[G4] Disaappearing HD

[RobertCBuitron]

I'm seeking an explanation and help to resolve a problem I have with a 
"disappearing" HD. I have a G4 mirrored doors drive, 10.3.x  OS. I  
added two Maxtor 300GB HDs and a controller card (ACard). I initialized  
(journeled) setting) both new drives. I partitioned one to hold the OS 
and apps only (about 35 GB) and the rest for storage. The second 300 GB 
is for storage and was not partitioned. This is the disappearing HD.  
When I start up the computer, the HD appears with its contents visible 
in an opened window. After working at the computer for some time (and I 
haven't  measured the threshold when it does happen) that same HD  icon 
disappears from the desktop. I double click on one of the other HD icons 
to open a window and I see all the HDs in the upper left pane. When I 
click on the (missing desktop icon) that specific HD in the upper left 
pane nothing shows up in the right pane. When I go to "About this Mac" 
in the Apple menu and click more info, click on SCSI, I see all the HDs 
connected and designated with SCSI. However the missing one has changed 
in name, model, and size. It's now  Maxtor Falcon with 2 TB. Maxtor does 
not make any TB HDs but it does have a model called Falcon, which is 
about 120 GB. I have re-initialized this HD twice without any success 
to  resolving the problem. Also after restarting the machine I get a 
message dialog box indicating that there's an unknown HD and do I want 
to click  "initialize",  "cancel", or "eject". I click cancel. That 
specific HD does not show up on the desktop and "About this Mac" shows 
it as a Maxtor Falcon with 2 TB and nothing in it.

How can I stabilize this HD?  Could it be the kind of cable connecting 
HD to the ACard. I received two cables with the Maxtor HDs and I 
received a cable with the ACard. I used one Maxtor and one from ACard 
due to HD placement and lengths of the cables. Could this be the source 
of the problem?

Thanks,
Rob
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