How to Use a FireWire Port on a Maxtor External Drive

You just got a new External Maxtor HD with a high speed FireWire ports, and you can't wait to back up all those digital pictures on your PC/MAC. A FireWire external drive has a much higher data transfer rate than a similar model using only USB 2.0 port. In fact, almost most all external hard drives made today contain FireWire and USB ports.

Instructions

1. Check to see if your PC has a FireWire port 1394 built in. You can also buy a PCI FireWire 1394 card to install in your system.

2. Get the special FireWire connection cable. The FireWire connection cable comes with the drive. The end of the cable is shaped like the letter "D".

3. Turn the power on and boot up the system. Log on to your user account.

4. Power up the Maxtor External HD and locate the FireWire port on the rear of the drive housing.

5. Plug in the FireWire cable in to the FireWire port on the External Maxtor HD.

6. Locate the FireWire port on the PCI card on back of your computer or on the front panel of the computer.

7. Plug the end of the cable not in use into the PCs FireWire port.

8. Wait for Windows XP to add the new drive and assign a drive letter to the External Maxtor FireWire drive.