1394a / ext. hd...problem.

[RJK]

I've just put a 160gb 3.5" IDE hd in an IcyBox 351UE-BL external hd
enclosure - it has 2x1394a ports and 1 USB 2.0 port.
....works fine using a USB lead, ...dead as a dodo using a 1394a lead i.e. no
sign of life at all !
....tried plugging firewire lead into rear of PCI card, and onto internal
firewire port - pin header/cable off to card reader disconnected btw, ...
before someone suggests it, I got the pinouts right and am pretty sure I
haven't fried anything !

A while ago I put in a pci card with 2+1 1394a and 4+1 USB 2.0 ports
http://tekgems.com:80/Products/la-pci13.htm (bought elsewhere)

( I bought this one because it has a pin header behind the internal firewire
port, so that I could connect up the VCC,Gnd,TBA-,TBA+,TPA- and TPA+ tails
that come from the 1394a port on the front of my 3.5" bay card reader ).

I've done some digging, ...very frustrating and complicated it all is too !

I have two entries showing in Device Manager under network adapters:
(1) "on OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller" (SB Audiby port i guess -
(not used btw))
(2) and "on VIA OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller"

1394a ??? I'm guessing that the electronics in the IcyBox "network" somehow
or other, on a 1394a port ?
Could Zonalarm block the hd drive bay being detected, (I've tried closing
ZA), ?

Is there anything I have to do - set-up, settings etc. or should it all have
happened automatically ?
....I've read all over the place that the 1394a driver is already in my XP
Home ed. (SP2 all updated).

Any tips appreciated but, it's not desperate ! ...the USB functionality is
fine, ....though I would have liked to have got it working on firewire !

regards, Richard

 

[Paul]

I've just put a 160gb 3.5" IDE hd in an IcyBox 351UE-BL external hd
enclosure - it has 2x1394a ports and 1 USB 2.0 port.
...works fine using a USB lead, ...dead as a dodo using a 1394a lead i.e. no
sign of life at all !
...tried plugging firewire lead into rear of PCI card, and onto internal
firewire port - pin header/cable off to card reader disconnected btw, ...
before someone suggests it, I got the pinouts right and am pretty sure I
haven't fried anything !

A while ago I put in a pci card with 2+1 1394a and 4+1 USB 2.0 ports
http://tekgems.com:80/Products/la-pci13.htm (bought elsewhere)

( I bought this one because it has a pin header behind the internal firewire
port, so that I could connect up the VCC,Gnd,TBA-,TBA+,TPA- and TPA+ tails
that come from the 1394a port on the front of my 3.5" bay card reader ).

I've done some digging, ...very frustrating and complicated it all is too !

I have two entries showing in Device Manager under network adapters:
(1) "on OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller" (SB Audiby port i guess -
(not used btw))
(2) and "on VIA OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller"

1394a ??? I'm guessing that the electronics in the IcyBox "network" somehow
or other, on a 1394a port ?
Could Zonalarm block the hd drive bay being detected, (I've tried closing
ZA), ?

Is there anything I have to do - set-up, settings etc. or should it all have
happened automatically ?
...I've read all over the place that the 1394a driver is already in my XP
Home ed. (SP2 all updated).

Any tips appreciated but, it's not desperate ! ...the USB functionality is
fine, ....though I would have liked to have got it working on firewire !

regards, Richard

I take it, you have tried connecting the Firewire cable to one of the ports
on the PCI card, avoiding all this header/wiring harness stuff alltogether ?
I'd want proof first, that something works.

Find some reviews on Newegg, as you'll find interesting tidbits. I see
a couple cards that look similar to the picture in the Tekgems
advertisement. One poster here mentions the header pinouts are
"awkward", so I hope that doesn't mean your Firewire device
is already fried as a result.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16815282001

"Cons: The internal headers have an awkward pin layout.
USB header: 1=GND,2=D+,3=D-,4=NC,5=VCC
1394A header: 1=NC,2=NC,3=GND,4=12V-VCC,5=TPB+,6=TPB-,7=TPA+,8=TPA- "

(Some combo cards on Newegg...)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...00010073+1187712446+1187912456&Subcategory=73

Paul

 

[Lil' Dave]

I've just put a 160gb 3.5" IDE hd in an IcyBox 351UE-BL external hd
enclosure - it has 2x1394a ports and 1 USB 2.0 port.
...works fine using a USB lead, ...dead as a dodo using a 1394a lead i.e.
no sign of life at all !
...tried plugging firewire lead into rear of PCI card, and onto internal
firewire port - pin header/cable off to card reader disconnected btw, ...
before someone suggests it, I got the pinouts right and am pretty sure I
haven't fried anything !

A while ago I put in a pci card with 2+1 1394a and 4+1 USB 2.0 ports
http://tekgems.com:80/Products/la-pci13.htm (bought elsewhere)

( I bought this one because it has a pin header behind the internal
firewire port, so that I could connect up the VCC,Gnd,TBA-,TBA+,TPA- and
TPA+ tails that come from the 1394a port on the front of my 3.5" bay card
reader ).

I've done some digging, ...very frustrating and complicated it all is too
!

I have two entries showing in Device Manager under network adapters:
(1) "on OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller" (SB Audiby port i
guess - (not used btw))
(2) and "on VIA OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller"

1394a ??? I'm guessing that the electronics in the IcyBox "network"
somehow or other, on a 1394a port ?
Could Zonalarm block the hd drive bay being detected, (I've tried closing
ZA), ?

Is there anything I have to do - set-up, settings etc. or should it all
have happened automatically ?
...I've read all over the place that the 1394a driver is already in my XP
Home ed. (SP2 all updated).

Any tips appreciated but, it's not desperate ! ...the USB functionality
is fine, ....though I would have liked to have got it working on firewire
!

regards, Richard

Hard returns deleted from the OP's original message on the reply. Many,
many were immediately above this reply.

Found Texas Instruments 1394A chipset works best with XP, including SP2. I
know you have some VIA version.

Was unaware the SoundBlaster Audigy sound card had a 1394 chipset onboard.

In the few cases I've dealt with firewire, XP automatically creates a
network adapter for firewire. I used same to wire my PC directly to my
notebook. Setup mine similar to a LAN network including optional mapped
drives. Both have TI 1394(A) chipsets. It flies.

Dave

 

[RJK]

Hello Paul

I connected firewire lead from hd enclosure to the "internal" 1394a socket
on the pci card, (seeing as the case side was off, having recently imaged
IDE boot drive to SATA hd etc.) ...and got no response from XP
....then tried connecting to the "pci card rear" 1394a socket/s, and got no
response from XP.

....then connected up the pin header, (just for something to do), as per my
deliberations and testing "what goes where," a while ago, (where, on another
thread, you supplied VERY good links to 1394a plug/socket pin-out
information ,
....pin header currently disconnected btw

I think the poster in the forum you recently suggested has got it wrong -
.....will be double checking now !

....so seeing as the 1394a hardware on the PCI card seems to have been
correctly identified by XP i.e. IEEE 1394 host controller and network
adaptor are showing as working okay in device manager hardware tree,
I can only surmise that the firewire ic / 1394a interface is either faulty
or incompatible, or at least not talking, with the Via usb/firewire ic on
the pci card !

....this is in addition to my not having a clue as to how to set up a 1394a
port !

regards, Richard