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Powered USB hub won't work for my PowerBook. Not even pigtail wire!

R

RyConn M.D.

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 26, 2009
2
0
I have a 15" PowerBook G4 1.33 Ghz and I discovered that the provided USB ports do not power such devices as portable hard drives or audio interfaces.

So I heard that you need a POWERED USB hub.
I get one, Plug it in. And the PowerBook still doesn't recognize my external hard drive.

My hard drive has two wires on the opposite side from the enclosure that connect to female USB ports. I run an extension cord from one of the males to the other USB port on the PowerBook which is said to work but that also does nothing..

Disk Utility DOES recognize it.

I can't find it in Finder,
...some Powerbook..

Any idea?
 
Darth.Titan

Darth.Titan

macrumors 68030
Oct 31, 2007
2,905
753
Austin, TX
If Disk Utility recognizes it, can you highlight it and click the 'Mount' button?
Does this external drive work with other computers?
 
illegallydead

illegallydead

macrumors 6502a
Oct 22, 2007
714
0
Colorado!!!
RyConn M.D. said:
I have a 15" PowerBook G4 1.33 Ghz and I discovered that the provided USB ports do not power such devices as portable hard drives or audio interfaces.

So I heard that you need a POWERED USB hub.
I get one, Plug it in. And the PowerBook still doesn't recognize my external hard drive.

My hard drive has two wires on the opposite side from the enclosure that connect to female USB ports. I run an extension cord from one of the males to the other USB port on the PowerBook which is said to work but that also does nothing..

Disk Utility DOES recognize it.

I can't find it in Finder,
...some Powerbook..

Any idea?
Click to expand...

If disk utility does recognize the disk, then the problem is not in the hub.
Are you sure you have the Disk Mounted? Disk Utility may see it, but the Name of the partition may be grayed out... Is that your problem?

Other than that, not sure what t tell you...

[EDIT]
haha damn looks like I was beat to it :)
[/EDIT]
 
R

RyConn M.D.

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 26, 2009
2
0
I think I made a little bit of progress

I decided I would try one last thing. The last thing I could think of.

I backed up my har drive to my Windows machine and then went ahead and erase/formatted the drive. THIS WORKED!

One problem:

I have a USB Audio Interface (Tascam US-122) that I used to use with my old PowerMac G4 and IT WON'T WORK. So the hub is working...but my audio interface won't power on? It was a phantom power on/off switch and when I switch it on, a red light turns on. So it is getting power it seems, my mac just isn't recognizing it.

What to do, what to do.....
 
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