"No firewire ports found"...

i bought macbook pro 13" in april 2010, , it's been great computer, except 1 problem: firewire.

actually, after bought it, didn't use firewire 800 port (at all?) until march, 2011. when tried plugging in firewire device (audio interface or hard drive) wasn't seen mac. didn't show in disk utility. finally, checked apple system profiler, , when clicked on "firewire", got message, "no firewire ports found". neither pram reset or smc reset bring them life.

brought local genius bar (with 3 weeks left of warranty), , after testing, replaced logic board same day. oddly enough, _still_ wouldn't recognize presence of firewire port until replaced existing system software backup kept around. finally, seemed healthy again, reporting firewire ports indeed "there".

since then, never used firewire until today. and....

again.... tried plugging in firewire 800 hard drive, , nothing.
went disk utility, drive isn't there.
, finally, checked system profiler, and.... "no firewire ports found".

"usual fixes" won't work (pram and/or smc reset).

recall years when firewire newer, folks had luck "reviving" dead firewire ports on mac removing power, pulling pram battery, pulling ram, , letting sit "completely dead" while. , sometimes, worked.

did little googling , read how firewire ports protected kind of "overload protection circuit" disconnects them if problem detected. there isn't "software-controllable reset" -- instead, overload protection _automatically resets_ after power removed. seem explain how firewire "revived" on older macs, noted in preceding paragraph.

i'm wondering if same trick work on recent macbook pro? ever tried it? mine wasn't designed "user-removable" battery, guess considerable disassembly involved. can see removing battery , ram well. macbooks have kind of "pram battery" inside, well?

going genius bar again tomorrow looked at, perhaps tested whatever software have available don't have. i'm looking "an easy fix" -- don't absolutely need firewire capabilities, it's not worth paying motherboard replacement.

not sure if they'll willing help, i'll ask genius/tech if mind opening thing, pulling ram , battery, , closing up, see if works...

speculation on part:
i'm wondering if act of plugging in firewire 800 cable -- whether there problem device that's being connected or not -- enough "trip" overload protection circuit? , "cutting off" firewire ports motherboard, , (since disconnected) when system profiler launched, , checks around assemble hardware report, can't "find them", producing "no firewire ports found" message?

 

took mbpro local genius bar, , techie took off , disconnected battery few moments (on particular model, battery connection can disconnected without removing battery itself).

put together, , still.... "no firewire ports found".

i'm surprised no 1 else commented...

 

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