Firewire to Thunderbolt External HD issues

[tonih]

I purchased the Iomega eGo BlackBelt portable HD (http://www.amazon.com/Iomega-BlackBe...B0041EM9XM/ref =pd_sxp_f_pt) a few years ago and have backed up my MacBook Pro using time machine. The cable is a firewire 800 with theses connections (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812200730). The rounded side goes into the MacBook Pro. I am trying to get it to connect to my new MacBook Air with Thunderbolt. The Apple Firewire to Thunderbolt addapter does not fit the one end of the cable. So I purchased the Belkin Firewire 9-9 Pin Cable (http://www.belkin.com/us/F3N418-APL-...29E6412E872E81) to use instead of the one that came with the HD. However, there is no power going to the HD. I've tried the split USB also with no luck. It powers with the original cable on the Pro, but not the Belkin cable and Apple adapter on the Air. Any suggestions?

[RedCroissant]

Originally Posted by tonih

I purchased the Iomega eGo BlackBelt portable HD (http://www.amazon.com/Iomega-BlackBe...B0041EM9XM/ref =pd_sxp_f_pt) a few years ago and have backed up my MacBook Pro using time machine. The cable is a firewire 800 with theses connections (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812200730). The rounded side goes into the MacBook Pro. I am trying to get it to connect to my new MacBook Air with Thunderbolt. The Apple Firewire to Thunderbolt addapter does not fit the one end of the cable. So I purchased the Belkin Firewire 9-9 Pin Cable (http://www.belkin.com/us/F3N418-APL-...29E6412E872E81) to use instead of the one that came with the HD. However, there is no power going to the HD. I've tried the split USB also with no luck. It powers with the original cable on the Pro, but not the Belkin cable and Apple adapter on the Air. Any suggestions?

First of all, I'm a little confused. Your external HDD is the one with Firewire 400/800and usb 2.0, right? Does it also have an ac adapter? The reason I ask is because as far as I know(unless I am wrong) older firewire drives cannot be bus-powered and are required to be plugged in.

I know OWC sells a FW drive that can be bus-powered but maybe it's as simple as that.

[tonih]

it does not have a separate power supply. the HD can be powered via the original firewire cable on its own on the Pro, but it's not getting enough power on the Air via the Thunderbolt or a USB Y cable.

The issue is that my Time Machine backup of the Pro is on the HD and I need to move it over to the Air. Honestly, I'm trying to save money and not have to buy a new one, especially since I've already spent about $80 on cables trying to get this to work.

[RedCroissant]

Originally Posted by tonih

it does not have a separate power supply. the HD can be powered via the original firewire cable on its own on the Pro, but it's not getting enough power on the Air via the Thunderbolt or a USB Y cable.

The issue is that my Time Machine backup of the Pro is on the HD and I need to move it over to the Air. Honestly, I'm trying to save money and not have to buy a new one, especially since I've already spent about $80 on cables trying to get this to work.

You do still have the Pro though, right? Why not connect the MBA and the external HDD to the PRO and sue Carbon Copy Cloner to move the time machine backup to the MBA? It's not elegant or as quickly performed, but that could work.

[tonih]

will carbon copy cloner erase my MBA HD when i move the files over? i've never heard of that software, so just reading online about it. i've been starting to use the MBA and have data on there (as well as software like Adobe), that I don't want write over with the old OSX of the MBP.

[RedCroissant]

Originally Posted by tonih

will carbon copy cloner erase my MBA HD when i move the files over? i've never heard of that software, so just reading online about it. i've been starting to use the MBA and have data on there (as well as software like Adobe), that I don't want write over with the old OSX of the MBP.

If you're going to be moving the TM to the MBA, then yes, you would have to erase the MBA drive. The thing is though, if you don't specifically have to move the TM backup to the MBA and can just clone your MBP OS onto it, then that's one less step that you have to deal with. You could even copy the data that's currently on the MBA to the MBP. And once you have everything on the MBP that you want and need, clone the MBP HDD with Carbon Copy Cloner, then send that to the MBA. Once it's all said and done, you will have have everything in one place. Much easier and you don't even need the external HDD for this step.

The bonus here is that once the cloning process is complete, TM will not know the difference between the MBP and the MBA and your backups can continue as though they were never interrupted.