Why won't my LaCie Rikiki USB 2.0 hard drive work on my MacBook OS X?
Today I bought the LaCie Rikiki 500GB portable hard drive from my university. It’s interface is USB 2.0, and requires Mac OS X 10.5, 10.6. My MacBook is 10.7.2, so I’m wondering if I needed to buy the newest version of this hard drive (3.0) for it to be supported. So when I plug it in via the USB 2.0 cable, under my Finder > devices there is the tab called “LaCie Setup Assistant”. However, when I click on it is says “Launch of “LaCie Setup Assistant” failed: the PowerPC architecture is no longer supported.” And “You cannot open the application LaCie Setup Assistant because PowerPC Applications are no longer supported”.
This really frustrates me because I’m thinking that the guy at the Tech store sold me a product that is not supported on my MacBook Air even though he knew the version and memory capacity. Does anyone know if I can even use this on my MacBook? On the packaging it says it is compatible with Windows and Mac OS. Here is the link for the product on LaCie’s website.
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@XOIIO Is there any way to just get this one to work? I don’t want to have to return it and go looking around for something else.
@desiree333 Try formatting the drive, but it might actually be the controller on the board that has the software, not the drive. Give it a try anyways though, that’s what I did on my SeaGate Goflex.
Just reformat it. I have a Lacie Quadra working fine on mines. It does require a formatting to MAC. Like you I run the same OS. So here’s my suggestions. Like @XOIIO says format it.
How to do it via mac.
1. Plug in your junk.
2. Go ahead go to Applications
3. Select Utilities
4. Then go to Disk Utilities
5. Select Disk (LACIE)
6. I can’t remember if it’s repair, but go ahead and erase it. And something should pop up like something along the lines of “formatting”
I haven’t watched this, but it might help LOL Tutorial
And just so you know the function of a USB is always just for transferring data. So 2.0, 3.0, firewire doesn’t matter, it itself isn’t software. There is however mini software inside all HDs.
@auhsojsa So, just erase the LaCie Setup Assistant? Also, there is another option to “Verify Disk”, which one should I click? Sorry, this is my very first external hard drive/Mac..
Don’t be sorry! I just watched that video and it should be viable. Erasing it is essentially “formatting” :D It may ask for a verify after the erase.
@auhsojsa So helpful, thanks! I erased the partition. So now it is labeled as “untitled” and is letting me drag/drop folders into it. I’m assuming it was a success!
Side note: no MacBook Air has the PowerPC architecture.
@ratboy Well @XOIIO hit the nail on the head already that Lion OS X isn’t PowerPC compatible. So I guess both physically and software wise.
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