so the drive only has a usb port correct? That would mean it will need to be powered by the usb port on the g4
you may want to look over this site.
http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/powerbookg4/topic3606.html
Nov. 7, 2005
Fernando Urbina
I'd like to address the issue of bus-powered USB hard drives and media readers attached to recent PowerBooks:
A USB port on a PowerBook will provide 500mA to any attached device. If the device draws more than that, then it is violating the USB spec. What is happening is that these devices are indeed drawing more than 500mA. The newer generation PowerBooks will not provide more and thus the device goes into some sort of brownout condition and will not work. In the earlier generation of PowerBooks Apple was more lenient in that regard. As some of you readers discovered, putting a self-powered hub in between the device and the PowerBook might help, if the hub allows individual ports to draw more than 500mA.
These devices are non-compliant with the USB spec.