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Macbook Pro won't recognize external hardrive via firewire

C

childe21

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 20, 2008
4
0
The firewire 400 port on my computer doesn't seem to be working. I took it in to get fixed a couple of weeks ago and just got it back and still doesn't work. I have three external hardrives that worked just fine until one day the computer wouldn't recognize them anymore unless they are hooked up via USB. When I plug them in with the firewire cord the hardrives turn on, so they know they've been hooked up to the computer, but the computer won't recognize them. Nothing happens. Please help! Thanks
 
Plug in one of your firewire hard drives, and open up system profiler. What does it say under "FireWire" when something is plugged in?
 
I am having this EXACT same problem with my new WD external HD. It is recognized with the USB but not the Firewire 400 port...
 
I just saw this today on my Daughters iMac G5. I turned the drives off and on, and rebooted, and I can't get them to show up on the desktop, or in SYstem Profiler, or in Disk utility. I can hear the drive spin up, so I was thinking it could be the firewire bridge in the drive. I hope it isn't a firewire port issue.

I am going to bring the drive to my house, and see if I can see it on my MacBook...
 
I saw a thread a few months ago where someone was saying to only plug firewire devices in when the computer is turned off. Otherwise the firewire port could go dead.
 
This may be unrelated, but after updating to the latest OSX several of my firewire devices stopped working and I had to downgrade. However my WD HD's worked just fine.

You should check it with other firewire devices if you have them.
 
I fixed this on my iMac G5 by following these instructions from Apple:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1767

In effect: Shut down, pull the plug for 5-10 minutes, hold in power button when plugging back in. It worked great. External drive works now, and firewire ports are ok.

Procedures would be different for other computers, but it worked for me!
 
Thanks Aross99, that worked. I can breathe easy now. Appreciate all the help!
 
I have an update. I brought my computer to the Apple store along with the HD and they couldn't hook it up either. Mind you this HD hooked up perfectly to my Dad's older iMac via the FW400 port. The Apple guys hooked up three Lacie drives Daisy Chained to the FW400 and they were all detected. They concluded that my FW port is OK but couldn't explain why this drive would hook up to other computers but not mine. I exchanged the drive for another identical to it and it has the same problem. I have now returned the drive and ordered a new Lacie 1TB external with FW800 on it. I hope this one works....
 
Got the Lacie today hooked it up.... It started and worked perfectly, no setup, no formatting It is working perfectly.
 
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