G RAID mini w FW800 is losing connection to MP

[Luba]

Lately, my G RAID mini using FireWire 800 can't keep connected to my Mac Pro 5,1. I don't know if the FireWire cable is now bad, or the FW port is bad on the G RAID, or the port is bad on my Mac Pro. I tried both FW ports that are in front of the Mac Pro. It will connect for a few seconds and then lose the connection. I'll get a "Did not eject properly" message. Any idea why this is happening?

 

[Manzanito]

Lately, my G RAID mini using FireWire 800 can't keep connected to my Mac Pro 5,1. I don't know if the FireWire cable is now bad, or the FW port is bad on the G RAID, or the port is bad on my Mac Pro. I tried both FW ports that are in front of the Mac Pro. It will connect for a few seconds and then lose the connection. I'll get a "Did not eject properly" message. Any idea why this is happening?

Did you try using a different cable?

 

[bsbeamer]

Does the same happen with any other FW400 or FW800 devices?

 

[Luba]

I used a USB cable and nothing happened at all, but then the G RAID might need electric power? USB port doesn’t provide as much electricity as a FW800 port??

I don’t have any other FW devices.

Going to try to connect it on another Mac and see what happens. Also see what an Apple Genius thinks of the problem.

 

[flaubert]

There are Firewire ports in the back you can try, too.

 

[bsbeamer]

I used a USB cable and nothing happened at all, but then the G RAID might need electric power? USB port doesn’t provide as much electricity as a FW800 port??

I don’t have any other FW devices.

Going to try to connect it on another Mac and see what happens. Also see what an Apple Genius thinks of the problem.

Good luck getting any Apple store employee to take a look at MP5,1 tower these days, unless you purchased on a special business contract that included extended 7-year support (which likely expires in a few months from original purchase).

Which model are you using?
#1 http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/12...ages-graid-mini-ports_grande.png?v=1506362923
#2 https://cvp.com/images/products/altimage/26 02 20131361888138g-tech_g-drive-mini_ports_medium.jpg
#3 (top or bottom) https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...qCalGyJm0C77J4-Q2MuvSs062a-sE3kbfNIkEJMKlR4o_

ALL include USB options. Connect the drive via USB directly to the USB 2.0 ports on the machine. Still have issues?

 

[flaubert]

The native ports on the Mac Pro 5,1 (front and back) are USB 2.0 ports, which limit current draw to 500 mA; this will be insufficient to power a box with two drives in it. If you have a USB 3 expansion card it might be able to power it, since the current limit for USB 3 is 900 mA and most 2.5" drives draw about 500 mA. If you want to use the USB port of the G-Raid you should probably power it via the power jack visible on the back.

Yes, Firewire can supply higher currents. I think it is 8 watts, or about 1.5 amps.

 

[bsbeamer]

Many GRAID mini units are actually just one single drive, usually a 7200rpm laptop style HDD and basically single height. You can tell the dual units when they appear to be double height and all the ones I've seen have a fan at the bottom between the "skis". OP did not specifiy which model. Some have eSATA connections, some are USB (2.0 or 3.0), some have FW400 and FW800, others just have FW800, some have an ON/OFF switch.

You can use their recommended power adapter, but believe it's a standard version and the same that ships with most WD external drives:
https://www.g-technology.com/products/accessories/g-raid-mini-power-adapter#0G00125

Believe the GRAID Mini was last sold back in 2017, but many of the older models were around for years before that. There are firmware updates for SOME of the units, but it varies greatly depending on model. Thankfully they have cleaned up their product names and now all GRAID units are actually two HDDs in RAID...

 

[Luba]

Good luck getting any Apple store employee to take a look at MP5,1 tower these days, unless you purchased on a special business contract that included extended 7-year support (which likely expires in a few months from original purchase).

Which model are you using?
#1 http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/12...ages-graid-mini-ports_grande.png?v=1506362923
#2 https://cvp.com/images/products/altimage/26 02 20131361888138g-tech_g-drive-mini_ports_medium.jpg
#3 (top or bottom) https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...qCalGyJm0C77J4-Q2MuvSs062a-sE3kbfNIkEJMKlR4o_

ALL include USB options. Connect the drive via USB directly to the USB 2.0 ports on the machine. Still have issues?

None of the above. The closest is https://cvp.com/images/products/altimage/26 02 20131361888138g-tech_g-drive-mini_ports_medium.jpg

It has a USB port in the back but not the type in front of my Mac Pro. I think it's called micro USB??
[doublepost=1556399753][/doublepost]

Many GRAID mini units are actually just one single drive, usually a 7200rpm laptop style HDD and basically single height. You can tell the dual units when they appear to be double height and all the ones I've seen have a fan at the bottom between the "skis". OP did not specifiy which model. Some have eSATA connections, some are USB (2.0 or 3.0), some have FW400 and FW800, others just have FW800, some have an ON/OFF switch.

You can use their recommended power adapter, but believe it's a standard version and the same that ships with most WD external drives:
https://www.g-technology.com/products/accessories/g-raid-mini-power-adapter#0G00125

Believe the GRAID Mini was last sold back in 2017, but many of the older models were around for years before that. There are firmware updates for SOME of the units, but it varies greatly depending on model. Thankfully they have cleaned up their product names and now all GRAID units are actually two HDDs in RAID...

My G-Raid Mini is almost 10 years old and has 2 HDDs inside so I that I can stripe them (RAID 1). It has a port for FW800, USB, and a power adapter, which I need to find.

I bought a FW800 cable and will try it out later tonight and hopefully that will fix it.

 

[bsbeamer]

If new cable does not address, check for firmware updates. Several have been issued by G-Tech for various models and very few have actually installed those updates.

 

[krakman]

and a power adapter, which I need to find.

I have a feeling that you need the power adaptor for this device for it to work properly.

 

[zedex]

I have a feeling that you need the power adaptor for this device for it to work properly.

You need the power adapter. Whenever I use two FireWire ports at once - one of them disconnect intermittently unless I use a USB to "DC in" cable on at least one of the Firewire enclosures. Also, the spinning hard drives in the Firewire enclosures will run quite a bit faster if the enclosure is powered..