USB 3.0 not seen

Hi

+"Is there a problem with USB 3.0 on Macs?"+

I doubt it as it's clearly working on the newer model. IIRC the PowerBook G4 models came with two built-in USB 1.1 ports. The maximum transfer speed for that version was 11/12Mbits. At the time when USB 2.0 was the new, you could connect USB 2.0 devices easily enough but they ran at the slower speed. It's more than possible your USB 3.0 device can run at the slower speed of USB 2 (which the PowerBook does not have) but not USB 1.1.

Tony

An issue may be in obtaining a correct driver, and so far the one for Mac appears to be for
use in Intel-based Macs running Snow Leopard 10.6.x. Others may exist; or adapters for
use with USB 2.0 and other technologies may be produced by third party manufacturers.

You may have to contact the drive or enclosure manufacturer's web site for driver downloads
so the product you bought will work with OS X 10.6.6; unless there is another source. And
their target market probably won't be PPC Macs running ancient OS X versions, exactly.

It appears LaCie was among the first to offer these USB 3.0 drives; also drivers for OS X 10.6.
re: http://blog.fosketts.net/2010/11/05/lacie-usb-30-driver-mac-osx-troubleshooting/

LaCie Releases Free USB 3.0 Driver for OS X 10.4 and Later
http://lowendmac.com/newsrev/10mnr/1112.html#7

The new Apple hardware by-passed USB3.0 in favor of better technologies; in some instances
these may inter-relate depending on implementation of them in various computer configurations.
Third-party products appear to have some ideas on how to make use of old & new technologies.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

+{ edited }+

Antonio Rocco wrote:IIRC the PowerBook G4 models came with two built-in USB 1.1 ports.

The 15" 1.67Ghz 1 Gb Powerbook PPC G4 which is what the OP seems to refer to has USB 2.0.

Michael

OP's Rider lists one laptop as "15" Titanium 550 Mhz 512Mb Powerbook". I had one (Onyx, P25) and I know the ports were 1.1. This is the one I thought OP was referring to.

Tony