Q: Disk Drive ejecting itself

Sorry about that. I used the fix on a Mac Mini; I have no trackpad and am using a wired keyboard. If I was you, I think I'd plug in an external keyboard and mouse, download and install latest OS X update, and then try the fix again leaving out the AppleUSBMultitouch.kext. In fact, looking at the list of kexts above, I think I'd try it with ONLY the IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext and IOUSBFamily.kext and see what happens. I guess the AppleUSBTopCase.kext could be associated with external USB ports and might be necessary as well.

As I said above, your mileage may vary, but for me, this solution worked for the better part of a year with no associated weirdness.

Thanks Andy, after a restore I may try again. My initial impression was do exactly that and only go with the two IO kext files, but wanted to cover everything in one try.

I hope it works out for you. I don't use that computer for anything other than running iTunes, so any damage I did to it was way secondary to the potential tragedy of losing multiple terabytes of music/movies/photos on the Drobo. I'm getting ready to switch from AppleTV to a Boxee Box so I don't have to run through the computer any more.

Andy and Starhawk, can you please post the USB chips your drive's use?

And please make full backups of your machine before you monkey with KEXT files - they are hardware drivers for the O/S.  If you install one that is not compatible with the rest of the OS you might render the machine inoperable!

I don't even know how to find that information. It's a two-year-old Drobo, if that helps.

No, I really need the chip info.

Run System Profiler in the Utilities folder.  Under HARDWARE click USB and copy the section for your drive.

Paste it here, preferably with a summary of your problem and what you did to fix it - OK to refer to your previously posted instructions.

If you go back a few pages you will see examples of what the information looks like.

Okay, so I just went out there to get this info, and my mouse and keyboard aren't working. Apparently something has changed with the targeted kexts since the last time I used this fix. My workaround (since I couldn't even use the keyboard to navigate) was to login remotely using Logmein. I'm currently downloading the latest OSX update to apply, then I'll start over.

I see a trip to Fry's in my future as I look for a replacement media player that doesn't have to be piped through iTunes. Once that happens, I can shut the Mac off; that's the only thing I use it for these days.

Kinda funny/sad - as soon as the update was finished installing, I got the "The drive was not ejected properly...." error message - even before the restart.

I'll add the USB chip info as soon as I (if I ever) get the drive working again.

If you cycle power to the drive it should be re-mounted.

If it does not, then you have a different problem than most of us in this thread have.

Be sure to check the drive for errors after you get it back online.

After the (re)update, the drives mounted as they are supposed to. Fingers crossed they stay mounted long enough to do a little error-checking.

Okay, here's the info from the System Profiler app:

  Capacity:          17.59 TB (17,592,186,044,416 bytes)

  Removable Media:          Yes

  Detachable Drive:          Yes

  BSD Name:          disk2

  Product ID:          0x4d10

  Vendor ID:          0x19b9

  Version:           1.00

  Serial Number:          0DB090621728

  Speed:          Up to 480 Mb/sec

  Manufacturer:          Data Robotics Inc.

  Location ID:          0xfd100000

  Current Available (mA):          500

  Current Required (mA):          0

  Partition Map Type:          GPT (GUID Partition Table)

  S.M.A.R.T. status:          Not Supported

  Volumes:

  Capacity:          209.7 MB (209,715,200 bytes)

  Writable:          Yes

  BSD Name:          disk2s1

Drobo:

  Capacity:          17.59 TB (17,591,842,070,528 bytes)

  Available:          15.79 TB (15,786,710,409,216 bytes)

  Writable:          Yes

  File System:          Journaled HFS+

  BSD Name:          disk2s2

  Mount Point:          /Volumes/Drobo

Just a quick report that I have waited for a day or two to get response from G-Tech drive people via email.

Before I got a RMA number from them, the person ask me more about the drive's problem. I gave them all the numbers including the System Profiler - FW info. I'm not so sure if from that info they have concluded anything, but they gave me a RMA number and ask me to send them my drive. I did - now I'm waiting - when they receive my problematic one - they will send me a new one.

Once I get a new one, I will let you know if the self ejecting problem reappears. Hopefully not.

Cheers!

Wow, things are looking good! I installed:

IOUSBFamily.kext

IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext

from 10.6.4 using the instructions above on a Macbook Pro, and I've currently written 1TB and counting to my iNeo dock that would otherwise have ejected long ago.

Im just glad I'm able to finally backup my data instead of waiting for Apple's next update, if it's even fixed then.

StarHawk!

Please post the chips in that drive!  Several of us have iNeo drives too!  If you have the same chipset then we may have a repeatable pattern that Apple can use to fix it!!!

Hi Richard,

I posted mine back on April 9th. Here it is again:

"Richard, from my iNeo dock:

Product ID: 0x5106

Vendor ID: 0x174c (ASMedia Technology Inc.)

Version: 0.01

Serial Number:

Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec

Manufacturer: ASMedia

Location ID: 0x26200000

Current Available (mA): 500

Current Required (mA): 0

I have two other USB drives as well that do not auto eject."