Quicksilver Belkin FW800 3 Port card - ASP Crash

[LaPorta]

Hey everyone,

Just got an NOS Belkin 3 Port FW800 PCI card for my quicksilver. Seems to work just fine with my d2 HD. Only issue is that the Apple System Profiler crashes if I try to inspect the FireWire bus. Anyone have a similar issue? Using OS X 10.4.11.

 

[macuserman]

That’s odd I have a sonnet one I’ll try it tomorrow and see what it does…

 

[macuserman]

My sonnet card doesn’t seem to crash in my MDD when I check it out in system profiler. It only has two 800 ports though and one 400.

 

[LaPorta]

That's a pretty nice card. The box (I can get a photo later), apparently says it supports 10.3+ and 9.2 (at least at FW400 speeds), and there are no drivers to install it just works out of box. One thing I am curious about as well is that it has a Molex 4-pin power male pin connector on it. Nowhere in the instructions does it say to attach that anywhere do I didn't...I wonder why it is there. You can see it in this photo in the top-right of the card.

 

[macuserman]

One thing I am curious about as well is that it has a Molex 4-pin power male pin connector on it. Nowhere in the instructions does it say to attach that anywhere do I didn't...I wonder why it is there. You can see it in this photo in the top-right of the card.

I've seen similar headers on USB cards I have as well even the sonnet ones and I always assumed it was there to provide extra power in case you are trying to run a device fully powering it off the port. I was pretty sure they used to make some drives that just used a single cord kinda like usb c now.

In fact a quick check over on OWC and you can see on the specs it mentions BUS power.

OWC Mercury On-The-Go Multi-Interface Enclosure Kit

The OWC Mercury On-The-Go USB 3.0 & 2.0 / FireWire 800 (FireWire 400 Backwards Compatible) Enclosure Kit packs an incredible punch into a 11 ounce package!

eshop.macsales.com

I will say I did not have a drive attached when I inspected the bus so not sure if that matters I can try it that way if you need but I'll have to dig up some drives, I don't really use firewire often this card has been on my to be posted on eBay pile for awhile but just only so much time to do things so anyhow happy to use it for a comparison as much as needed if it proves helpful.

 

[LaPorta]

I figured it could be for the bus powered drives. Maybe ill hook it up and see. Sure, if you have time, I'd like to see. If I knew you were selling it, I'd have purchased it from you! Much rather buy something from a fellow forum member.

 

[macuserman]

I figured it could be for the bus powered drives. Maybe ill hook it up and see. Sure, if you have time, I'd like to see. If I knew you were selling it, I'd have purchased it from you! Much rather buy something from a fellow forum member.

You never asked although I was pretty sure you posted about usb not firewire. I'll though I've got some of those as well. Sometimes I'm to lazy to dig things out though. And it's easier to just give someone a link to somewhere online.

 

[LaPorta]

Totally! Yes, the FW800 was a bit of an afterthought: the USB2 was what I really needed. The QS and MDDs are quite powerful machines, only hamstrung by the lack of more modern interfaces I think.

 

[LaPorta]

You know, if you were up to selling it still....what the heck? I'd take it and try it in place of this one!

 

[LaPorta]

I did a little more investigation: It seems the ALi M5271 FireWire & USB 2.0 combo card was actually messing this up: with the Belkin card installed, the FW800 bus appears in ASP as per usual.

I guess I need to find a different USB 2.0 card...

 

[macuserman]

I did a little more investigation: It seems the ALi M5271 FireWire & USB 2.0 combo card was actually messing this up: with the Belkin card installed, the FW800 bus appears in ASP as per usual.

I guess I need to find a different USB 2.0 card...

Shoot me a message and maybe we can work out something. I have a few different things that may fit the bill.