# Bootable update firmware for AcomData 160gb fw drive



## MacME (Mar 15, 2005)

for those requesting the firmware, here it is. Gordon was nice enough to share it with me, saving me the time to request it from AcomData. he also contacted them to make sure it was okay to distribute the firmware. let me know if there's any problem accessing the files. enjoy!

since my hosting wasn't working, _TimStalin_ was kind enough to host the files. you can find it here:

http://www.ehmac.ca/showpost.php?p=270122&postcount=21


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## Mugatu (Mar 31, 2005)

Thanks MacMe! Can't wait to get this running with my mini mac when I get home.


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## Ants (May 6, 2003)

Awesome.... I had emailed AcomData this morning and was hoping for a reply soon. No need to wait....will be picking a drive tomorrow morning!

Edit: Links are not working....


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## jonmon (Feb 15, 2002)

great! can't wait to use these

(when the links are fixed )

also have to buy a firewire cable


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## MacME (Mar 15, 2005)

jonmon said:


> great! can't wait to use these
> 
> (when the links are fixed )
> 
> also have to buy a firewire cable


hmm … try again. dunno if hosting it on my yahoo briefcase is gonna work. anyone else has suggestions where i can host these for free?

FW cable $8.99 at Canada Computers.


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## marrmoo (Jul 24, 2003)

I used the links just a short time ago worked fine.
Do I need to install tiger on the drive or can i use superduper to configure the drive.


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## MacME (Mar 15, 2005)

i just used the Disk Utility in OS X to do a restore from HD to the FW HD. worked fine for me. loaded up SuperDuper and it says it has to be registered for "clone" to work, so never bothered with it.

btw, if ppl picking up the drive from CompuSmart in Scarborough, you can get FW cables at MPT Computers. small little "no-frills" computer shop i've been frequenting for years: mptcomputers.com 



> Firewire IEEE 1394 cable, 4-pin & 6-pin combinations avail., $7
> Firewire IEEE 1394 universal cable kit w. 4-pin & 6-pin adaptors, $10


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## mr.steevo (Jul 22, 2005)

Hi,

Could get your link to work.

s.


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## Mugatu (Mar 31, 2005)

I got a firewire cable with my drive. I think it's 4 feet.


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## MacME (Mar 15, 2005)

Mugatu said:


> I got a firewire cable with my drive. I think it's 4 feet.


you got both a FW and USB cable? or just a FW cable instead of USB?


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## Mugatu (Mar 31, 2005)

Both


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## MacME (Mar 15, 2005)

bastard! lucky you!


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## jonmon (Feb 15, 2002)

lucky!

and the links still don't work for me


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## MacME (Mar 15, 2005)

jonmon said:


> lucky!
> 
> and the links still don't work for me


i'll e-mail to you. i think the yahoo briefcase links times out after a while. not sure.


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## Ants (May 6, 2003)

MacME said:


> i'll e-mail to you. i think the yahoo briefcase links times out after a while. not sure.


Can you email me as well? Been trying to get the links to work....no luck...
rightcoastantsAThotmailDOTcom


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## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

I'm looking for it too.

If you could? jicon'at'shaw'dot'ca


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## jonmon (Feb 15, 2002)

MacME said:


> i'll e-mail to you. i think the yahoo briefcase links times out after a while. not sure.


thanks
or maybe someone else can host them?


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## MacME (Mar 15, 2005)

welp, no offers to do so as of yet.  

Gordon also said that AcomData is gonna update their FAQ and make it available on their website, at some point. who knows when that will be.

anyone can suggest a free hosting site? it's not like the files are big or anything.


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## jonmon (Feb 15, 2002)

try www.yousendit.com and then post the link you get


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## MacME (Mar 15, 2005)

if it's as slow as it is trying to load up their website, i think i'll pass on trying it!


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## TimStalin (May 22, 2005)

Here are the files (thanks to MacME) hosted on my .Mac account. Let me know of there are any problems.

LINKS REMOVED (message me if still interested)

Later


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## Ants (May 6, 2003)

thank you both....much appreciated...

ants


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## jonmon (Feb 15, 2002)

thanks a lot Tim!


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## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

Gracias


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## MacME (Mar 15, 2005)

updated first post in thread accordingly with new links!


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## instite (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi,

I just bought an Accomdata 250 G Firewire/USB hybrid drive and have just found out about the issue about booting from the "push-button backup" model. I was wondering if anyone still had the Firmware upgrade.

Thanks

D


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

Post again here or PM me if you don't get the F/W update somewhere.
I think I may still have it on my old G4 but it's at a different location and I won't be back there until next week.

BTW - the F/W update needs to be done via the USB port, so you need a USB cable as well.


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## instite (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi krs,

Thank you for responding. I will let you know if I don't acquire it by next week. And I do have both USB and Firewire cables, both came with the drive.

Cheers,

D


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

I may still have it somewhere. I just have to find it. Hopefully, the file was called Acomdata something or other.


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

I have the file. Let me know where you want me to send it.


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## instite (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi Mike,

Thanks alot. I appreciate you going out of your way. If possible, please the file as an email to: [email protected]

Cheers,

Darryl


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

Done. Let me know how it works out.


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## instite (Apr 24, 2007)

Well, I received the file from mikeinmontreal (Thanks again, Mike).

What happended: I opened the FWConfig1530 utility while my new drive was mounted via USB. The first thing I noted was that my drive had the v3.53 firmware upgrade that came with the utility, already loaded (it was meant to replace ver 3.10.5 according to the instructions).

Still, I thought what the hell, lets try replacing it anyway. So I selected the firmware upgrade that mike sent and the program starts to upload it. About a third of the way through, however, the process stops with an error message that was basically a lot of numbers. Of course, I don't know if a successful upgrade would have made any difference since I would have just uploaded the same version.

I guess I will have to wait till Acomdata responds to the email I sent to them, or perhaps I should just return the Acomdata drive and get some other kind. (Unless someone has any others suggestions.

Darryl

D


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

Crap. You had the right firmware to begin with. I have Xo353 on mine in System Profiler.


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

Instite -

Same FW version here and making bootable backups with Super Duper works just fine.

What is the actual problem you are having?


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## instite (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi people,

My problem is that the hard drive will not boot from a system folder I copied using Super Duper. I think the issue is that the Acomdata hard drive I have is the one equiped with "push-button backup". 

Acomdata says on their web site support FAQ that you cannot boot from this model, although you can boot from their similar drive without this feature. I thought the upgrade that you all used was one that would allow me to boot. 

Now, the specs on the web site main product page and on Compusmart's web site makes no mention of this inadequacy. From my web searches it seems a number of people have been bit by this lack of clarity and so I was hoping a solution was out there.

D


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

I have the pusbutton drive. Same one as KRS. If it has firewire, it will boot. Is disk utility reading the drive. Maybe you can do a fresh erase and rename the drive. MAC OSX Journaled (Extended)


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## instite (Apr 24, 2007)

This is all very confusing. The Acomdata web site states:



> Q: Can you make an AcomData Drive bootable?
> A: If your Drive is NOT equipped with PushButton Backup, it is possible to use it as a startup disk on Mac if using a FireWire connection. If you wish to use your Drive as a startup disk, make sure you install the Mac OS on the Drive before saving any data to the Drive (follow the instructions in your Mac OS manual). Drives with PushButton Backup cannot be used as startup disks. Windows does not support using external hard drives as boot volumes.


I did try and boot from the drive before I read this and it did not work. I formatted the drive as Mac extended and made an exact copy using SuperDuper on a 25G partition. I then selected the new system in Startup. When I rebooted the computer searched for the new system but never found it (just the grey apple logo screen and spinner). So I then assumed Acomdata's statement was an accurate reflection of their products capabilities.

Obviously your experience with a similar product and the same firmware states otherwise. To complicate matters I am having problems getting the drive to mount regularly without a lot of preparation (unplugging computer, clearly nvram, etc). 

I think I will return this model and try something else.

D


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## lewdvig (Nov 20, 2003)

Business Depot had the E5 160 GB dual USD/FW units for $70 - table full of them. I only wish I bought two.

Dantz Retrospect is nice too.


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

My Acomdata drive is a push-button back-up drive and it boots just fine - always has since I upgraded the firmware.
In fact I regularly take it to another location and boot from another Mac there.
If you're having trouble mounting the drive regularly, there is something else wrong - maybe the bridge is shaky or it's a different bridge than what I have.


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## instite (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi krs,

Uhmm. I meekly ask: What is a bridge?

Darryl


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

Sorry - maybe the wrong terminology.
The electronic circuitry inside the external hard drive case that does the conversion between the USB/Firewire ports (signal) and IDE or SATA, the interface for the hard drive itself.
This conversion is done by a chip or chip set and different manufacturers chipsets perform differently. The chipset doesn't come from Acomdata - they may have sourced a different chipset for your drive than the one in my drive which could explain the difference.


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## instite (Apr 24, 2007)

Perhaps, but isn't the chip set driven by the firmware?

D


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

Yes, but why would that matter?
All we have is a firmware designation that Acomdata (I assume) assigned to it. I don't see why this would necessarily imply that you have the same chip set as I do.
The best way to check is to just look under system profiler - my information is below - I assume DMI is the bridge manufacturer, then you can see that I have a Western Digital 160 Gig hard drive inside the box.

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/3521/acomdata160nh1.png

PS: I see the image icon no longer works in the new ehMac software. I click on it and nothing happens. I'm using Camino with 10.4.8

Edit: Just checked with Safari - works there but not with Camino.

Here it is with Safari:


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## Fastcoder (Apr 22, 2005)

:d


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## instite (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi everyone,

Just a follow up. I returned the AcomData drive to Compusmart the other day. Since they did not have a comparably priced/outfitted HD I received a refund (painless). I then headed over to computer row at Spadina and College in Toronto. I was tempted to get a LaCie USB 2.0/firewire 400/firwewire 800, 250G drive but I really did not want go over my budgeted 220 with tax. The LaCie was around 259.99 before tax at most places.

Instead I decided to roll-my-own so I bought a Seagate Barracuda 320G HD (16MB buffer) for 89.99 and an enclosure by some company called Nspire that is pretty basic design-wise but has USB 2.0 and Firewire 4.0 connectors; it also has the Oxford 911 chipset which is what sold me. Also included all of the necessary cables. Cost 39.99. 

Brought it home, assembled it and voila it boots! Yeah. Total cost with PST & GST 160.00 or so. If the enclosure holds up I will be quite pleased. The HD itself has a 5 year warranty.

Thanks for all of the help

Darryl


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

Excellent. Good deal. Glad it worked out in the end.


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