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HDD is sometimes not found on start up?

LethalWolfe

LethalWolfe

macrumors G3
Original poster
Jan 11, 2002
9,370
124
Los Angeles
I have 3 seperate HDDs on my dual gig G4 and when I started my Mac, OS X (10.1.3) told me I was trying to mount an uninitialized disk (something like that). After a reboot all was fine.

Is this just a fluke? Or is it the sign of an HDD going bad? The "missing" HDD is running on a Sonnet ATA133 PCI card, but so is another HDD that loaded fine, so I don't think it's a card issues.


Also, is there any way to initialize a disk w/o losing all the data on it?

Lethal
 
I dont know about it not mounting, but as far as I know, there is no way to initialize a disk, hard drive, or anything else without losing all of the information.
 
One, update to 10.1.4.

Two, if you have OS 9 make sure it is at 9.2.2.

Three, install any firmware updates for both the Mac hardware as well as any for that PCI card.

Four, run utilities on the drive that didn't want to mount properly. Chances are it is need of some tlc. If you have nothing else, run Disk First Aid, do a verify first, then a repair. If you have NUM, run both disk doctor and speed disk on the drive.

I would suggest booting up off of the utility cd and running them on all your drives.
 
1. done.

2. it is 9.2.2

3. I installed latest firmware when I first installed the card. BTW, is there a way to see what firmware version (for the Sonnet card) I'm running thru OS X? I wish I knew my way around OS X the way I know my way 'round windows... :( But I'm learning more each day. :)

4. According to Disk First Aid all is looking pretty. What would you recommend as far as bare minium utilty software? If it helps, this G4 is an editing workstation, not my "every day" computer.


Lethal
 
So the G4's firmware is at the very latest version?

For a minimum set of utilities, I would say NSW/NUM after that, if you can afford to, get Diskwarrior 2 and TechTool Pro 3.x. You might want to consider Drive 10 at some point in the future. I KNOW that TTP3, DW2 and NUM will fix just about any problem you can encounter. The only ones they can't handle are actually damaged hardware (like motherboards, video cards, etc.).

What happens if you put the drive that has issues onto a different ATA bus?? Put the drive in question on one of the other ATA buses. Either the one off the motherboard, or the other on the card. You will need to make sure the master/slave selection is set properly when you do that.
 
Where do I go to get the latest firmware for my G4? And how do I find out what version firmware I'm currently running?


I haven't tried moving the drive to a different cable yet (since it only happend once). If it happens again then I'll break'er open and start trouble shooting from the harddware side of things.


Thanx fer all yer help!


Lethal
 
Run the software update control panel from OS 9. That will find any firmware updates that have been issued since you got your computer. Follow the instructions on how to do the update TO THE LETTER. If you don't, you are on your own. The version could be listed under OS 9's Apple System Profiler. I am not running OS 9.x at the moment on my TiBook so I cannot confirm that.

How do you have the drives attached to the ATA card??? Both on one ribbon, or one per ribbon?? What drives are they (brand, size...). What are the jumpers set to (master, slave, or cable select)??
 
Originally posted by AlphaTech
Run the software update control panel from OS 9. That will find any firmware updates that have been issued since you got your computer. Follow the instructions on how to do the update TO THE LETTER. If you don't, you are on your own. The version could be listed under OS 9's Apple System Profiler. I am not running OS 9.x at the moment on my TiBook so I cannot confirm that.
Click to expand...


So I run this from 9, even though I only use X (I kept 9 on just in case I need it). Not questioning yer instructions, just confirming.

How do you have the drives attached to the ATA card??? Both on one ribbon, or one per ribbon?? What drives are they (brand, size...). What are the jumpers set to (master, slave, or cable select)??
Click to expand...

I have 1 drive per ribbon, and they are set to master. I have identical 7200RPM Maxtor 80gig HDDs w/fluid bearings.


Lethal
 
Ran software updater thru 9 and d/led a an update for running carbon apps. No firmware updates were needed.

BTW, I've ended up cycling my G4 4 or 5 times today and, w/the exception of the first boot, all has gone well.


Lethal
 
It could have been a fluke, but I would still suggest running disk doctor and speed disk on that drive as soon as you can. I also suggest getting TechTool Pro 3.x and DiskWarrior 2. Those three utilities will fix any damaged sublevel parts that are on that drive. As long as the drive itself is not beyond repair, or the circuit board is fried (litterally).
 
Originally posted by LethalWolfe
Will do.

Thanx for all the help AlphaTech.


Lethal
Click to expand...

No prob... hope you don't get the problem any time soon, at least until you have a chance to get some good utilities.
 
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