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dav · Feb 20, 2002, 01:13 PM

so i've successfully placed my older harddrive in a firewire enclosure, but i'm facing odd problems mounting the drive. if turned on before booting up, the drive appears on the desktop (like it should), but if i "eject" it, and turn it off - when i turn it back on it won't remount. logging out/in won't remount it, even restarting won't remount the drive. i have to shut down my mac, turn the firewire drive on, then boot up every time i want access to this drive. this would be fine for a scsi drive, but i was expecting better from firewire - any suggestions as to what could be a problem? i would think the drive should be mounted automatically anytime i turn it on.

using system 10.1.2 on a cube.

Eug · Feb 20, 2002, 02:28 PM

Originally posted by dav:
so i've successfully placed my older harddrive in a firewire enclosure, but i'm facing odd problems mounting the drive. if turned on before booting up, the drive appears on the desktop (like it should), but if i "eject" it, and turn it off - when i turn it back on it won't remount. logging out/in won't remount it, even restarting won't remount the drive. i have to shut down my mac, turn the firewire drive on, then boot up every time i want access to this drive. this would be fine for a scsi drive, but i was expecting better from firewire - any suggestions as to what could be a problem? i would think the drive should be mounted automatically anytime i turn it on.

using system 10.1.2 on a cube.

I don't have the exact same problem, but I certainly do have problems in OS X. See here.

What file system do you use, HFS+?
What drive is it?
What Firewire chipset do you use? (Oxford 911 is recommended).

In any case, when my system was working with Firewire, I could plug and unplug (after ejecs) with impunity.

dav · Feb 20, 2002, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by Eug:

What file system do you use, HFS+?
What drive is it?
What Firewire chipset do you use? (Oxford 911 is recommended).

HFS+
Maxtor 20Gb 5400rpm
I think the case had the Oxford 911 chipset - I'll double check when I get home.

In any case, when my system was working with Firewire, I could plug and unplug (after ejecs) with impunity.

This is what I was hoping for, right now it might as well be SCSI

dav · Feb 20, 2002, 05:12 PM

Originally posted by Eug:
[QB]
What Firewire chipset do you use? (Oxford 911 is recommended).
QB]

ok, this is apparently it:
Oxford Semi OXFW911-TQ-A / RealTek RTL8801 Chipset

so the RealTek is the usb support? - and I have Oxford Semi OXFW911-TQ-A for firewire. So I'm guessing the firewire only "Semi" works

[ 02-20-2002: Message edited by: dav ]

Feb 23, 2002, 07:37 AM

Interesting, I'm having the same problem tonight, except that I can't even mount my Hard Drive in OS 9 either!

I booted from the external Firewire drive using an OS 10.2 partition, and then set it to reboot from the internal drive. When rebooting, the Checking Disks text came up at the start and seemed to go on forever...

In the end I tried booting from OS X, 9.2, and the 9.1 CD - no luck. Apple System Profiler says that there's nothing on the firewire channel at all. Maybe the Firewire chipset or something is fried

It may be something to check out in your case - does the System Profiler see anything on your Firewire channel when the drive doesn't mount?

Sword of Orion · Feb 23, 2002, 04:44 PM

I seem to recall that one of those dreaded firmware updates provided "additional" firewire support, whatever they mean by "additional". What level is your firmware at?

dav · Feb 25, 2002, 08:33 AM

Originally posted by Sword of Orion:
I seem to recall that one of those dreaded firmware updates provided "additional" firewire support, whatever they mean by "additional". What level is your firmware at?

i've kept up with the firmware updates on my cube (haven't lost any RAM either) - i think it's at 4.1.9, but i know there were two updates...

odd, because my lacie external firewire cd-r works as it should - turn it off, turn it on no problems. ipod works too.

Sword of Orion · Feb 25, 2002, 01:06 PM

For JoRby - what are the versions on your "FireWire Enabler" and "FireWire Support" extensions in OS 9? I believe that they should be at least 2.7...

I don't know where to look in X to make sure that FireWire support in up-to-date/not corrupted - anybody have any idea?

BTW, I've been testing this out on a X.1.3 Cube, and everything seems to work for me.

Sword of Orion · Feb 27, 2002, 12:58 AM

I just noticed something different about the way I mount/unmount my firewire drive versus dav's description above (maybe!)... after I "eject" my external firewire enclosure, I unplug the firewire cable at the back of the external enclosure, then I power down the drive. When I'm ready to reconnect it, I power it back up, then I plug in the firewire cable. This is easy for me, since the external enclosure is on my (physical) desktop, and not off on some shelf (or in another room!)... Could that be the difference?

dav · Feb 27, 2002, 10:47 AM

Originally posted by Sword of Orion:
[QB]I just noticed something different about the way I mount/unmount my firewire drive versus dav's description above (maybe!)... QB]

hmmm, i'll try that method (fingers crossed), thanks for the response!

dav · Feb 28, 2002, 10:50 AM

unbelieveable. Sword of Orion you rule! it seems i must physically unplug the firewire cable from the enclosure after ejecting and powering it off. replugging the cable and turning the drive back on does the trick (might need to get a hub to make that more convenient). many thanks.

Sword of Orion · Mar 1, 2002, 12:54 AM

Glad to be of service. But now I'm confused, because I notice that your procedure is still a little different from mine (to unmount, I: 1) eject, 2) unplug firewire cable, and 3) power down drive; and to mount, I: 1) power up drive and 2) plug in firewire cable - in my technique, the drive is on and spinning whenever there is a change in the firewire cable status), and I find that a little confusing, because I'm not sure how the Mac can tell the difference in your old procedure of ejecting and powering down the drive to unmount, and powering it back up to mount; versus your new procedure of ejecting, powering down the drive, unplugging the firewire to unmount; and plugging IN the firewire and powering up the drive to mount. It's a subtle difference, but I'm not sure how the Mac knows that you've unplugged the firewire cable from the drive if the drive is off. I guess I should just leave well enough alone, and be glad that it works both ways! It's certainly not the first time I've ever been confused by the way a computer works...

BTW, I've been thinking about getting a hub also - I figure it'll make all this plugging and unplugging a heck of a lot more convenient. Know anything about hubs? Because I'm clueless.

dav · Mar 1, 2002, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by Sword of Orion:
I'm not sure how the Mac can tell the difference in your old procedure of ejecting and powering down the drive to unmount, and powering it back up to mount; versus your new procedure of ejecting, powering down the drive, unplugging the firewire to unmount; and plugging IN the firewire and powering up the drive to mount.

speculating here, but the enclosure remains connected to power (plugged into an outlet) though the power switch is off - maybe that source of power is somehow allowing the mac to realize it's still connected through firewire...

the only thing i know about hubs is what i've read, and it seems to be a general consensus that "belkin" hubs are reliable. that and i'd go with a powered hub as some devices may require that. you might want to pose that question as it's own topic.