This is another design issue and the most possible that Seagate should not be responsible for. In contrast, the OEM has to responsible for such crap 1394 convertor if it had has marketed around the world, or the end-user has to pay for such garbage. It is the time to helps those REAL ENGINEER or DESIGNER to understand what if bad effect of no proper grounding-loop.
In this case, a simple convertor without proper design and
manufacturing, it result incredible lost without reliability, and very possible,
the Seagate may recevied thousand phone call per day for reparing, and may be,
more than 1000 users have to send their machine back for check and fix. The
designer himself / herself could be suffered torments to this bad design, and
also those end-users.
example screen shot of the problem description, Windows XP detected a 1394 / Firewire storage device but no proper software driver is available. Do not go to ask Seagate or you will be screw up yourself,
manufacturing, it result incredible lost without reliability, and very possible,
the Seagate may recevied thousand phone call per day for reparing, and may be,
more than 1000 users have to send their machine back for check and fix. The
designer himself / herself could be suffered torments to this bad design, and
also those end-users.
example screen shot of the problem description, Windows XP detected a 1394 / Firewire storage device but no proper software driver is available. Do not go to ask Seagate or you will be screw up yourself,
Around year 2002 or 2003, many Apple Macbook and
other manufactured notebooks, they have been equipped with 1394 interface for
external connection whatever hard drive storage or computer I/O devices. This
1394 interface is also known as Firewire as Apple Inc. developed. In term of the
transfer rate or speed, the 1394 interface has better performance over than
USB2.0, backup 100GB data is noticeable with time required
shorter.
We selected this FreeAgent Pro for external backup purpose
because it has availability of USB2.0, eSTAT & 1394 all together. Last few
months, it works like a charm, users had have happiness with almost unlimited
storage size and weekly backup with fast & easy by themselves. Of course,
the 1394 interface has couple connector types, they are compatible only for
electrical specification but the pin out & socket has different from factor,
before the FreeAgent Pro can be connect to notebook, convertor must be provided
to adapt such difference, and make sure power the FreeAgant Pro smoothly.
Problem descriptions -
1) many users
reported that the FreeAgent Pro was not working every time recently, under Mac
OSx or Windows XP or Ubuntu;
2) some used this backup storage, sudden lost of
connection;
3) some used this backup storage, the notebook OS is able to see
this external drive, but it was asking for driver installation or no any action.
Review
and problem solving -
1) Desktop user has no such issue reported so
far;
2) only notebook user and Mac user have reported this issue;
3)
notebook user has bought their own convertor because the notebook has only 4-pin
socket of 1394 interface, but the FreeAgent Pro provides a 6-pin
cable;
the 4 pin input jack of 1394 / firewire to my laptop
4) Confirmed the 4-pin to 6-pin conversion, such adaptor has NO shield
grounding connected; check this by a simple Ohm meter, no any movement of the dial.
5) Confirmed the 6-pin cable by Seagate, it has NO connection
in between shield grounding and the GND;
Simple fix but not simple
theory -
1) check this cheap 4-pin to 6-pin convertor to see if the shielding
ground is connected; result is negative. According to users, they brought these
from 燦坤, 順發 or some local computer stores, perhaps the same OEM and same bad
design with no proper electrical connection.
2) fix this with a single
wire and soldering; cut the plastic housing about, expose the metal shielding for soldering;
soldering the wire to connect two metal housings of two ends, in order to make grounding loop complete;
3) check this cheap 4-pin to 6-pin convertor with a simple Ohm meter again, the dial has full scale this time, it say a good electrical connection in between, the shield grounding loop is complete now, and then the notebook and FreeAgent Pro are about the same electrial potential when connected.
4) plug the FreeAgent Pro back to the
notebook via this modified convertor, yes, it works again, the WinXP is able to
read / write such external storage via 1394 interface again.
because it has availability of USB2.0, eSTAT & 1394 all together. Last few
months, it works like a charm, users had have happiness with almost unlimited
storage size and weekly backup with fast & easy by themselves. Of course,
the 1394 interface has couple connector types, they are compatible only for
electrical specification but the pin out & socket has different from factor,
before the FreeAgent Pro can be connect to notebook, convertor must be provided
to adapt such difference, and make sure power the FreeAgant Pro smoothly.
Problem descriptions -
1) many users
reported that the FreeAgent Pro was not working every time recently, under Mac
OSx or Windows XP or Ubuntu;
2) some used this backup storage, sudden lost of
connection;
3) some used this backup storage, the notebook OS is able to see
this external drive, but it was asking for driver installation or no any action.
Review
and problem solving -
1) Desktop user has no such issue reported so
far;
2) only notebook user and Mac user have reported this issue;
3)
notebook user has bought their own convertor because the notebook has only 4-pin
socket of 1394 interface, but the FreeAgent Pro provides a 6-pin
cable;
the 4 pin input jack of 1394 / firewire to my laptop
4) Confirmed the 4-pin to 6-pin conversion, such adaptor has NO shield
grounding connected; check this by a simple Ohm meter, no any movement of the dial.
5) Confirmed the 6-pin cable by Seagate, it has NO connection
in between shield grounding and the GND;
Simple fix but not simple
theory -
1) check this cheap 4-pin to 6-pin convertor to see if the shielding
ground is connected; result is negative. According to users, they brought these
from 燦坤, 順發 or some local computer stores, perhaps the same OEM and same bad
design with no proper electrical connection.
2) fix this with a single
wire and soldering; cut the plastic housing about, expose the metal shielding for soldering;
soldering the wire to connect two metal housings of two ends, in order to make grounding loop complete;
3) check this cheap 4-pin to 6-pin convertor with a simple Ohm meter again, the dial has full scale this time, it say a good electrical connection in between, the shield grounding loop is complete now, and then the notebook and FreeAgent Pro are about the same electrial potential when connected.
4) plug the FreeAgent Pro back to the
notebook via this modified convertor, yes, it works again, the WinXP is able to
read / write such external storage via 1394 interface again.
Time to comes by if you need to buy a 1394 convertor, ensure to ask the sales or check this grounding connection out by yourself, refund and return is good for proper-design and gives punishment to those irresponsible manufacturer.
more information about 1394
and electrical connection, please refer to followings,
and electrical connection, please refer to followings,
The external storage with
1394 interface, refer to following,
1394 interface, refer to following,
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