iMac G5: FireWire problems

The iMac G5 FireWire ports can exhibit a number of issues -- specifically situations where one or more FireWire devices seemingly does not draw enough power from the host machine, or one or more devices is not recognized (note that this is a separate issue from the FireWire recognition/mounting problems that appeared in conjunction with Mac OS X 10.3.6).

Based on the fact that some users are having success using an externally powered FireWire hub, it appears (in some cases) that this indeed is an issue with power distribution to FireWire devices from the iMac.

In addition to adding an externally powered FireWire hub, some users have found that the following process, recommended in Apple Knowledge Base article #88338, restores FireWire device operation on problematic iMac G5s:

1. Shut down the computer.
2. Disconnect all FireWire devices and all other cables, except the keyboard and mouse cable(s).
3. Disconnect the computer from the power outlet and wait for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Plug the computer back in and turn it on.
5. Reconnect the FireWire device(s) (one at a time if there is more than one) and test. Test with each FireWire port if you have more than one.

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