Help! I can't get my ext HD (Maxtor One Touch III) to mount!

Try to reset nv-ram/pram, it might do the trick

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238


and or reset the PMU :

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319


and connect your maxtor while the MacBook is off and turn the MAcBook on, hope it will mount it. And use the power adapter supplied from the MAxtor because the power from usb or FW port might not sufficient for the Maxtor to be mounted.

Good Luck

Can you confirm that your MacBook's FireWire and USB2 ports work. This would be the first thing. Then confirm that your Maxtor drive is also working by connecting it to another Mac.

Also, in the meantime you might want to consult with the Maxtor web site support pages to see if there are any things that you can do.

If it appears in System Profiler it should also appear is Disk Utility. If it does why don't you try verifying the disk. If it finds errors try repairing them.

Can you actually hear the drive winding up/spinning? It is possible that System Profiler is recognising the FireWire bridge board whereas the Disk Utility is not finding the drive as this the drive that is the problem.

I would try your drive on another Mac to rule an issue with your MacBook. If it fails there too then I would be in contact with Maxtor ASAP.

Good advice from Ned, hyperline.

A couple of other things you might want to try:

1) test different orders of startup . ie

a) try starting up the Maxtor with the MacBook connected but turned off - then boot the computer from its internal drive.

b) If that doesn't work reverse the process. Start up the MacBook with the Maxtor connected but off and THEN turn on the external drive.

2) try resetting your MacBook firewire port.

To do this comp[letely disconnect the power from both the MacBook and the Maxtor and disconnect the drive from the computer. Now remove the battery from the computer as well. Wait 15 minutes. Replace the battery and hook everything up again. See if it now works. (Mac FW ports are protected by a self resetting fuse. PMU and PRAM resets won't reset the fuse if it has "switched". The process I've just suggested will, however. Its possible that the Maxtor drive may have its own such system so its important to remove all power from it too)

3) different cables - cables can be the bane of your life with external drives. Always try a different one if you are having trouble getting connected.

4) While troubleshooting the problem make sure ALL other peripherals are disconnected. It may be that you are suffering from some sort of incompatability with a third device if any are attached.

Do you know what format the Maxtor drive was using?

Cheers

Rod

The simple solution if it is the enclosure is to find someone with an enclosure you can use to get your data off then once you've done that send it all back to Maxtor.

Mmm,

tricky situation, hyperlite.

The "obvious" approach is to simply get the drive replaced under warranty, but usually the data on the drive is really worth far, far more to you more than the drive itself. Obviously only you can really make a judgement about your own situation, but work out the value of your time and the amount of time required to recreate the data involved and i'm pretty sure what the answer will be!

I'm not sure how easy it is to take apart the Maxtor drive, but I presume inside will be a standard bare bones Maxtor DiamondPlus IDE (ATA) drive, like the three I currently have in external, separately purchased, "Icecube Pleaides" firewire enclosures. I'm sure it would be possible to remove the drive, and place it in an external enclosure (look for one with an Oxford 911 bridge) , or even simply attach it to a firewire to ATA adaptor like the one at http://www.dansdata.com/drivedocks.htm (there are various ones on the market).

If the drive is easy to take apart (and re-assemble) you may still be able to re-assemble it and obtain a refund or replacement for it. If not, then you stand to lose the value of the enclosure, but with luck will still have the drive itself.

If it was me, I'd go ahead and try it in a new enclosure or with a cable bridge, rather than simply opting for a swap. Its always possible, though, that it is te drive , rather than the enclosure or bridge, which is the problem, in whih case you risk losing the lot.



Rod

Then I guess it comes down to how much your data is worth. If you're lucky and it's the enclosure then the cost will be the $100 for the new enclosure and your warranty. Otherwise, if it's the drive then you lose your data and the drive. Yes it's an extremely sucky choice.

In that case, unless you can convince Maxtor to make your situation a special case (always worth a try) and get them to repair the drive rather than replace it, I think you are probably going to have to choose between your data or the swapover.

If it was me I'd pick the data any day in such a situation.

Cheers

Rod