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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > Firewire External Drives Disappeared! Help?!

Firewire External Drives Disappeared! Help?!
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NJRonbo
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Join Date: Jan 2007
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Aug 14, 2007, 01:55 PM
 
I bought two Western Digital 500GB MyBook Pro drives and hooked
it to my Mac Pro via the firewire outputs.

All worked well for the first two weeks.

Now, the drives don't show up anymore.

From some reading I have done across the Internet I suspect the
problem might be during the last OS X software update. Seems if
you don't disconnect the drives (even if OFF) during an update they
somehow will be removed.

Can anyone confirm this is the issue and at the same time tell
me how to get the drives working again so they appear on my
desktop?

Thanks in advance!
     
JustinHorne
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Aug 14, 2007, 04:59 PM
 
I don't know how to solve your problem, but I have the same drives on a MAcbook for over a month now, no issues... I'm generally pretty good about "ejecting," but I have forgotten before.
     
cgc
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Aug 14, 2007, 09:01 PM
 
Open DiskUtility and try mounting them from there (click on the drive then clic on "mount").
     
NJRonbo  (op)
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Aug 15, 2007, 05:35 AM
 
The drives don't appear in disk utility.

This seems to be a widespread problem, possibly restricted to Mac Pro,
after Apple issued their 10.4.10 update.
     
Preciousss
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Aug 15, 2007, 02:31 PM
 
Do you know if you're running the latest firmware on your external drives? I'd check and apply any updates. Also, check the firmware on your Mac.

Also, kinda late, but with any kind of OSX software update, as a general rule, you should disconnect everything you are currently not using from the computer. I remember back in the Jaguar and Panther days that some people with USB hubs were screwed bad during software updates if they left them connected.

Not sure if this kind of precaution needs to be taken, but with external drives, I would definitely think so. Good luck. Let us know what works if you fix it.
     
cgc
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Aug 15, 2007, 07:09 PM
 
I have a MacPro with an external FW800 drive (uses Oxford 924 I think) an have had no problems. Can your drive plug into your Mac via USB to check it out (e.g. ensure there's not a problem with the drive itself)?
     
   
 
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