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Chapter 3 Using Your MacBook 59
Understanding FireWire Devices and Battery Power
You can use FireWire devices, such as certain external hard disk drives, that are
powered by the MacBook FireWire connection instead of by a separate power adapter.
However, these FireWire devices can cause your MacBook battery to be depleted faster.
If a device will be connected for an extended period, it is a good idea to connect the
MacBook power adapter.
Note: The FireWire (H) port is designed to support power for FireWire devices (up to
7 watts maximum). You can connect multiple devices to each other and connect the
chain of devices to the FireWire port on your computer, but only one device should get
power from the computer. The rest of the devices in the chain should be powered by
separate power adapters. Connecting more than one FireWire device that gets power
from the port can cause problems. If a problem occurs, shut down the computer,
disconnect the FireWire devices, and restart your computer.
Connecting Your MacBook to Another Computer Using FireWire
If you want to transfer files between your MacBook and another FireWire-equipped
computer, or if you have a problem that prevents your computer from starting up, you
can use FireWire Target Disk Mode to connect to another computer. When you start up
your MacBook in FireWire Target Disk Mode, the other computer can access your
MacBook as if it were an external hard disk.
Note: When using FireWire Target Disk Mode, it’s a good idea to connect your power
adapter to the MacBook.