From: Milton Aupperle <milton@outcastsoft.com>

Date: July 23, 2009 11:18:09 AM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Just starting

Hi Terrence;

On 23-Jul-09, at 10:59 AM, Terrence Redding wrote:

Thank you one and all.  It appears to be a iMac FireWire Bus:  issue.  I am going to send the iMac in for repairs later today - and switch to a backup Mini Mac - just as soon as I get the drive cloned to an external drive.

You might want to try reviving the port first before taking it in. I sent a series of link (found using the Google search words of "Mac Dead FireWire Zap Pram") and found a tonne of suggestions, which boil down to zapping the PRAM 3 times:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

pulling the internal battery out and / or leaving the Mac unplugged for like 20 minutes (longer is better, I leave my G5 overnight after a NVRAM reset) 

or resetting the SMC for Intel or PMU for intel 

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1806

Other useful boot time key combos are listed at:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1533

The DMK21 worked fine in the observatory on a MacBook Pro - not the one I travel with or use daily - but if it works on one it surely will work on another.

Thanks  - and especially thank you - Milton.

No problem, glad I and others could help sort it out.

Lets hope I can start imaging Jupiter tonight - monochrome only until the filter wheel arrives.

Don't forget to use an IR Filter. Most CCD cameras are IR sensitive and that cause focus issues.

HTH..

Milton Aupperle