Used Western Digital 500 GB Harddrive mounted on another MAC

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Used Western Digital 500 GB Harddrive mounted on another MAC

It worked fine and mounted right away. I copied the files I wanted and then ejected.

The problem is that I can't get it to remount back to my computer. I've connected it to the same Firewire port, nothing.

I tried logging on, nothing.
I tried restarting, nothing.

Are there any other things I could try, short of Disk Utility/reformating the drive?

Intel iMac Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.2), 2.16 GHz, 1.5 GB RAM, 250 GB Internal, 500 GB External

Posted on Oct 11, 2009 4:12 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 11, 2009 4:33 PM in response to ugly bob

When you run Disk Utility, does it appear in the sidebar?

Is this a desktop size drive, with its own power supply, or a smaller laptop size drive that gets power from the computer's port? When you connect it and set the power switch (if there is one) to ON, do you hear it spin up?

If that drive also has a USB interface, try connecting it with a USB cable.

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Answer 2

ugly bob Author

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Oct 11, 2009 5:11 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

It has its own power supply.

I connect it, hear it spin up, and the light on the front comes on, but then nothing.

I'd try the USB cable idea, but I don't have a double sided USB cable.

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Answer 3

Oct 11, 2009 5:18 PM in response to ugly bob

And when you run Disk Utility, does it appear in the sidebar?

but I don't have a double sided USB cable.

A USB cable always has different connectors at the two ends. One connector goes to the computer's port, and the other (different shape) connector goes to the device. I don't know what you mean by "double sided USB cable."

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Answer 4

ugly bob Author

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Oct 11, 2009 7:12 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

the hard drive didn't come with a USB cable, and I don't have a generic one.

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Answer 5

ugly bob Author

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Oct 12, 2009 1:34 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

I was able to find such a cable, and it turns out that USB connections work.

What should I do now? Reformat the drive, as it doesn't work with Firewire currently? Get a new Firewire cable?

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Answer 6

Oct 12, 2009 2:01 PM in response to ugly bob

I've asked a few times above, but did not get an answer. When you run Disk Utility (with the drive connected over FireWire), does the drive appear in the sidebar? If it does not, and the drive works with USB, and the drive (using the same FireWire cable) works on another Mac, it is possible that your iMac's FireWire port is not working.

When you connect it using USB, does the drive's volume mount properly. If so, it is already formatted and reformatting it will not make it work over FireWire (if it currently does not).

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Answer 7

ugly bob Author

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Oct 12, 2009 7:34 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Hmm, that's a possibility. But what would cause both FireWire ports to suddenly stop working?

The only thing that may be odd about it mounting properly on another computer was that I used the FireWire port on the front of my brother's PowerMac G5, but how could that make a difference? Confuse the drive reader or something?

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Answer 8

Oct 12, 2009 7:46 PM in response to ugly bob

If you have not already, you should try resetting PRAM

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

and if that does not help, resetting SMC (power management)

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1543

which is basically disconnecting the iMac from power (and all cables), and then reconnecting it, following a precise procedure. That may reset your hardware.

FireWire ports are known to go out. It should be plug and play with the iMac turned ON and running, but something like a short in the cable or connection can make the port go bad. I use a FireWire hub for anything I connect and disconnect often, and leave cables connected (while the Mac is turned on) in the direct FireWire ports.

If your iMac model as two ports, you should check the other one. If the drive is FireWire 400 and the other port is 800, you can use a cable like this

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/1394B96036/

or an adapter

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/FIR1369AD/

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