SmartDisk FireLite USB drive

B

btoth

Person that uses a Mac
Does anyone here have any experiance with this external drive. I got the FireLite 40GB USB 2.0 drive for my in-home computer servicing business. It's supposed to be powered off of the USB bus and has worked flawlessly with 2 desktop PCs and a laptop PC. However, it will not work on my PowerBook G4 because it doesn't seem to be getting the nessessary power from the USB port. Apple's system profiler sees it and says 500mA under it's Power section, though I don't know if that's what it's really getting. Does anyone else have a similar problem or know of a way to test the USB power output?

Thanks.

PS - If you've used the USB version before, is the USB logo supposed to light up? Something is rattling inside and I wonder if it's the light bulb... so I may be exchanging it for another of the same thing anyway. :)
 
It turns out after some research that the 15" PowerBooks don't seem to put out the proper amount of power to the USB ports that they should be. Even though Apple's System Profiler says it's supplying 500mA of power, I guess that's not a true reading of what the computer is actually supplying.

The Apple discussion thread about this problem: http://discussions.info.apple.com/WebX?14@37.UP4GaRsBdfw.3@.599c08d9

It's not that informative, but it seems to be a real problem. I went to the store yesterday and tried the device in every other Apple laptop... it worked with all except for their 15" PowerBook G4.

Has anyone else noticed this problem? If so, has anything been done about it? I have a feeling Apple will just tell me that's how it is and there's "nothing wrong".
 
Perhaps you could buy a powered USB 2.0 hub & connect through that? Not particularly portable, I'll grant, but it's a thought.
 
i'm having the same problem with my USB2 firelite 80Gb on the 17" powerbook. fooie. i'd hate to have to send the thing back and go through that hassle.

I'm still researching. AppleCare said that if A PC usb1 port can power the thing, the 17" should also. but, it's not. so... cest la vie.
 
Any progress on this? Carrying around a little power brick nearly makes my FireLite useless for what it was originally intended... fully portable extra storage. Any luck with Apple changing the power output of the USB port? Thanks!
 
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