LaCie Hard drive won't work as bootable backup

Question

LaCie Hard drive won't work as bootable backup

I have cloned my startup drive three different ways, using Disk Utility, SuperDuper, and Sliverkeeper. I erased the drive and used Mac OSX extended format, then partitioned the drive into 4 drives. When I hold down the option button and try to start from the LaCie I get a folder with a blinking question mark then it boots from the internal drive. When I tried to install the OS directly from the disc I got a message that the drive is not a bootable drive. My Powerbook came with OSX 10.3 and I upgraded it to 10.4. I unchecked the ownership box and did everything else I was supposed to do. All of the applications were closed and there were no other devices connected to my computer. I have checked for firmware updates but didn't find any. LaCie sent me their boilerplate support form but it didn't help. According to everything I've read this should work but it doesn't. Am I doing something wrong or have others had this problem?

Powerbook G4 1ghz Mac OS X (10.4.8) * 80GB LaCie P2 HD USB 2.0 & FW400+ 5400RPM 8MB

Posted on Dec 18, 2006 8:07 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Dec 18, 2006 8:22 PM in response to Dan Anderson2

You didn't mention if you are using Firewire or USB. If the latter it won't boot your computer. You must use Firewire. You can try using Startup Disk preference to determine if you have a bootable system on the external drive, then try restarting using Startup Disk to select the boot volume.

Otherwise, you need to contact LaCie for third-party product support.

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Answer 2

Dec 19, 2006 11:00 AM in response to Kappy

Yes I am using Firewire to connect to the drive. I'm really looking for someone who has tried it with this particular drive and/or computer combination. When I choose the backup from Preferences it shows up but when I try to restart from it I get a blinking question mark on a folder for about 5 seconds then it boots from the internal drive. When I hold down the option key on restart the backup drive doesn't even show on the screen. I believe I mistated this previously. The LaCie people say it should work but that's about all.

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Dec 19, 2006 12:19 PM in response to Dan Anderson2

Have you tried selecting the drive via Startup Disk preference. I asked this before, but you didn't indicate if you have yet tried that.

Otherwise, I can only suggest the following;

A. Re-prep the drive

Extended Hard Drive Preparation

1. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities folder.

2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.

3. Set the number of partitions from the dropdown menu (use 1 partition unless you wish to make more.) Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled, if supported.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the volume(s) mount on the Desktop.

4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.

5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled, if supported.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.

6. Click on the Erase button. The format process will take 30 minutes to an hour or more depending upon the drive size. Repeat Steps 4-6 for each volume if you created more than one.

B. Clone drive

How to Clone Using Restore Option of Disk Utility

1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
2. Select the backup or destination volume from the left side list.
3. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (journaled, if available) and click on the Erase button. This step can be skipped if the destination has already been freshly erased.
4. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
5. Select the backup or destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
6. Select the startup or source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
8. Select the destination drive on the Desktop and press COMMAND-I to open the Get Info window. At the bottom in the Ownership and Permissions section be sure the box labeled "Ignore Permissions on this Volume" is unchecked. Verify the settings for Ownership and Permissions as follows: Owner=system with read/write; Group=admin with read/write; Other with read-only. If they are not correct then reset them.

For added precaution you can boot into safe mode before doing the clone.

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Answer 4

Dec 19, 2006 3:11 PM in response to Dan Anderson2

Yes, I opened startup preferences and set it to the backup drive, When I restart I get the folder with the blinking question mark for a few seconds then it boots from the internal drive. I will try cloning it again. How do I tell if journaling is supported or not?

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Answer 5

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Dec 19, 2006 3:18 PM in response to Dan Anderson2

It's an automatic selection in Tiger.

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Answer 6

Dec 19, 2006 4:19 PM in response to Kappy

OK so I rebuilt the directory of the backup drive with Diskwarrior instead of reprepping the drive and reinstalling the OS. When I choose the backup disk from the startup disk preferences it appears to boot from the backup drive. How can I be sure that it's really booting from the LaCie and not the Mac hard drive?

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Answer 7

Ran

Level 2

200 points

Dec 19, 2006 4:35 PM in response to Dan Anderson2

OK so I rebuilt the directory of the backup drive
with Diskwarrior instead of reprepping the drive and
reinstalling the OS. When I choose the backup disk
from the startup disk preferences it appears to boot
from the backup drive. How can I be sure that it's
really booting from the LaCie and not the Mac hard
drive?

By thename of the HD icon on desktop.

Also you can hold option key when booting and you will see all your active HD's on the screen. You then click on the one you want ot boot from.

Its that easy.

Ran

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Answer 8

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Dec 19, 2006 5:10 PM in response to Dan Anderson2

The startup volume is always the top drive icon on the Desktop.

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Answer 9

Dec 19, 2006 5:50 PM in response to Kappy

That confirms it. It is booting from the built in drive and not from the backup. I'm erasing the LaCie right now with " write zeros" selected. I'm thinking of trying it this time with Carbon Copy Cloner instead od Disk Utility. Any thoughts on this idea? I'm posting this from my old reliable tangerine iMac 266 mhz.

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Answer 10

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Dec 19, 2006 7:48 PM in response to Dan Anderson2

I can see no problem using CCC or Disk Utility. Both do pretty much the same thing they just use a different tool. If you continue to have a problem you should continue to work it out with LaCie because you shouldn't have a problem.

Be sure your installed system is in good shape by repairing the hard drive and permissions before you clone.

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Answer 11

Ran

Level 2

200 points

Dec 19, 2006 7:59 PM in response to Dan Anderson2

That confirms it. It is booting from the built in
drive and not from the backup. I'm erasing the LaCie
right now with " write zeros" selected. I'm
thinking of trying it this time with Carbon Copy
Cloner instead od Disk Utility. Any thoughts on
this idea? I'm posting this from my old reliable
tangerine iMac 266 mhz.

Since it is a LaCia drive I would stick with Silverkeeper( thats the one I use ) which is designed by LaCie.
I have gotten free phone and email support i regards to Silverkeeper once your register your program.

And of course the offer free email support for thre drives.

Ran

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Answer 12

Dec 19, 2006 8:36 PM in response to Ran

That's a little scary; the support guy at LaCie told me you couldn't clone the hard drive using Silverkeeper. Don't they know their own product? CCC is running right now. I'll know soon if it works or not.

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Answer 13

Ran

Level 2

200 points

Dec 19, 2006 8:39 PM in response to Dan Anderson2

That's a little scary; the support guy at LaCie told
me you couldn't clone the hard drive using
Silverkeeper. Don't they know their own product? CCC
is running right now. I'll know soon if it works or
not.

Yeah thats rel scary. It is true with may of these supports you get may differrent levels of knowledge base. My short experince with Silverkeeper and LaCie techs was informative and helpful for my situation(s).

Ran

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Answer 14

Dec 20, 2006 2:18 PM in response to Ran

Yippeee! I now have a bootable backup hard drive. CCC did the job. First I booted my computer to safe mode then I erased the entire LaCie drive with Disk Utility and zeroed all the data using the MAC OS extended -journaled- format. Next I partitioned the drive and erased the backup partition a second time by zeroing the data and used the same format. I had repaired permissions before I even began. Thanks for the help. I was beginning to believe that the drive was defective.

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