Firewire 800 incompatible?

[Rhobes]

I have a new iMac 27" i7 (see old iMac in sig).

I'm trying to move files etc to the new from the old. I have everything backed up on a Maxtor external HD with Firewire 800.

Well the FW 800 will not fit the new iMac 800 port. How can that be?? The Maxtor FW 800 fit itself and the old iMac, why not the new one?

So, what do I need to buy now???

P.S. The Maxtor FW shows P/N 1492980-00 A

 

[iBookG4user]

Are you sure that it is not Firewire 400? Which port does it look like? There is both a Firewire 400 and 800 port on this device.

 

[Mac'nCheese]

Are you 100% sure that your old computer and hard drive is firewire 800 and not firewire 400? Because the two have different ports and I'm guessing that might be the problem. If this is the problem: Can you hook up your hard drive to your new mac with usb? If not, buy this:

http://www.amazon.com/Sonnet-FireWire-400-Adapter-FAD-824/dp/B0000CDJPQ

However if thats not the problem... anybody else????

 

[Rhobes]

Are you sure that it is not Firewire 400? Which port does it look like? There is both a Firewire 400 and 800 port on this device.

Looks like the 2nd from the left on the pic. I reviewed the User's Guide, the list of supplied accessories and it states a 9 pin 800 fire wire, unless the old iMac was only 400 compatible and I bought a 400, could be I don't remember.

Yes, it's a 400, the old iMac has no 800. Got to get me an 800-

Thanks...

 

[Rhobes]

Are you 100% sure that your old computer and hard drive is firewire 800 and not firewire 400? Because the two have different ports and I'm guessing that might be the problem. If this is the problem: Can you hook up your hard drive to your new mac with usb? If not, buy this:

http://www.amazon.com/Sonnet-FireWire-400-Adapter-FAD-824/dp/B0000CDJPQ

However if thats not the problem... anybody else????

The Maxtor has an 400(9pin),800(9 pin) and USB "B" connections. The new iMac has USB "A" connections only and 1- 800 FW. So it looks like I need a 9pin to 9pin 800 FW(assume the new iMac is a 9pin?). Or, a USB with one end A the other end B connectors.

 

[thereur]

I think the new iMac is capable of interacting with the old drive. I'm doing this with an old FW400 Compact Flash reader. I just ordered this cable. Monoprice has good stuff for cheap.

 

[Fishrrman]

Something tells me you have your cables or pin configurations mixed up.

First, take a look at the graphic images in the upper left corner of this page:
http://pinouts.ru/Slots/ieee1394_pinout.shtml

The most commonly used firewire 400 connector is 6 pins, with one end "flat" and the other end "rounded".

The new firewire 800 connector is 9 pins, rectangular (NO rounded edges), almost-but-not-quite "square".

You wrote:
"I'm trying to move files etc to the new from the old. I have everything backed up on a Maxtor external HD with Firewire 800."

I'm going to _guess_ that your old Mac has firewire 400, is this correct?

In that case, it has firewire 400 ports with one end flat and the other end rounded.

If the external drive is in fact "firewire 800", it has either:
1. The new firewire 800 port (9 pin rectangular), or,
2. BOTH firewire 800 and firewire 400 ports (for "backward compatibility")

In that case, the cable you have NOW and are trying to use is either:
1. A firewire 800-to-400 "conversion cable" (it has a 9-pin connector on one end and a 6-pin connector on the other end), or,
2. An older firewire 400 cable (with 6-pins on BOTH ends), that is plugged into the firewire 400 port on the external drive.

If the external drive you have is an older firewire 400 drive (again, you must check the ports to determine this), you need a firewire 400-to-800 (6-pin to 9-pin) conversion cable to connect it to the new iMac.

If the external drive is in fact a newer firewire 800-capable drive, you need a firewire 800 cable with the 9-pin rectangular connectors on BOTH ends.

The best source for cables I've found is monoprice.com.

 

[Mac'nCheese]

Which brings us to our next question... Was there any good reason that the folks behind firewire did not make the 800 port comp. with the old 400 cables like USB 3 is to USB 2 and 2 is to 1?

 

[Hrududu]

I think the new iMac is capable of interacting with the old drive. I'm doing this with an old FW400 Compact Flash reader. I just ordered this cable. Monoprice has good stuff for cheap.

I got that same cable a few months back so I could hook my Seagate drive to the 800 port on my MacBook Pro. Works great!