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Jim Gallacher

Q: Firewire 400 power but no signal

Yesterday my powerbook firewire stopped working, won't work for ext hds or dvds. The internal cd/dvd drive packed up some time ago so I have since then used the external firewire connection for creating hd backups and reinstalling/ rebooting from externals. I get a light and a whirr but no folder. I think I might have stuck a usb cable into the ethernet socket by mistake. Could that have cuased a fry up?

Any sugestions. Could I run an external HD through a FW pc card in the pc card slot instead. Any help much appreciated.

Jim.

Ti PB 15"

Posted on Nov 16, 2010 6:00 AM

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Q: Firewire 400 power but no signal

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  • by Jim Gallacher,

    Jim Gallacher Jim Gallacher Nov 16, 2010 6:26 AM in response to Jim Gallacher
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    Nov 16, 2010 6:26 AM in response to Jim Gallacher
    Ok, I see the previous posts on Firewire for this powerbook and it would like like it has had it's day. Will look to using pc card for firewire and external power supply instead - bit of a nuisance as I already use the card slot for wifi.
  • by Jim Gallacher,

    Jim Gallacher Jim Gallacher Nov 17, 2010 2:53 PM in response to Jim Gallacher
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    Nov 17, 2010 2:53 PM in response to Jim Gallacher
    Ordered a firewire pcmcia card, which I hope will allow me to run my external hard drives, perform system back ups and reinstalls, maybe even watch a movie. Could always replace the clapped out comboo drive with a superdrive next time I have a spare weekend.
  • by Jim Gallacher,

    Jim Gallacher Jim Gallacher Nov 19, 2010 4:46 AM in response to Jim Gallacher
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    Nov 19, 2010 4:46 AM in response to Jim Gallacher
    Got the new PCMCIA Card for Firewire/USB - not so great. I can at least access the internal drive for back-ups and cloning now, but I hadn't realised you cannot boot a PB from an Ext HD via the card, you can only boot-up through the original FW socket. So that's the end of that unless I choose to replace the interior board.

    Fortunately, bought a card which comes with the AC power adapter, though it is not high enough voltage to run the ext dvd drive.

    So, runing from pcmcia card is only a partial solution.
  • by Jim Gallacher,

    Jim Gallacher Jim Gallacher Nov 21, 2010 6:06 AM in response to Jim Gallacher
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    Nov 21, 2010 6:06 AM in response to Jim Gallacher
    Correction - the AC power adaptor supplied with the card does power the external dvd drive. Glad I looked around and found a card which ships with the power adaptor as would have been stuffed otherwise.

    Card was purchased from CDL Micro and spec clearly stated 'is supplied with UK power supply'.