Newertech miniStack will not mount via USB 2.0

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Level 3

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Newertech miniStack will not mount via USB 2.0

Does anyone else have this problem? I put a Seagate 320GB drive in and it works fine with the firewire but will not mount when I connect it to the USB 2.0

thanks.

iMac C2D 20" 2.33GHz, Mac OS X (10.5.6), 3GB RAM, ATI X1600 256MB / MBP 15" 2.6GHz

Posted on Jun 3, 2009 7:33 AM

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Answer 1

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,541 points

Jun 3, 2009 8:36 AM in response to jules771

Could you be more specific in what you are doing? Do you have both FW and USB attached when the issue occurs? Do you have only USB attached? If you restart the Mini with the MiniStack only attached with USB, what happens if you press the Option key during startup?

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Answer 2

jules771 Author

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Jun 3, 2009 8:47 AM in response to Dah•veed

- I don't have both Firewire and USB attached at the same time

- I attach only USB: drive will not mount

- I attach only Firewire: drive mounts and behaves perfectly.

- Restart with just USB attached: drive will not mount

Disk utility does not see the drive when attached to USB so trying the option key would be moot.

Actually just tried it with my MBP and it mounts fine on USB, so the problem is definitely with the mac mini, odd.

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Answer 3

Dah•veed

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Jun 3, 2009 9:52 AM in response to jules771

I do not have a miniStack, but intend to purchase one later this month for my new Mac mini. I have read much about them.
My questions about the hub are not related to whether the thing mounts or not. I am trying to determine if perhaps you have a completely faulty miniStack and Newertech should replace it. Please go to Apps>Utilities>System Profiler and see if the USB hub built into the miniStack shows up as a USB hub under the USB pane in the Hardware section when both FW and USB are attached and when only USB is attached.
BTW, which miniStack is this v2, v2.5 or v3.

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Answer 4

jules771 Author

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530 points

Jun 3, 2009 9:59 AM in response to Dah•veed

It's not the ministack, it mounts fine both with USB and Firewire with my MBP. It doesn't show up in disk utility when attached to USB, shows up with disk utility under firewire.

Nothing wrong with the hub reading peripherals, shows the apple cinema display and the razer mouse attached to it.

Tried all the usb ports on the mini, no go, actually on with Apple tech support right now.

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Answer 5

jules771 Author

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530 points

Jun 3, 2009 10:07 AM in response to jules771

Okay, that's weird, plugged it into the cinema display which is plugged into the USB 2.0 port on the mini and it works fine.

If you do get the stack I would be interested in hearing if it works for you.

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Answer 6

Dah•veed

Level 9

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Jun 3, 2009 10:41 AM in response to jules771

jejejejejeje The Cinema Display is also a hub.
So what version is yours? Also, have you seen the MacWorld review of the miniStack? They suggest that because the miniStack is 7200 rpms, that we reverse and make the miniStack the boot drive and use the Mac mini's internal drive as a slower secondary drive.

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Answer 7

jules771 Author

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530 points

Jun 3, 2009 10:54 AM in response to Dah•veed

You really have the hub thing on the brain don't you?

Unless you know something that Apple tech support doesn't, there something screwy with the mini. The stack that I have is the 2.5

They think there's some sort of power anomoly going through the USB ports. The type of drive has no effect on the power going to the USB, this also Apple confirmed. Plus I have a 7200rpm drive in the mini as well.

If it was a ministack issue why does it mount fine on the MBP?

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Answer 8

Jun 4, 2009 4:51 PM in response to jules771

I have the same Newertech miniStack v2 attached to my mini and it works like a charm. Do you have the connection switch on the back of the miniStack set to "AUTO"? Are you using the USB 2.0 Uplink port and the supplied cable to connect to the mini?

FYI. The miniStack is an external storage enclosure for a 3.5" hard drive that includes a built in FireWire/USB HUB.
System profiler lists the miniStack as a USB HUB. You will find your hard drive for the miniStack at this location.

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Answer 9

Dah•veed

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Jun 4, 2009 5:13 PM in response to jules771

He is referring to the power switch which is described by Newertech as having two settings. If you leave it in the ON position it is supposed to automatically power itself on or off as the Mac mini does.
But I am not sure how this would affect whether it mounts or not. But he does raise a good question about which USB port you use to connect to the Mac mini. You would need to be using the USB A-B cable and connecting to the miniStack's uplink port.

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Answer 10

Dah•veed

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Jun 3, 2009 8:55 AM in response to jules771

With just USB attached can the Mini detect the USB hub? With both FW and USB attached can the Mini detect the USB hub?

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Answer 11

jules771 Author

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Jun 3, 2009 8:58 AM in response to Dah•veed

There's no usb hub involved here, I've been trying to connect directly to the mini.

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Answer 12

Dah•veed

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Jun 3, 2009 9:08 AM in response to jules771

Amigo, the miniStack itself is both a FW and a USB hub. That is how it can have multiple FW and USB ports.
Just as an Apple keyboard is also a USB hub.

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Answer 13

jules771 Author

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Jun 3, 2009 9:26 AM in response to Dah•veed

Semantics aside, regardless of how it's plugged in it will not mount via USB, only firewire.

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Answer 14

jules771 Author

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Jun 4, 2009 5:00 PM in response to CarpetBagger

I have the ministack v2.5, there isn't an auto switch.

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Answer 15

jules771 Author

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Jun 4, 2009 5:21 PM in response to Dah•veed

Dude, seriously, do a little research before posting, he wasn't talking about the power switch. V2 of the ministack had an connection switch that had an auto setting to detect what was plugged in.

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