means a definitely higher speed for my 1TB seagate GoFlex Freeagent HDD.

Awaiting Reply !!


P.S (No, eSATA does not work for my HDD. Sadly )
 
C

carestudio

macrumors 6502a
Aug 6, 2008
653
164
indiandragon said:
Guys hope this thread is still alive !!

Since OSX Mountain Lion brings in native USB3.0 support, did any one try the seagate USB 3.0 upgrade cable package with express card adapter?

According to seagate KB (http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/217951en#13) ,
The Express card Adapter would provide USB 2.0 speeds in OSX as there was no USB 3.0 support, but since now we have USB 3.0 support does the adapter work and give better speeds than before .

I know the limitations of Express card bandwidth, and that it cannot give full USB 3.0 speeds for PCI based express card but a USB 3.0 support means a definitely higher speed for my 1TB seagate GoFlex Freeagent HDD.

Awaiting Reply !!


P.S (No, eSATA does not work for my HDD. Sadly )
Click to expand...

it does not work. already tired it.
Caldigit is still the only 3rd party supporting USB3 connectivity in both Lion and Mt. Lion.
 
I

indiandragon

macrumors newbie
Jan 18, 2010
6
0
carestudio said:
it does not work. already tired it.
Caldigit is still the only 3rd party supporting USB3 connectivity in both Lion and Mt. Lion.
Click to expand...

Thank you care studio and sorry for my late reply.

So, does seagate 1 TB go flex works with call digit super speed express card in OSX Mountain Lion ? Does it need external power ?
 
C

carestudio

macrumors 6502a
Aug 6, 2008
653
164
indiandragon said:
Thank you care studio and sorry for my late reply.

So, does seagate 1 TB go flex works with call digit super speed express card in OSX Mountain Lion ? Does it need external power ?
Click to expand...

I am not particular a seagate goflex fan since any bus-powered USB3 device is a challenge for both the host card and device side. Thus, I would not suggest you use any bus powered drive that has no AC input for alternative power source.
It may be worth to mention here that caldigit has 2TB AV Drive promotion
http://www.caldigit.com/store.asp#Specials
only 199 dollars for a 2TB USB3 and FireWire drive, pretty cheap.
 
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