I have an older external hard drive that connects through FireWire 400, but my newer Macs don't detect it at all. Is there a straightforward way to recover the files without hiring a professional?
2 Answers
Compatibility may also depend on the macOS version. Very recent macOS releases removed built-in FireWire support, so FireWire adapters may not work even if the hardware is connected. If the drive itself is healthy, bypassing FireWire and connecting it directly over USB is generally the more reliable solution.
The simplest approach is usually to remove the drive from its old FireWire enclosure and connect the bare drive through USB. The enclosure is mostly just an interface, and the drive inside is likely a standard SATA model. You can use a SATA-to-USB adapter, a modern USB enclosure, or a dock that accepts bare laptop and desktop drives. Search for a teardown guide for the specific enclosure model before opening it.
A drive dock is especially convenient if you only need to copy the files once—you can insert the bare drive without buying another permanent enclosure.