[Gulli]

I have a powerbook 15'' 1.67ghz with a firewire port failure. The firewire bus does not show in system profiler.
Interestingly, this prevents the computer to sleep and shutdown. I can only shut down the computer by holding the power button until it hardware shuts down.

The console shows "FWOHCI Error trying to clear PHY ports" at startup.

This problem comes and goes for apparent random reasons, or at least, reasons I cannot understand. After doing endless maintenance routines (yes, I did everything that is posted online) and even an erase and install I conclude that I have a hardware problem. However, my Apple Care expired in June so I am facing a $800+ repair.

The thing is that I do not really need the firewire port working but I do need the computer to sleep and shut down normally. I am wondering if any of you know if there is any way to not load the firewire port at startup and trick
the computer to believing that there is no firewire port installed. I speculate that if the computer does not try to clear these ports or issue a bus reset then the problem might go away. If you know for sure that this cannot be done, it would also be helpful to know it. Also, if you don't know the exact answer but have a hint on where to start looking for the answer I will also appreciate it.

I will really appreciate any input you may have in this regard.

[rjt1000]

Originally Posted by Gulli 

Also, if you don't know the exact answer but have a hint on where to start looking for the answer I will also appreciate it.

I will really appreciate any input you may have in this regard.

Maybe this google search will give you some ideas?

Good luck...

[Gulli]

Originally Posted by rjt1000 

Maybe this google search will give you some ideas?

Good luck...

Thanks. I tried that with no luck. That is why I am hoping to find more extreme answers. I just can't deal with the scenario of replacing the logic board just yet.

[ibook_steve]

Originally Posted by Gulli 

Thanks. I tried that with no luck. That is why I am hoping to find more extreme answers. I just can't deal with the scenario of replacing the logic board just yet.

Well, it certainly sounds like that's what you're going to have to do. If there's a short or the PHY is damaged, there's really no getting around that without a board swap (unless you or anybody knows how to hack the system ROM). A new board would cost much less than $800 if you can find it online.

Steve

[rjt1000]

Originally Posted by ibook_steve 

A new board would cost much less than $800 if you can find it online

I would search eBay for your specific PB logic board. Ifixit has instructions if you want to give it a go.

Another option would be a local Mac tech service or one of the national parts dealers/ repairers

Yet another option would be to sell the broken book on eBay. You might find it worth more than you think for someone who would use it as a desktop replacement, for parts or to repair it themselves. You could put the procedes towards a new MBP, or a refurbished 15 inch PB (periodically available at $1350 from the Apple Store special deals section). With the refurbished, you'd get a 1 year warranty and some extra piece of mind.

[houstonmacbro]

i have this very same problem on my powerbook 1.33Ghz. i think it is related to an impending motherboard failure (as one of my memory slots is also not showing up). but i digress...

goto your electronics store (frye's, etc.) and ask them for a pcmcia firewire adapter. it will allow you to route your firewire devices through your pcmcia slot.

works beautifully and costs about $24.

hope it helps.

[Gulli]

Originally Posted by houstonmacbro 

i have this very same problem on my powerbook 1.33Ghz. i think it is related to an impending motherboard failure (as one of my memory slots is also not showing up). but i digress...

goto your electronics store (frye's, etc.) and ask them for a pcmcia firewire adapter. it will allow you to route your firewire devices through your pcmcia slot.

works beautifully and costs about $24.

hope it helps.

Wait. Let me see if I understand correctly.

You are saying that you had a PB with a FW port failure and this caused your computer to not go to sleep. Is this correct? After you bought and installed a PCMCIA FW adapter now the computer sleeps even though the original FW port is still dead???

This may be really good news! Can't wait for your reply!

[ibook_steve]

Originally Posted by Gulli 

Wait. Let me see if I understand correctly.

You are saying that you had a PB with a FW port failure and this caused your computer to not go to sleep. Is this correct? After you bought and installed a PCMCIA FW adapter now the computer sleeps even though the original FW port is still dead???

This may be really good news! Can't wait for your reply!

No. I think this person is just giving advice on how to get Firewire working again with another solution, which is pretty useless for what you want.

Steve

[houstonmacbro]

Originally Posted by Gulli 

Wait. Let me see if I understand correctly.

You are saying that you had a PB with a FW port failure and this caused your computer to not go to sleep. Is this correct? After you bought and installed a PCMCIA FW adapter now the computer sleeps even though the original FW port is still dead???

This may be really good news! Can't wait for your reply!

my post was just on what this person could do to get firewire access since his firewire ports are dead. he can get a device (i'm home now so i can give you the exact name) called the 'store 1394a cardbus' it is a 32 bit pc card that you plug into your card slot. it has 3 firewire ports and will allow you to have firewire device access via your card slot.

works perfectly.

[Gulli]

Originally Posted by houstonmacbro 

my post was just on what this person could do to get firewire access since his firewire ports are dead. he can get a device (i'm home now so i can give you the exact name) called the 'store 1394a cardbus' it is a 32 bit pc card that you plug into your card slot. it has 3 firewire ports and will allow you to have firewire device access via your card slot.

works perfectly.

OK, but that would allow me to get firewire access once more but my question is: did you have firewire failure AND sleep problems due to this failure that were solved by putting a firewire card?

[houstonmacbro]

no, i have never had sleep issues with my pb. just disappearing ram slot and dead fw ports.

[mrmister]

"my post was just on what this person could do to get firewire access since his firewire ports are dead."

Which wasn't what he was asking about.

Reading comprehension, people.

[Gulli]

Hi all,

After trying many things I was able to solve my problem. To recap, I have a PB 15 with a faulty firewire port. This port sometimes works and sometimes doesn't and when it doesn't it prevents the computer from sleeping. In my case I realized this is a hardware problem and can be solved only by taking the computer for repairs ($400 to $800 to repair the logic board). However, if you don't need to use your firewire port and don't want to spend so much money to avoid having sleeping problems in your PB you can do the following:

Go to Terminal and type
sudo -s
Password: (enter admin password)
cd /System/Library/Extensions
cd IOFireWireFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns
mv AppleFWOHCI.kext AppleFWOHCI.null
touch /System/Library/Extensions

Then restart the system. The firewire bus in System Profiler will appear empty, and the computer will sleep, the HD spin down but the FW port won't work.

To restore AppleFWOHCI, just repeat all the above commands, swapping "null" for "kext".

This solution was hinted in help files in the Apple Firewire Developer Kit.

I hope this helps someone else. It is a simple workaround but it took me a long time to realize I could do this and I couldn't find it anywhere else in the forums.

I am so happy!