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You are here: MacNN Forums > Enthusiast Zone > Networking > Firewire for File Transfers?

Firewire for File Transfers?
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vcutag
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Richmond, Virginia
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Jan 22, 2004, 09:32 AM
 
I'm taking a few graphics courses in the Mac Lab here at school this semester, and instead of forking over for a ZipDrive or some other form of non-disc media (which I really can't afford at present,) I asked my prof if I could just use my 15" Albook for class. She said that was okay, but I still needed to be able to put my files on the lab network drive, and I'd have to do that by transferring them to one of the G4 Towers. The towers are running OS 9.2.2, I've got 10.3.2 on my Albook. I can't directly hook my laptop into the network, they won't allow that, so...

Here's my question: is it possible to use a 6-pin to 6-pin Firewire 400 cable to connect the Albook to one of the G4 towers in the lab, move the files to the tower, and then use the tower to put them on the network drive?

I hope that's the case, because I really can't afford to buy a Zip drive or Flash reader, and there are no optical drives in the lab, so I can't burn my files to CD. :-\
     
ghporter
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Jan 22, 2004, 10:35 AM
 
Firewire file transfers are through "ethernet over firewire" connections. You may need the administrator of the server to enable this for you, and/or supervise the file transfers. This gets to be a pain for both you and the administrator.

As an alternative, have you considered getting a USB keychain drive? They're inexpensive, they all seem to work with Macs, and they're "media" so you won't have to worry about permissions.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
vcutag  (op)
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Jan 22, 2004, 10:42 AM
 
Originally posted by GHPorter:
Firewire file transfers are through "ethernet over firewire" connections. You may need the administrator of the server to enable this for you, and/or supervise the file transfers. This gets to be a pain for both you and the administrator.

As an alternative, have you considered getting a USB keychain drive? They're inexpensive, they all seem to work with Macs, and they're "media" so you won't have to worry about permissions.
Yeah, I've thought about it. The problem: 1.8 meters of Firewire cable= $15. Keychain drive= $70-ish (for 128 Mb.) I want to avoid that if possible, but it's starting to look like the happy, errm, media. :-)
     
rjenkinson
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Jan 22, 2004, 10:46 AM
 
connect your powerbook to the lab's machine with a 6-pin firewire cable. then boot your powerbook while holding down the T key.

-r.
     
ghporter
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Jan 22, 2004, 08:04 PM
 
Originally posted by vcutag:
Yeah, I've thought about it. The problem: 1.8 meters of Firewire cable= $15. Keychain drive= $70-ish (for 128 Mb.) I want to avoid that if possible, but it's starting to look like the happy, errm, media. :-)
I got my 128MB keychain for $30 after rebate, so if you shop, you can probably do Ok pricewise.

I still believe you'll get tired of working with the server's administrator, whether it's "easy to do" or not; everybody will have their little Zip disks and be simple to deal with except you. Besides, that little keychain drive will be very useful after school; you can keep a portfolio on it as well.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
larkost
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Jan 23, 2004, 11:35 AM
 
Just to clarify what rjenkinson was saying. By holding down the 't' key when the iBook is booting you are putting it into "Target Disk Mode". That way it simply pretends to be a firewire hard disk, and you can plug it into other Macs with FireWire and it will show up as a hard-drive. Mac laptops have been doing this for a long time, previously over SCSI (the needed a 50th pin on the chain to do it).

It should do what you want it to do, and since you can use USB thumb drives, we know that they lab admins have not prevented you from mounting other disks.
     
ghporter
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Jan 23, 2004, 02:41 PM
 
Originally posted by larkost:
Just to clarify .... By holding down the 't' key when the iBook is booting you are putting it into "Target Disk Mode". That way it simply pretends to be a firewire hard disk, and you can plug it into other Macs with FireWire and it will show up as a hard-drive. Mac laptops have been doing this for a long time, previously over SCSI (the needed a 50th pin on the chain to do it).
I knew about the SCSI capability, but I'd had issues with it before, including needing help from server admins from time to time. I had not messed with it networking enough to know that Target Disk Mode worked with firewire-a very nice thing to know. Yes, that's the "free (but rather large) keychain drive" solution!

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
   
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