I have two original My Passport Studio 500 GB drives connected via FireWire 800
On brand new MPB, running OS 10.7.2 I’ve been having problems copying files between the MBP and the Passport Studio. I’ve never experienced problems on my old MBP running Snow Leopard.
Using the Finder, the copy window will freeze and the Finder will stop responding.
Listening carefully to the drive, I can hear a repetitive clicking sound, like it’s stuck accessing.
Relaunching the Finder CRASHES THE SYSTEM (blank grey screen with startup rotation wheel [not beachball – but not sure what to call it). Force shutdown is required. Particularly unpleasant crash!!
Alternatively, unplugging the drive WILL RESTORE ACCESS to the Finder and the rest of the system.
Fortunately, force ejecting by unplugging the Passport Studio has (so far) not resulted in any data loss. The drive reconnects fine and Disk Utility shows no drive errors.
Keep in mind this is two identical drives and they both still work fine under Snow Leopard. I.e. It doesn’t seem like a hardware (drive failing) issue.
Using a folder sync tool (ChronoSync), will also fail. However, I’ve been able to copy files by first placing them in a DiskImage, and then copying the DiskImage. This further indicates a Lion compatibility issue, in my mind.
I have NOT yet upgraded the firmware, but the Universal Firmware download, doesn’t mention the Passport Studio.
Also, some forum posts indicate this will “brick” the drive – perhaps only when upgraded from within Lion.
Can anyone confirm similar issues?
When updating firmward, can anywone confirm that it should (or must) be done from Snow Leopard and NOT from Lion. (Fortunately I still have a Mac Air running SL.)
I initially suspected a Finder bug in Lion, but haven’t had problems with several MyBook Essentials via USB, and a third USB drive brand. Only the two Passport Studios which both exhibit the same symptoms.
