No FireWire port on the new Aluminum MacBooks... Now what?

It certainly creates an opportunity for some hardware company to create some converter/connector.

The lack of a FireWire port is a deal breaker for me. I seldom use the USB ports on my white MacBook. I have for years advised friends and clients to get an external backup drive with both USB and FireWire ports so their are options if something goes wrong. Now I will advise against the Aluminum MacBooks for the same reason. When my Apple warranty is nearly up. I will keep my eyes open for used ones and parts incase my current one breaks. I got several Pismos cheap from Craig's list that way.

It's like i'm in a bad dream and can't wake up. I'm beginning to learn the difference between Lenovo, Vaio and others. One difference I see quickly is many many options...many configurations...many ports... All I want is matte screen, firewire, and a dedicated gpu card. the rest is negotiable. doubt I can wait for another iteration of the macbook line.

Ideas?

The current white Macbook has Firewire, just buy that one.

http://www.apple.com/macbook/white/

If you are doing video, FireWire is a must.

ALL Analog-to-DV Converters use firewire. Look at the Canopus ADVC300. Audio and Video go in, FireWire comes out.

http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC300/index.php

The old MacBook Pro shipped without FireWire 800 for a short while before it was added back. So wait for Firewire to be added back.

I second this. Being that I work in the IT department for my local college, how does one make a complete backup of a MacBook now that there is no FireWire port. When computers are upgraded, I use FTDM to move the documents from one computer to another. Most Mac users don't use the network share that is set up campus wide for all users. Even after we show then how to access it and explain that any changed files get backed up to tape backup on a nightly basis.

After the new computer is installed, I take the old computer back to my office and again use target mode to back up the whole drive. I use Disk Utility to create a compressed disk image that is stored up on the server. The following night the image gets back up to tape backup as well. This guarantees that all of the user's documents get backed up, no matter where they are saved. The faculty are set up as administrators so they can save files and make any changes they want to the computers. It's college mandated that they have this access, otherwise I would set then up as normal users.

Back on topic, since there is no FireWire on the MacBook's anymore, how do I go about backing up the Hard Drive? Just copying the files up to the server is not an option. Some files can't be copied up to the server because the file names contain illegal characters, (Windows server). Other files can't be copied up because the server itself restricts the files being copied, or the virus protection on the server won't let the files be copied up. Disk images are created and copied up because of that reason.

Another reason to include FireWire is for the sole reason to quickly recovering files when the Hard Drive is rendered in a non-bootable state. The faculty member is going to expect access to their files right away. (Yes I realize that I stated that a network share is available for users, but remember that most of our Mac users, and about half of our PC users, don't use the network share because they think that they won't need to.) With a FireWire port I could easily drop a temp system in place and transfer the files over to the temp computer. Without this FireWire port how does one transfer the files when the computer no longer boots? If it doesn't boot up How does one access the hard drive to transfer the documents to the temp computer? Is a transfer offered when the laptop is booted with a OS Install disc? I can deal with moving files via ethernet cable. But nowhere is there any information on this.

yea... pretty much a bone-head move to remove a feature that has been a product differentiator for the mac platform for so long.

they did however do the same thing with the floppy drive on iMac Version 1 and we all had a cow about that too... we have gotten use to it and now we have all have 8GB key chain fobs in our pockets BUT... what is the replacement to that? Many people STILL use DV cameras with iMovie. Some are using cameras that record to memory cards but seriously... how many?

what would have happened if they had put FW on this version and then announced... "Oh by the way, this will be the last model with FW" ... yea yea yea, I know, it's not a the "Apple way" to make an announcement like that but seriously... what would it hurt?

If you are truly outraged about Apple dropping the Firewire and Target Disk Mode from the new MacBooks, you can provide feedback to Apple by going to:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbook.html

Go there and register your complaint about the Firewire issue. If enough people complain about it, they will fix it. It happened with the iMac G5 and the Ambient Light Sensor issue.

Pass this URL on to everyone that is concerned and have them provide input. You can also call 1-800-MY-APPLE and ask to speak with the consumer relations division. When enough people make enough noise, Apple will fix the problem.

The wouldn't alienate their education market, WOULD THEY???!!!

Apple //GS wrote:
"The old MacBook Pro shipped without FireWire 800 for a short while before it was added back. So wait for Firewire to be added back."

In that case, it was a matter of needing to get new notebooks out to market before the Intel chipset supported FW800. It's not like this time, where Apple chose to leave it off...

Haha, I even had bad dreams about it Tuesday night. I really had my hopes up to finally switch OS and then some macboot stamped that dream into the ground.

Apple //GS wrote:
I did. I wrote to Apple's feedback.

We ALL need to do this.

I don't.

Back on topic, since there is no FireWire on the MacBook's anymore, how do I go about backing up the Hard Drive?

Intel-based Macs can startup off a USB hard drive with Mac OS X installed on it. This gives you ability to access all files on the computer and will allow you to make a disk image with the Disk Utility.

Another reason to include FireWire is for the sole reason to quickly recovering files when the Hard Drive is rendered in a non-bootable state.

A hardware failure of the drive will not allow you to use FireWire Target Disk Mode to recover files. If it's a software fault/file directory problem then booting from an external hard drive through USB will allow you to repair the file directory with Apple's Disk Utility or a more powerful utility like DiskWarrior.

I can deal with moving files via ethernet cable. But nowhere is there any information on this.

Really? Nowhere?

-Doug

I think that Apple could have continued to offer firewire on the upper model of the Macbook and left it off the lower priced one. That would have given those who still need it (like me for DV camcorders) an option other that having to fork out a lot of extra money for the MBP. It would have caused a lot less of an outcry if they had at least given us all a decent amount of warning that they intended to drop firewire, just so that people didn't carry on buying firewire devices.