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Daisy chaining mixed connectivity drives

I have an iBook (OS X 10.5.8 Leopard) with 2 USB 2.0 ports and a Firewire 400 port. The USB ports are in use, as is a hub plugged in one of them. I have a CalDigit AV drive connected to the iBook via a Firewire 400 - Firewire 800 cable. The drive also has an additional Firewire 800 port and a USB 3.0 port.


I'm wondering if a USB 3.0 drive can be daisy chained to the CalDigit drive through the USB 3.0 port, even if it is connected to the computer via Firewire 400. If this is possible, I realize I would only get Firewire 400 speed, which is okay.


Or do I need to find another Firewire drive to daisy chain?


Thanks

iBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Apr 22, 2014 6:59 PM

Reply
3 replies

Apr 26, 2014 9:43 AM in response to gcakmn

For the most part, these drives with USB and FW don't share to the other;

the intent was to allow either one or the other. FW for older Macs that may

be able to boot from a HDD (with oxford chipset) or USB2.0/3.0 for storage

or for newer Intel Macs that may boot a clone from USB. However a Mac

could use FW or USB when both are available, separately to boot clones

if the computer hardware supports both. And if the external HD does.


Depending on the circuitry in the external enclosure, are the possibilities.

A logic circuit and extra cost, may allow the ports to share data across

the two separately supported channels. Lacking that, most can't do it.

Usually that is because they are like different frequencies, no converter.


However you could try. Or contact the maker, to see if you get a reply,

then share that information along with enclosure brand/model number.

That may be curious, conditional, if it were to work at all with one setup.


Good luck 🙂

Daisy chaining mixed connectivity drives

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