Powerbook start-up as external Hard Drive

jimwhite0258 · Jan 14, 2004

I have recently purchased a Powerbook G4 Titanium (550MHz) used. It seems like it is working well except for two things.
The manual says that it can be connected to another computer as an external Hard Drive by holding down the "T" key at start-up. This does not work for me. The thing makes the normal start-up tone but within a few seconds stops. It does not matter when I begin to hold the t key. I've tried starting before I press the start button and after. I've tried pressing it down before durring and after the tone. I've tried continuosly holding it and not. I've tried with the thing connected by firewire and unconnected. All with the same result. The "T" key works for everything else. I am running OS 10.3. I also know that the firewire cable is good.
The other issue may be a software thing... it will receive but not send e-mail. I have connected to the same set-up as my desktop unit, with all the settings the same, but it will not send. I'm using OS X's MAIL program.

Any help would be much appreciated
JW

trpnmonkey41 · Jan 14, 2004

not sure bout the mail thing but for the few times i have used the external drive thing I have rebooted the computer and as soon as it begins to startup i just hold T and dont let go until i see the symbol

JazzTrpt · Jan 14, 2004

jimwhite0258 said:
I have recently purchased a Powerbook G4 Titanium (550MHz) used. It seems like it is working well except for two things.
The manual says that it can be connected to another computer as an external Hard Drive by holding down the "T" key at start-up. This does not work for me. The thing makes the normal start-up tone but within a few seconds stops. It does not matter when I begin to hold the t key. I've tried starting before I press the start button and after. I've tried pressing it down before durring and after the tone. I've tried continuosly holding it and not. I've tried with the thing connected by firewire and unconnected. All with the same result. The "T" key works for everything else. I am running OS 10.3. I also know that the firewire cable is good.
The other issue may be a software thing... it will receive but not send e-mail. I have connected to the same set-up as my desktop unit, with all the settings the same, but it will not send. I'm using OS X's MAIL program.

Any help would be much appreciated
JW

Make sure that the firewire cable is connected to the powerbook and the host computer before you start up the powerbook. Also make sure that no other firewire cables are connected to the powerbook when you do this. The host computer should remain on the entire time. Make sure that the powerbook is plugged into a power source. You should only have to hold down "T" from right after you press the power button on the 'book until you see the firewire symbol on the screen. It should then appear on the host computer as an ejectable drive. If you have done all of this to no avail then I can't help ya!

As far as the email problem, what do you mean by "I have connected to the same setup as my desktop unit"?

mondo · Jan 19, 2004

The only other thing I could think to try if you're starting up in Target Disk mode is to make sure that the powerbook is turned off before you start the whole process. For some reason, a restart followed by pressing "T" won't work (this was bugging me when I was trying to start my old Pismo in Target Disk mode with my new 17" powerbook).

When the process works, you should see the powerbook drive appearing on the host computer in a matter of seconds after starting it up and holding down "T"

If that's the only thing wrong (apart from the email weirdness), I would try networking the two machines with an ethernet cable...much cheaper, almost as fast (faster with gigabit ethernet) and just as easy once you've turned File Sharing on in System Preferences.

Powerbook start-up as external Hard Drive

jimwhite0258

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