iMac and 250 Zip Drive

Cheryl

Cheryl

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I am stumped. Here's the facts:

iMac (five Flavors - 350MHz, OS 9.0)
250 MB Zip Drive - USB connect directly to the computer.
The zip drive sometimes works, but more often it does not. It acts like it is, but the disk does not show up on the desktop.
He gets the message: "There is a problem
with the disk Zip drive. Use a disk-repair program on the disk."

The repair program (Norton) shows no problems.

Iomega told the owner that his iMac is not giving the drive enough power to run the drive.

I never heard of that. Any ideas?
 
Sounds to me that the guy has to many USB powered products running through his mac. Tell him to ensure that the Zip drive is plugged directly into the computer as opposed to the keyboard, that might do the trick.
 
The 250 Zip drive will not work on a powered hub.

The zip drive is plugged into the USB port of the iMac.

Next idea.....
 
Used different Zip diskettes?
Is this a Bus powered zip (no means to externally power the drive?)
Looks like all Iomega has on their web site is a last step to reboot the system with ZIP drive disconnected, connect drive after system starts up. Probably could simply disconnect and reconnect when you get ready to use the drive (not too handy :) ) Looks like the Zip could work from a powered hub (have you tested this?), site mentions only not using with an bus-powered hub.
I've moved to USB flash drives, seem more reliable than Zips have ever been, (but what to do with the Zip collection?)
 
Au contraire, my dear forest elf, a bus-powered 250 MB Zip drive will work with a powered hub, or I was hallucinating for a long time. My 250 Mb bus-powered Zip drive, though broken currently, works quite well through a 4-port powered USB hub. If you're having power problems with it plugged into the iMac, then you should get an external source of power.
 
My 250 Mb Zip drive never worked on a powered Hub. I continually got dialog boxes stating there was not enough power for the drive to work.

Plugging into the computer's port solved the problem.

I would hate to have him buy a hub and find out it doesn't work. Any one else have an idea?
 
Maybe a flaky USB cable, or the drive is failing (Requiring too much current to operate reliably through the USB port)
Swap drives temporarily with the cust, maybe his drive is just marginal (a decent powered hub should still fix the issue!!)
What's that brand of USB hubs in the posts a few months ago that fixed some folks USB problems?? I can't locate...
I had problems similar to yours with a SuperDisk, my hub had to be bus-powered (no power adapter) for the drive to work. I replaced my generic hub with a D-link (hub self-powered, the superdisk seems been more reliable) FWIW, I've been using flash drives for several months, problem solved for me. (Yeah, I know, not for everyone.)
 
How many powered hubs did you try, Cheryl? You might have used one that didn't supply enough power.
 
Well, it should... okay, now I'm a little confused, explain the problem again.
 
Recap:
iMac (five Flavors - 350MHz, OS 9.0)
250 MB Zip Drive - USB connected directly to the computer.
The zip drive sometimes works, but more often it does not. It acts like it is, but the disk does not show up on the desktop.

Sometimes he gets the message: "There is a problem with the disk Zip drive. Use a disk-repair program on the disk."
The repair program (Norton) shows no problems.
He has done all the steps that Iomega suggests. Even unplugging the usb cable to the zip drive, restarting, then plugging it back in. He has tried a brand new zip disk. Nothing shows up on the desktop.

Iomega says his computer is not giving enough power through the port. I am wondering if the drive is the defective part.
 
The quickest way to find out if the drive is the problem is to try a different drive. Sounds like the drive is at fault to me.
 
That's what I thought. I am having him try it on a different machine before going further.
 
That will work, and if you yourself have the same type of drive, trying it on his computer will work as well. I, too, suspect a defective drive.

I need to send mine in to be fixed or replaced; don't ever stick checks into a drive, even if it's the best place that will hold them in one spot! ;)
 
Peanut Butter sandwiches do not belong in a drive either. even if you think it will be safe from others. :)
 
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