Challenge! Feelin' Lucky, PUNK?

longston · #1 December 6th, 2007, 10:19 PM

I will bet that no one can give me that answer to this problem, I don't care how seasoned of a Mac user/tech you are. Here's the problem, you give me the answer.... IF YOU CAN!

I just completed several upgrades to my 933Mhz iBook G4 including replacing the old (dead) 40Gb hard drive with a factory sealed 120Gb Seagate hard drive, replacing the original CW-8123-C combo drive with a new UJ-845 SuperDrive, and adding a 512Mb RAM module. After I reassembled the iBook, everything worked fine except the hard drive wouldn't show up on the desktop, in Disk Utility, or in the System Profiler.

I can easily boot the iBook from the OS 10.4 installer DVD, or an external hard drive using firewire.

In fact, the iBook works perfectly when connected with a firewire cable to my external 160Gb Samsung hard drive running OS 10.4.10. It recognizes both that firewire drive, as well as an unformated Seagate FreeAgent Go 80Gb drive connected through USB. In fact, the computer runs flawlessly, aside from not recognizing the new internal Seagate drive I installed.

The new 120Gb internal hard drive also works fine outside of the iBook when connected to another computer through firewire, so the drive doesn't appear to be the problem.

I also replaced the hard drive ribbon cable in the iBook just in case that was damaged in the upgrade process, and it made no difference. I have no way of testing either cable to see if that is the problem.

The new internal hard drive still doesn't work in my iBook.

Have you seen this problem before, is it a coincidental series of bad HD cables, do you think it is related to a logic board problem, or can you suggest any other solutions?

Good Luck. I know the answer, and it's made many a tech say, WTF?

Lt Major Burns · #2 December 7th, 2007, 09:06 AM

does any drive work internally within the iBook?

dixonbm · #3 December 7th, 2007, 12:26 PM

My guess would be that the connectors for the hard drive ribbon cable are damaged. In other words you'll probably have to replace the whole board.

Mikuro · #4 December 7th, 2007, 12:47 PM

I'm going to take the "WTF?" part to heart and say that it's gotta be a faulty power supply.

longston · #5 December 7th, 2007, 03:12 PM

First, please remember that this is a resolved issue. The problem has been repaired, and the computer is now functioning properly. This is a brain teaser test to see if anyone I haven't told about this can figure it out.

So here we go:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lt Major Burns

does any drive work internally within the iBook?

The original factory 40Gb Hitachi Travelstar worked until it died. The replacement Seagate drive I had the problem with is working in the computer right now...

As for:

Quote:

Originally Posted by dixonbm

My guess would be that the connectors for the hard drive ribbon cable are damaged. In other words you'll probably have to replace the whole board.

That was a good guess, but your diagnosis and the solution are both wrong. I replaced the ribbon cable, and inspected the connectors on it and the logic board. I could see no damage evident.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikuro

I'm going to take the "WTF?" part to heart and say that it's gotta be a faulty power supply.

Remember that

Quote:

Originally Posted by longston

everything worked fine except the hard drive wouldn't show up on the desktop, in Disk Utility, or in the System Profiler.

Another good guess, but you are also wrong.

Let me know when you've had enough...

sinclair_tm · #6 December 7th, 2007, 03:26 PM

i'm guessing that there was some jumper not set right, or the ibook can't see a drive that large.

Qion · #7 December 7th, 2007, 03:26 PM

Schizophrenia?

longston · #8 December 7th, 2007, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sinclair_tm

i'm guessing that there was some jumper not set right, or the ibook can't see a drive that large.

This is an iBook G4. A notebook computer. There are two separate busses. One for the Optical Drive and another for the Hard Drive. There is no room inside of the case to add additional drives on those two separate dedicated internal ATA busses, so there is no reason to specify which master or slave. Besides, the pins on the drive that would select the jumper settings are connected within the connector that goes to the logic board.

Second, I specifically checked to see what the maximum allowable drive was for that computer before I purchased the replacement so there would be no capacity issues. Even if there were, there's always partitioning to cover that.

As for guesses like Schizophrenia, Digital Ghosts, Pixel Faeries, Sun Spots, Winchester Mystery House Syndrome, Alzheimers, Alien Abduction, Magnetic Anomalies and such nonsense...

Fergeddaboutit, yer break's ovah. Get back to work.