Acomdata M-HDXXXFPMM-72-V1E User Manual

mini Pal

User’s Guide

Contents

PART I: MEET MINI PAL& MUCH MORE

Welcome! ..............................................................................................8

Register for Warranty Coverage .........................................................9

Precautions ........................................................................................10

Package Contents ..............................................................................11

System Requirements for Mac ..........................................................12

System Requirements for PC ............................................................13

AcomData mini Pal at a Glance .........................................................14

AcomData mini Pal In-Depth ............................................................16

FireWire 400 Hard Drive .................................................................................... 16

FireWire 400 Hub ............................................................................................... 16

On-Bus Power ..................................................................................................... 17

PushButton™ Backup ....................................................................................... 18

How PushButton™ Backup Works .......................................................................................... 18

Duplicates vs. Backups ............................................................................................................... 19

About Backups .............................................................................................................................. 20

Hot-Pluggable .................................................................................................... 20

Fanless Design .................................................................................................... 21

Plug & Play Setup ............................................................................................... 21

Mac & PC Ready .................................................................................................. 21

Technical Specifications ....................................................................22

PART II: SETTING UP MINI PAL

Connecting the mini Pal to your Mac mini .......................................26

Connecting mini Pal to Computers other than Mac mini ...............29

Naming Your mini Pal ........................................................................30

Re-Formatting mini Pal .....................................................................31

Formatting mini Pal in Windows XP or 2000 ................................................ 33

Formatting mini Pal in Windows 98SE or Me ................................................ 34

Formatting mini Pal in Mac OS X ..................................................................... 35

Formatting mini Pal in Mac OS 9 ..................................................................... 36

How to Safely Turn Off (and Disconnect) mini Pal ..........................37

Mac Users ........� 38

PC Users ...........� 38

Connecting Peripherals .....................................................................39

Connecting USB Peripherals ............................................................................... 40

Connecting FireWire Peripherals ....................................................................... 42

PART III: PUSHBUTTON™ BACKUP

PushButton™ Backup for Mac ...........................................................46

Software Installation ............................................................................................ 46

Installing Retrospect® Express ........................................................................ 47

Installing AcomData PushButton™ Manager ............................................... 49

Setting up the Button Backup Script ................................................................ 51

Customizing the Button Backup Script ............................................................. 54

Install Retrospect Express 5.1

for Mac OS 9 and pre-OS 10.1.5

.............................. 61

PushButton™ Backup for PC .............................................................62

Software Installation ............................................................................................ 62

Installing Retrospect® Express ........................................................................ 62

Installing AcomData PushButton™ Manager ............................................... 64

Setting up PushButton™ Backup ...................................................................... 66

Customizing the Button Backup Script ............................................................. 68

APPENDIX

About FireWire & USB 2.0 ..................................................................76

FireWire 400 ........................................................................................................ 76

About USB 2.0 ..................................................................................................... 77

Maintaining Your mini Pal & Safeguarding Your Data ....................78

Backup Your Data ............................................................................................... 78

Defragmenting and Optimizing a Hard Drive .............................................. 78

Examining and Repairing a Hard Drive ......................................................... 79

Protect Your Data from Viruses ....................................................................... 80

Cleaning the mini Pal Case ............................................................................... 80

Troubleshooting ................................................................................81

Troubleshooting for Mac users .......................................................................... 82

Troubleshooting for PC Users ............................................................................. 84

Glossary ..............................................................................................92

One Year Limited Warranty ...............................................................94

Obtaining Service for Your AcomData Product ...............................96

How to Purchase Accessories ............................................................97

Contact Information ..........................................................................98

Notices ................................................................................................99

Frequently Asked Questions ............................................................86

PART I: MEET MINI PAL & MUCH MORE

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Welcome!

Thank you for choosing an AcomData mini Pal. Your mini Pal is equipped with a high-performance FireWire hard drive, a FireWire hub, and a USB 2.0 hub for connecting USB and FireWire peripherals.

Your mini Pal features high-quality construction, advanced engineering, and state-of-the-art data storage technology, designed to provide years of reliable performance.

This guide contains important information for the proper installation, use, and care of your mini Pal. Please read this guide carefully and retain it for future reference.

Symbols used in this guide:

Register for Warranty Coverage

Registration is required in the event that your product needs servicing. See “Obtaining Service for Your AcomData Product” for details.

Online Registration

You can register online at www.acomdata.com. Once you enter the site, click on the Product Registration button and follow the instructions on screen.

Advantages of Online Registration:

1. It’s fast, free, and your product is registered immediately;

2. Free unlimited online technical support;

3. You get your own personalized support page where you can: download software updates; access all online support services; view all of your registered AcomData products; manage your personal profile;

THIS SYMBOL ALERTS THE RE ADER TO A WARNING

OR TO SOME VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

THIS SYMBOL ALERTS THE RE ADER TO HELPFUL

TIPS AND OTHER INFO RMATION THAT MAY BE USEFUL.

THE WINDOWS LOGO ALERTS THE RE ADER TO

IMPORTANT INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO WINDOWS USERS.

THE APPLE LOGO ALERTS THE READER TO IMPOR-

TANT INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO MAC USERS.

THE USB 2.0 LOGO ALERTS THE RE ADER TO

IMPORTANT INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO USB 2.0 USERS.

THE FIREWIRE LOGO ALERTS THE READER TO

IMPORTANT INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO FIREWIRE USERS.

4. Arranging product returns is faster and easier if you registered online.

Mail-in Registration

You may also register via mail by filling out and returning the Registration Card included in the package.

When registering, you will need the Model number and Serial number. Both of these are printed on the label affixed to the underside of your mini Pal.

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Precautions

Failure to follow the precautions below may result in damage to the device, loss of data, and voiding of the warranty.

• If using your AcomData product as a general-purpose storage device (as opposed to a backup device) AcomData strongly recommends that you backup the files stored on the device. AcomData is not responsible for data loss or corruption; nor will AcomData perform recovery of lost data or files.

• Do not open the device or attempt to disassemble or modify it. If the device is malfunctioning, contact AcomData Technical Support via the Customer Support page at www.acomdata.com or call (909) 348-0680 (Pacific Time) during regular business hours.

• Do not expose the device to rain or use it in damp or wet conditions.

• Never place containers of liquids on the device. This can damage the device and increase the risk of electric shock, short-circuiting, fire, or personal injury.

• If the device has a three-prong plug, never plug the device into a twoprong outlet.

• Do not use the device in temperatures outside the range of 5° C – 35° C.

• Do not use a third-party AC adapter/power cord.

• Do not bump, jar or drop the device.

• Do not try to stand the device in a way not described in this guide.

• Do not disconnect any cables while the device is powered on without first unmounting the device.

Package Contents

AcomData mini Pal

6-pin to 6-pin

USB cable

Software CD

If you are missing any item listed above, please contact Customer Service at customerservice@acomdata.com, or call 800-470-4495.

FireWire cable

User’s Guide

AC Adapter &

Power Cord

Mail-In

Registration Card

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System Requirements for Mac

System Requirements for PC

• Power Macintosh (Mac mini, G5, G4, G3, iBook, PowerBook or iMac)

• Mac OS 9 or Mac OS X

• Available data port(s):

- 6-pin FireWire port (for operation of hard drive and FireWire hub)

- USB 2.0 port (for operation of the USB 2.0 hub)

• PushButton™ Backup requires:

- Mac OS X v.10.2 or later

- 128 MB of RAM

Mac OS 9 Users:

• Mac OS 9 does not support USB 2.0. If using the USB 2.0 connection with Mac OS 9, any attached USB devices will operate at USB 1.1 speeds (up to 12 Mbps).

• You will need FireWire software version 2.7 or later from Apple. If you have Mac OS 9.1 or later you already have FireWire 2.7 or later. Mac OS 9 updates are available at http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75288.

• Minimum 233 MHz Pentium processor or equivalent

• Windows XP, 2000, Me or 98SE

• Available data port(s):

- 6-pin FireWire port (for operation of hard drive and FireWire hub)

- USB 2.0 port (for operation of the USB 2.0 hub)

• PushButton™ Backup requires 128 MB of RAM

Windows 98SE users:

You’ll need Windows 98 Second Edition 1394 Storage Supplement, available at http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/default.asp.

(Celeron, AMD, etc.)

USB 1.1 compatibility:

If you connect mini Pal to a USB 1.1 port on your computer, any attached USB devices will operate at USB 1.1 speeds (up to 12 Mbps).

FireWire users with laptops:

If your laptop has a 4-pin FireWire port, you will need a 6-pin to 4-pin FireWire cable (sold separately). See “How to Purchase Accessories.”

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AcomData mini Pal at a Glance

GND

12V

5V

A B

GND

12V

5V

A B

Aluminum Alloy Case

Designed with the same shape, footprint, material, and surface ﬁnish as Mac mini.

Hi-Performance Hard Drive

With a huge capacity for your demanding storage needs.

PushButton™

Press to initiate a backup. Requires installation of the included software.

POWER SWITCH

You can turn the mini Pal on only when needed, to save electricity.

POWER PORT

The included AC adapter plugs in here.

USB 2.0 HUB

This is where you can connect your printer, scanner and other USB devices.

USB 2.0 TYPE B PORT

Used to connect mini Pal to your computer.

FIREWIRE PORTS

Use one port to connect mini Pal to your computer. Use the remaining two ports to add a whole arsenal of FireWire (1394a) devices on up to two daisy-chains.

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AcomData mini Pal In-Depth

FireWire 400 Hard Drive

mini Pal’s internal hard drive boasts state-of-the-art features, including 7200 RPM rotational speed, up to 8 MB cache, giant magnetoresistive (GMR) technology, and advanced integrated electronics, for great performance and solid reliability. The FireWire 1394a interface makes the drive ideal for even the most demanding applications––including capturing and editing full-motion, digital video. As a data backup device, the drive offers much higher transfer speeds than tape or optical media, and you get tons of storage for photos, music, graphics and your important documents.

FireWire 400 Hub

mini Pal is equipped with three 6-pin FireWire 400 (1394a) ports. One port is used to connect mini Pal to your computer (it does not matter which port you use); the remaining two ports can be used for connecting a whole slew of FireWire peripherals (digital camcorders, optical/hard drives, scanners etc.) on two daisy-chains (additional FireWire cables sold separately). See “Connecting FireWire Peripherals” for details.

Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Hub

mini Pal is equipped with one USB 2.0 type B port and four USB 2.0 type A ports. The single type B port is used to connect mini Pal to your computer. The type A ports can be used to connect other USB devices (additional USB cables sold separately). See “Connecting USB Peripherals” for details.

On-Bus Power

Some low-powered USB and FireWire peripherals have the option of being bus powered. This means they do not need to be plugged into an AC outlet; they can get the power they need via a USB or FireWire connection.

mini Pal’s USB 2.0 hub can supply up to 2.5 Watts of power from each USB type A port, with a maximum of 5 Watts for all four ports. The combined peak power of all attached, bus-powered USB devices cannot exceed 5 Watts. For example, you can connect two 2.5-Watt devices, or four 1-Watt devices…etc.

The FireWire hub can supply up 8 Watts of power, shared among the three FireWire ports. Since one FireWire port is used to connect mini Pal to your computer, the 8 Watts is actually only shared by the two remaining FireWire ports. The combined, peak power usage of all attached, bus-powered FireWire devices cannot exceed 8 Watts. For example, you can connect one FireWire device that uses 8 Watts, or two devices that use 4 Watts each… etc.

The USB and FireWire connections will only supply electrical power when needed. An attached USB or FireWire peripheral that is plugged into an AC outlet will not draw power from the USB or FireWire connection.

Before attempting to run any device off of bus power, check the device manufacturer’s specifications to make sure that the device can actually be bus powered.

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PushButton™ Backup

PushButton™ Backup allows you to run routine backups simply by pressing the PushButton™ on the front of your mini Pal.

How PushButton™ Backup Works

Along with special internal hardware and firmware components, PushButton™ Backup uses a customized version of Dantz Retrospect Express and the AcomData PushButton™ Manager software (on the included CD) that work together to initiate and run backups whenever you press the PushButton™.

Retrospect Express is the software that performs the actual data backups. The Retrospect Express software bundled with your mini Pal was specially configured to work with PushButton™ Backup. The primary function of the AcomData PushButton™ Manager is to enable the PushButton™ on the mini Pal to initiate a backup when pressed.

The first time you use PushButton™ Backup, the Retrospect Button Backup wizard will launch and help you quickly setup a Duplicate script that specifies the volume (drive) you want to backup, and the types of files you want to include in your routine backups.

After setup is complete, each subsequent time you press the PushButton™, Retrospect Express will automatically launch and perform an incremental Duplicate, saving the files to your mini Pal.

You only need to set up the script once. If you happen to delete the script, the next time you initiate a PushButton™ Backup, Retrospect Express will run the Button Backup wizard.

Duplicates vs. Backups

There are three types of backup operations available with Retrospect Express: Duplicates; Backups, and; Archives. (The Archive operation is not discussed in

this guide. For information on Archives see the Help menu in Retrospect Express.)

By default, PushButton™ Backup performs Duplicates. However, after you set up PushButton™ Backup, you can change the Button Backup script to run Backups or Archives instead. (Full instructions for customizing the Button Backup script are given in Part II: PushButton™ Backup.)

About Duplicates

The Duplicate operation uses what is essentially a “smart” copying process. Files and folders from the source volume (e.g. your computer’s startup disk) are copied to your mini Pal’s hard drive. Duplicated files and folders can be viewed and utilized just like the original source file because a duplicate is a straight copy of the original.

The Duplicate process saves space by overwriting old versions of duplicated files with the latest versions from the source volume. It also saves time by copying only files that are new or have been changed since the last backup.

If you erase a file or folder on the source volume, the duplicated file or folder on your mini Pal will also be erased the next time you press the PushButton™. In this way, the backup is always an exact duplicate of the source. You can restore duplicated files simply by dragging and dropping them back onto your computer’s hard drive.

The Duplicate operation is best suited for users who need quick access to their backed up files and who do not want to backup their operating system or application files.

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About Backups

The Backup process “packages” backed up files into a Backup Set. Files in a Backup Set are not accessible via the Desktop. To retrieve a file in a Backup Set you need to “restore” the file using Retrospect’s Restore function.

Instead of overwriting previously backed up files with the latest versions, with Backups all previous versions of backed up files are saved, which allows you to restore multiple versions of the same file as it has changed over time.

As well as backing up your files, Backups can also save other types of data, including user settings, applications and their settings, and the operating system and its settings (including the registry). This information is invaluable if you need to perform disaster recovery on a computer that has become unresponsive. Backup Sets can be compressed to save space, and encrypted for added security.

The Backup operation is best suited for users who want to backup their entire startup disk.

Hot-Pluggable

You can turn the mini Pal on and off while your computer is running (i.e. “hot”), in order to conserve energy. Let’s say you use your mini Pal solely for data backups––so it only needs to run a few minutes every day––but your computer needs to run all day. If mini Pal was not hot-pluggable, you would either have to shut down your computer every time you wanted to turn mini Pal on or off; or you would have to leave the mini Pal running all day unnecessarily.

You can also connect or disconnect mini Pal while your computer is running, making portability easier and faster. See “How to Safely Turn Off (and Disconnect) mini Pal” for details.

Even if mini Pal is turned off, as long as it is plugged into an AC outlet, any attached USB and FireWire devices will still work.

Fanless Design

mini Pal was engineered to generate less heat and to dissipate that heat so efficiently that it does not need a fan, for near-silent operation.

Plug & Play Setup

In most cases, installing mini Pal on your system involves nothing more than connecting the cables and turning it on. PushButton™ Backup requires the installation of the PushButton™ Backup software suite.

Mac & PC Ready

Although mini Pal was designed specifically for Mac mini, it is also compatible with other Macs and even Windows PCs. As a matter of fact, mini Pal is ready to use on either a Mac or a PC right out of the box––no formatting is required. mini Pal was formatted at the factory using the FAT32 file system, which makes the mini Pal compatible with all supported operating systems. That said, you may want to consider re-formatting the mini Pal using one of the other file systems that may be available to you.

For more information and formatting instructions, see “Re-Formatting mini Pal.”

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Technical Specifications

Latency (average) .........................................................................................................4.17 ms

Seek time (read typical) ............................................................................................... 8.9 ms

Error rate (non-recoverable) ....................................................................<1 in 10E14 bits

Model #: .........................................................................................................HDxxxFPMM-72

(The "xxx" is a placeholder for capacity. For example, if your mini Pal has a capacity of 250 GB, the model number is HD250FPMM-72.)

Physical

Dimensions:

(inches) ......................................................................................................6.5” X 6.5” X 1.55”

(mm) .....................................................................................................165.2 X 165.2 x 39.5

Weight ..............................................................................................................2.65 lbs.; 1.2 Kg

Configuration

Hard Drive Interface .................................................................FireWire 400 (IEEE 1394a)

Hubs:

FireWire 400 ...................... three 6-pin ports (one used for mini Pal’s hard drive)

USB 2.0 .......... four type A ports; one type B port (connects to your computer)

Chassis (approved/recognized) ....................................................................... FCC/CE/UL

Performance

Interface transfer rate (max.)

FireWire 400 ...........................................................................................................400 Mbps

USB 2.0 .....................................................................................................................480 Mbps

Data buffer (cache)

Drives with less than 250 GB capacities ................................................................2 MB

Drives with 250 GB + capacities ...............................................................................8 MB

Rotational speed .....................................................................................................7200 RPM

Power

Requirement ..............................................................+5VDC (+/- 5%) +12VDC (+/- 5%)

Startup current (max.) ......................................................... 1.55 A @ 12 V; 0.35 A @ 5V

Idle .........� 8.1 W

External Power Supply

Type: ............................................................................................ 25W switching UL/CSA/CE

AC Input ....................................................................................................100-240V, 50/60Hz

Environmental characteristics (operating)

Ambient temperature ...........................................................................................5ºC – 35ºC

Relative humidity (non-condensing) ...............................................................8% – 90%

Maximum wet bulb (non-condensing) ..................................................................29.4ºC

Shock (half sine wave) ............................................................................................55 G/2ms

Vibration (random [RMS]) .......................................... 0.67 (horizontal), 0.56 (vertical)

PART II: SETTING UP

MINI PAL

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Connecting the mini Pal to your Mac mini

About the supplied USB and FireWire cables:

Each end of the USB cable has different connectors, called type A and type B. The 'A' connector plugs into your computer. The 'B' connector plugs into your mini Pal.

The connectors on both the USB and FireWire cables are made to be inserted only one way. When connecting mini Pal to your computer, be sure to correctly insert the connectors, or you may damage the mini Pal and void the warranty.

1. Depending on which arrangement you pre-

fer, either set your Mac mini onto the mini Pal (as shown) or place the mini Pal onto your Mac mini. Align the two devices so that they are squarely stacked together. The large, grippy, rubber pad at the bottom of both devices will keep them firmly planted.

2. The pins of the small AC adapter plug are off-set so that the

plug can be inserted only one way. Orient the plug correctly and

insert the plug into the Power Port. The plug should not require much effort to insert. If the plug will not go in, check that the

orientation is correct and try again. Do not force the plug or you

may damage it and/or the mini Pal.

3. Plug the power cord into the socket in the AC adapter. Plug the

other end into an AC outlet.

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4. Connect the USB cable: Plug the type B connector into the USB type B port on the mini Pal. Plug the type A connector into a free USB port on your Mac mini.

5. Connect the FireWire connector: Plug one end of the FireWire cable into any one of the FireWire ports on your mini Pal. Plug the other end into the FireWire port on your Mac mini.

6. If your Mac mini is powered on, when you press the power switch located on the back of the mini Pal, it will mount to your Mac mini and a new drive icon labeled “External” will appear on the Desktop.

Connecting mini Pal to Computers other than Mac mini

Follow the same basic instructions given in the section “Connecting mini Pal to your Mac mini.”

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO STACK ANY COMPUTER OR DEVICE OTHER THAN A MAC MINI ONTO A MINI PAL.

About cable length:

The supplied USB and FireWire cables were made specifically for connecting mini Pal to a Mac mini. If you plan to connect your mini Pal to a computer other than a Mac mini, you may need to purchase longer cables in order to properly place the mini Pal where you would like on your desktop.

FireWire user with laptops:

If you want to connect mini Pal to a laptop equipped with a 4-pin FireWire port, you will need a 6-pin to 4-pin cable (sold separately).

Windows 98SE and Me Users:

Once the mini Pal has been properly connected and powered on, you should see a new drive icon/letter in My Computer/Windows Explorer. If your computer cannot detect the mini Pal, you may need to manually search for and install the driver named GPIO98.SYS. If you have Windows 98 Second Edition 1394 Storage Supplement, this file should be located at C:\WINDOWS/SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\GPIO98.SYS.

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Naming

Re-Formatting mini Pal

Your mini Pal

Now that your mini Pal has been connected and mounted to your operating system, you may want to give it a name (other than “External”) to distinguish it from other devices connected to your computer.

If you wish to re-format your mini Pal, you will have the opportunity to assign a name during the formatting setup process.

Mac Users:

1. Locate the mini Pal icon on your Mac’s Desktop.

2. Click and hold the mouse button on the icon’s label until it is highlighted.

3. Type in a name and press Return/Enter.

PC Users:

1. Double-click on My Computer.

2. In the My Computer window click on the mini Pal (“External”) icon/letter.

3. In the File menu, select Properties.

4. Under the General tab of the Properties window, type a name in the text field beside the mini Pal icon.

FORMATTING A HARD DISK ERASES ALL DATA STORED ON THE DISK! BEFORE YOU FORMAT THE MINI PAL, BE SURE TO SAVE A COPY OF ANY FILES YOU WISH TO KEEP TO ANOTHER STORAGE DEVICE.

Your AcomData mini Pal was formatted at the factory with the FAT32 file system. This makes mini Pal both Mac and PC compatible right out of the box, and allows you to share files between platforms.

If you plan to use your mini Pal only on a Mac or only on a PC, you should consider re-formatting the mini Pal with one of the more advanced file systems that may be available to you.

Formatting Options for Mac Users

If you plan to use mini Pal only on a Mac, consider re-formatting it with the Mac OS Extended file system.

Formatting Options for Windows XP/2000 Users

If you do not plan to use the mini Pal on a Mac or Windows 95 or Me, consider re-formatting your mini Pal with the NTFS file system. NTFS provides several advantages over FAT32, including better security and support for files larger than 4 GB. NTFS is not compatible with Windows 98SE and Me.

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Formatting Options for Cross-Platform Compatibility

If you ever need to re-format your mini Pal and you need both PC and Mac compatibility, you have two options:

1. Format the mini Pal on a PC running Windows 98SE or Me with the FAT32 file system.

2. Format the mini Pal on Mac OS X v.10.3 or later with the MS-DOS file system. The MS-DOS files system is the equivalent of FAT32 on the PC.

Formatting mini Pal in Windows XP or 2000

1. Disable any anti-virus software you may have running in the background.

2. Double-click on My Computer/Explorer. In the My Computer/Explorer window you should see the icon/letter for the mini Pal (labeled “External’). If you are not sure which icon represents the mini Pal, unmount and turn off the mini Pal to see which one of the icons disappears. Then turn on the mini Pal and wait for the icon to reappear.

Mac OS 10.2 Users:

Hard drives or drive partitions that are larger than 128 GB and formatted with the FAT32/MS DOS file system will not mount on Mac OS 10.2 through 10.2.8. If your mini Pal’s drive capacity is larger than 128 GB, and you are using Mac OS 10.2, you have several options to deal with this issue:

1) Re-format the mini Pal using the Mac OS Extended file system;

2) Partition the mini Pal so that no single partition is larger than 128 GB;

3) Upgrade to Mac OS 10.3 or later. For more information, go to http://docs. info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107483 on the Apple web site.

Users of Mac OS X v.10.3 and later:

If you connect an NTFS-formatted disk to a Mac running Mac OS X v.10.3 or later, the computer will be able to read the Mac-compatible files, but you will not be able to save any data to the disk.

3. Right-click on the mini Pal letter/icon and select Format… in the pop-up menu. The Format dialog box will appear.

4. Under Capacity, verify the capacity. It should be close to the stated capacity of your mini Pal in Gigabytes.

5. In the File System pop-up menu, select NTFS. Do not select FAT32 as you cannot format the mini Pal using FAT32 file on Windows 2000 or XP.

6. In the Allocation unit size pop up, select “Default allocation size.”

6. In the Volume label field, type in a name for your mini Pal. You should give the mini Pal a unique name that will allow you to easily distinguish it from other hard drives or storage devices connected to your computer.

7. The default formatting option is Full format; you can also select Quick Format. A Full format will take about 30-90 minutes. A Quick format will take just a few minutes, but will do less verification than a Full format will. Do not check Enable Compression.

8. Click Start. Once the format process is complete, the mini Pal will be ready to use.

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Formatting mini Pal in Windows 98SE or Me

1. Disable any anti-virus software you may have running in the background.

Formatting mini Pal in Mac OS X

1. Disable any anti-virus software you may have running in the background.

2. Double-click on the My Computer icon. In the My Computer window you should see the icon/letter for the mini Pal (labeled “External”). If you are not sure which icon represents the mini Pal, unmount and turn off the mini Pal to see which one of the icons disappears. Then turn on the mini Pal and wait for the icon to reappear.

3. Right-click on the mini Pal icon/letter and select Format. In the Format window, verify the capacity; it should be close to the stated capacity of your mini Pal in Megabytes.

4. Under Format type, select Full; everything else should be left at the default setting. In the Label field under Other options, type in a name for your mini Pal. (The name is limited to 8 characters, and no symbols are allowed.)

5. Click Start. The following warning message will appear: “This device is either a hard disk or a large removable disk. Formatting it will destroy all files currently on the drive. Are you sure you want to format this drive?” If no data was previously written to the mini Pal, or you already backed up the data you wish to keep, click OK.

6. If you see a warning from an antivirus program, click Exclude.

7. When formatting is complete, you will be asked to run a thorough Scandisk. Periodically running Scandisk is a part of regular hard drive maintenance. If you do not wish to run Scandisk at this time, close the Format window.

2. Launch the Disk Utility application (Applications folder > Utilities folder > Disk Utility). The Disk Utility window will open with a small window at left and a larger window with a series of tabs at the top.

3. You should see the mini Pal, listed in the left window as “External.” Click on the mini Pal listing to highlight it. Information about the mini Pal will appear in the Information window.

4. Click on the Erase tab. In the Erase window you will see a Volume Format pop-up menu and a Name field.

5. From the Volume Format pop-up, select Mac OS Extended. (With Mac OS 10.3 and later, you have the option of selecting Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Journaling is a feature that helps protect the file system against power outages or hardware failures, reducing the need for repairs. We recommend using journaling, if available.)

6. In the Name field, type in a name for the mini Pal. You should give the mini Pal a unique name that will allow you to easily distinguish it from other hard drives or storage devices connected to your computer.

7. Click Erase. You should see an alert pop up with the message: “Erasing a disk will destroy all information…” Click Erase.

8. Once initializing is complete, you should see the mini Pal listed in the left window of the Disk Utility screen with whatever name you assigned. Quit Disk Utility. You should now see the mini Pal icon on the Desktop.

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Formatting mini Pal in Mac OS 9

Before you can re-format the mini Pal you will need to restart your computer from the Mac OS 9 System Software CD that come with your computer or which you purchased as an upgrade.

1. Disable any anti-virus software you may have running in the background.

2. Insert the System Software CD into your CD drive.

3. With your AcomData mini Pal connected and powered on, restart the computer and hold down the C key while the computer is starting up.

4. You will see the alert message: “This disk is unreadable by this computer. Do you want to initialize this disk?” Click OK.

5. In the Name field, type in a name for your mini Pal. You should give the mini Pal a unique name that will allow you to easily distinguish it from other hard drives or storage devices connected to your computer.

6. From the Format menu, select Mac OS Extended.

7. Click Initialize. You should then get the alert message: “Initializing will erase all information on this disk.” Click Continue. Once initializing is complete, you should see the mini Pal mounted on your Desktop with the name you assigned.

8. Go to Control Panels--> Startup Disk and select the computer’s startup disk. Restart the computer.

How to Safely Turn Off (and Disconnect) mini Pal

NEVER TURN OFF A HARD DRIVE WITHOUT UNMOUNTING IT FIRST. YOU MAY LOSE DATA OR DAMAGE THE DRIVE.

The Importance of Mounting and Unmounting

A hard drive requires two types of connections to "talk" to a computer: a physical connection, which is made using the interface cable (USB, FireWire), and which serves as the line of communication; and a logical connection, which allows the two devices to detect and recognize each other. Establishing the logical connection is called “mounting.”

Mounting occurs automatically when you turn on a hard drive that is connected to a computer (assuming the computer has the necessary drivers). Think of mounting as the computer and hard drive saying “hello.” You know that a hard drive is mounted when you see the drive icon on the Desktop (Mac) or the drive icon/letter in My Computer (Windows).

If you want to turn off a hard drive, you first need to unmount it. Think of unmounting as the computer and the drive saying “goodbye.” If you turn off a drive or disconnect the interface cable without unmounting it first, the logical connection will have not been properly terminated. As a result, you could lose data or even damage the drive.

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Mac Users

Drag the mini Pal icon on the Desktop to the Trash. Wait until the icon disappears, and then turn off mini Pal.

PC Users

1. In the system tray at the bottom of your screen, click the safely remove/ icon (the icon with the green arrow)…

On Windows 2000 and XP you will see the alert message “Safely Remove…”

or “Stop…” followed by the drive letter.

On Windows 98SE and Me a rectangle will appear with the name of the mini

Pal followed by the drive letter.

2. Select the mini Pal. After a few seconds, Windows will give you a message that it is safe to remove the device. Click OK. The mini Pal will unmount. You can then safely turn it off.

Whether you are using a Mac or PC…

When you shut down your computer, mini Pal will unmount automatically. After your computer has turned off, you can turn off mini Pal and disconnect the cables.

Connecting Peripherals

The vast majority of computer peripherals today (printers, scanners, external storage devices, digital cameras, digital camcorders, MP3 players, modems, mice, keyboards, audio equipment, etc.) have either a USB or a FireWire interface––or both.

With its built-in USB 2.0 and FireWire hubs, mini Pal allows you to connect a whole arsenal of USB and FireWire devices to your computer, while also affording you a great deal of flexibility and choice.

Although instructions for connecting USB and FireWire devices are provided separately in this guide, you can have both USB and FireWire devices connected to mini Pal at the same time.

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Connecting USB Peripherals

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mini Pal’s USB hub has four USB type A connectors, and is compatible with both USB 2.0 and USB 1.1. You to connect both types of devices to any of the USB type A ports. The single USB type B port is used to connect mini Pal to your computer.

What you need to know…

• If you plug mini Pal into a USB 2.0 port on your computer, individual USB devices attached to mini Pal will operate at either USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 speeds, according to the type of USB interface each device has. If your mini Pal is plugged into a USB 1.1 port on your computer, all connected devices will operate at USB 1.1 speeds (up to 12 Mbps).

• A USB port can support only one USB device (you cannot daisy-chain USB devices). If you want to connect more than four USB devices to your mini Pal, you can plug a USB hub into one of the USB type A ports on your mini Pal, and then plug additional devices into the hub.

• mini Pal’s USB ports can be used in any order.

• Some USB devices, such as some scanners and Flash card readers, can be bus-powered. This means they do not need to be plugged into an AC outlet; they can get their power via a USB connection. mini Pal’s USB 2.0 hub can supply up to 2.5 Watts of power from each USB type A port, with a maximum of 5 Watts for all four ports. The combined peak power of all attached, bus-powered USB devices cannot exceed 5 Watts. For example, you can connect two 2.5-Watt devices, or four 1-Watt devices…etc. AC-powered devices will not draw power from the USB connection.

• Even if you turn off your mini Pal, connected USB devices will still be operational as long as the mini Pal is plugged into an AC outlet.

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Connecting FireWire Peripherals

mini Pal is equipped with three FireWire 400 (1394a) ports. One port is needed to connect the mini Pal to your computer. Each remaining port can be used to connect one or more FireWire devices in a daisy-chain (devices are connected in series one after the other), as shown in the schematic below.

What you need to know…

• It doesn’t matter which of your mini Pal’s FireWire ports you use to connect to your computer and which you use for connecting FireWire peripherals. The ports can be used in any order.

• mini Pal is equipped with 6-pin FireWire ports. If you connect FireWire devices with 4-pin or 9-pin ports, you will need to purchase cables with mixed connectors (e.g. 6-pin to 4-pin).

• Each of mini Pal’s FireWire ports is on a separate bus. FireWire can accommodate up to 62 devices on a single bus, though you may require additional FireWire hubs if connecting a large number of devices.

• If you connect mini Pal to a FireWire 800 port on your computer, mini Pal and all connected FireWire devices will still operate at FireWire 400 speeds. Furthermore, you will need a 9-pin to 6-pin FireWire cable (sold separately).

• FireWire devices with only one FireWire/1394 port (such as digital camcorders) will necessarily be placed last in a daisy-chain.

• FireWire 800 devices connected to mini Pal will run at FireWire 400 speeds.

• Some smaller FireWire devices have the option of bus-powered operation. This means they do not need to be plugged into an AC outlet; they can get their power via a FireWire connection. The FireWire hub can supply up 8 Watts of power, shared among the three FireWire ports. Since one FireWire port is used to connect mini Pal to your computer, the 8 Watts is actually only shared by the two remaining FireWire ports. The combined, peak power usage of all attached, bus-powered FireWire devices cannot exceed 8 Watts. For example, you can connect one FireWire device that uses 8 Watts, or two devices that use 4 Watts each… etc. AC-powered devices do not draw power from the FireWire connection.

PART III: PUSHBUTTON™ BACKUP

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PushButton™ Backup for Mac

Mac OS 9 and pre-OS 10.1.5 Users:

We have included Retrospect Express v. 5.1, which will allow you to run backups via the Retrospect Express user interface. Go to “Install Retrospect 5.1.”

Software Installation

Mac OS X v.10.4 (Tiger) Users:

If the Retrospect Express bundled with your mini Pal is earlier than version

6.0.212, you will need to update it. After you install the version bundled with your Drive, go to: www.acomdata.com-->Customer Support-->Total Product Support-->Portable Hard Drives to obtain the software update and view further instructions.

To determine what version of Retrospect Express you have, once the software is installed, locate the Retrospect Express application icon on your startup disk and highlight it. In the Finder, under the File menu, select Get Info.

Mac OS X v.10.2 – 10.4 Users:

While we highly recommend using the PushButton™, it is possible to run backups from the Retrospect Express user interface. If you want to run backups without using the PushButton™ you do not need to install the AcomData PushButton™ Manager. You only need to install Retrospect Express.

Mac OS X v.10.1.5 Users:

You cannot run backups using the PushButton™. You must use the Retrospect Express user interface. Install Retrospect Express, but do not install the AcomData Button Manager.

Installing Retrospect® Express

1. Before installing the software, we recommend that you save any files you

may be currently working on, and then restart your computer.

2. Insert the AcomData Software CD

into your CD drive. An icon labeled “AcomData PushButton™ Backup” will appear on your desktop and a window displaying the contents of the CD will open automatically. If the window does not open, double-click on the CD icon.

3. Inside the AcomData PushButton™

Backup window (Figure 1), double-click on the Install Retrospect Express icon.

4. The Authenticate window will appear

with the message: “Install Retrospect

Express requires that you type your password.” This is the password you use to

log on to your computer. Type in your password and click OK .

5. When the Retrospect Express splash

screen appears, click Continue.

FIGURE 1

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6. Read the license agreement. Click Accept to accept the terms and continue with the installation.

Installing AcomData PushButton™ Manager

1. In the AcomData PushButton™ Backup CD window, double-click the DMBtMgr_Install icon.

7. In the Install Retrospect Express window (Figure 2) the default installation type is Easy

Install. Under Install Location, the default

location is the main Applications folder on your startup disk. Do not change the default settings. Click Install.

8. Once the installation is complete, you will see an alert with the message: “Installation was successful…” Click Quit.

If you wish to install the AcomData PushButton™ Manager to run backups via the PushButton™, proceed to the next section “Installing the AcomData PushButton™ Manager.” Otherwise, restart the computer and Retrospect Express will be ready to use. See the Help menu in Retrospect Express for instructions and other information.

FIGURE 2

2. You will see the message displayed in Figure 3. Click Continue. Once the DMBtMgr file has been copied, a new window containing the copied file will open. Double-click the DMBtMgr icon in that window.

3. The Authenticate window will appear with the message “Install Retrospect Express requires that you type your password.” This is the password you use to log on to your computer. Type in your password and click OK .

4. The DMBtMgr Install window will appear (Figure 4, next page). In the Select Destination screen, the default location should be your computer’s startup disk. If not, select the startup disk and then click Continue.

5. In the Installation Type screen, the default installation type is Easy Install. Leave it as is and click Continue.

6. Next, you will see the message: “The installer has all the files necessary to complete the chosen install.” Click Install.

FIGURE 3

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FIGURE 4

7. Once the files have been installed, in the Finish Up screen you will see the message: “Installation was successful…” Click Quit.

8. Proceed to the next section: “Setting up the Button Backup Script.”

Setting up the Button Backup Script

1. Press the PushButton™ on the front of the mini Pal. You will see the alert message: “The document you are opening will open the application ‘Retrospect’ for the first time…?" Click Open.

2. You will be asked to type in your administrator password. This is the password you use to log in to your computer. Do so, then click OK.

3. You will see the Retrospect license code on the window. Click OK.

4. Next, the display will ask you to register your copy of Retrospect Express. Click Register Now and complete the registration form that appears.

5. The Retrospect Button Backup wizard should appear (Figure 5). If it does not, press the PushButton™. In the Retrospect Button Backup wizard, click Next. You will be taken through three easy steps to setup the script.

FIGURE 5

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6. Step 1 (Figure 6): Retrospect Button Backup will ask you to select the volume (drive) you want to backup, from a list of available volumes. Make your selection (e.g. your startup disk) and click Next.

FIGURE 6

7. Step 2 (Figure 7): the wizard will ask what types of files you want to backup. Make your selection. Click Next.

8. Step 3: the wizard will ask where you want to save your backup. Select the mini Pal, which will be listed as “External.” Click Next.

FIGURE 7

If you wish to change the script in order to run Backups instead of Duplicates, click Finish and proceed to the next section: “Customizing the Button Backup Script.”

If you wish to start running Duplicates now, click Start Now. The Duplicate operation will run; when it is complete Retrospect Express will quit. From then on, whenever you want to run a backup simply press the PushButton™. Retrospect Express will launch, automatically perform an incremental Duplicate operation, and then quit.

9. The next screen will inform you that the Retrospect Button Backup feature is ready to use.

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Customizing the Button Backup Script

This section shows you how to change the Button Backup script to perform Backups rather than Duplicates. For an explanation of the differences see “Duplicates vs. Backups.”

If you change the Button Backup script to perform another type of operation, the old script will be overwritten and no longer available.

1. If Retrospect Express is not running, launch the application by double-clicking the Retrospect Express application icon in your Applications folder––do not press

the PushButton™.

2. In the Retrospect Express Directory window (Figure 8), click on the Configure tab, and then click Preferences.

FIGURE 8

3. In the Preferences window (Figure 9), highlight Media Handling in the list on the left, and then select “Use FireWire/

USB hard drives as removable disks.”

Click OK.

4. In the Retrospect Express Directory window, click on the Automate tab. In the Automate screen, click on the Scripts button. In the Scripts window (Figure 10) you will see the script Retrospect

Button Backup (Duplicate).

5. Highlight the script. In the Scripts pulldown menu at the top of your screen, select Forget… You will see an alert

FIGURE 9

FIGURE 10

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FIGURE 11

FIGURE 12

asking: “Really forget Script…?” Click OK.

6. In the Scripts window, click New… You will see a new window asking: “Use EasyScript

to prepare backup strategy?” Click No. (EasyScript is used for the creation of scheduled backups and is not compatible with PushButton™ Backup.)

7. A new window will appear asking you what kind of script you want to create (Figure 11). Your choices will be

Duplicate, Backup and Archive. Select Backup

and click OK.

8. Next, you will be asked to name the script (Figure 12). Type in the exact name:

Retrospect Button Backup. You must type

the name correctly or Retrospect will not recognize this script. Click New.

9. A new window will appear titled Backup:

Retrospect Button Backup (Figure 13).

Click Sources. In the Volume Selection window (Figure 14), select the source volume (e.g. your computer’s startup disk), then click OK.

10. In the Retrospect

Button Backup: Sources window,

click OK.

11. In the Backup:

Retrospect Button Backup window,

click Destinations.

12. In the Backup Set Creation window (Figure 15, next page), select

FIGURE 13

FIGURE 14

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Removable Disk from the Backup set type pull-down menu.

13. If you wish to set up a password that will be required every time you perform a backup, click the Secure… but- ton and follow the instructions. When you’re done, you will be taken back to the Backup Set Creation window.

14. In the Name field, type in a name for this Backup Set. The default name is “Backup Set A.” You can use the default name or create your own. The name you use will later be assigned to your mini Pal. For example, if you name the Backup Set “My Backups”, the name of your mini Pal will be “1-My Backups.” The “1” indicates that the mini Pal is the first disk in the Backup Set. If you were to add additional disks to this Backup Set they would be named “2-My Backups”, “3-My Backups” etc.

15. Click New… You will then see the Choose a folder widow, asking you to select a location where Retrospect Express will save the catalog file for your Backup Set. The catalog file is the file that Retrospect Express uses to keep track of the files in the Backup Set. The default location is the

FIGURE 15

Documents folder inside the Home folder on your computer’s startup disk. Click Save.

16. In the Backup Set Selection window, click OK. In the Retrospect Button Backup: Destinations window, click OK.

17. In the Backup: Retrospect Button Backup window, the default for Selecting is All Files. If you wish to modify this, click on the Selecting button. The Retrospect Button Backup: Selecting window will appear. Select the types of files you wish to backup from the pull-down menu.

18. In the Backup:

Retrospect Button Backup window,

select Options to open the Retrospect

Button Backup: Options window

(Figure 16) and view or change the Verification and Data compression options. Click OK.

19. Close the Backup:

Retrospect Button Backup window, and

when prompted click Save to save the script.

FIGURE 16

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20. In the Scripts window you will now see the script Retrospect Button Backup (Backup). Close the Scripts window. The script is now ready to use.

21. Press the PushButton™ on the mini Pal. If this is the first time performing this Backup operation, Retrospect Express will ask you to select a disk for the Backup Set. A window will appear with a list of available drives. If the listing simply says “Removable Disk” expand the selection by clicking on the arrow to the left of the listing, and you will see the name of the volume. Make sure you select the listing for the mini Pal, then click Proceed.

22. You will get an alert asking “Really erase the disk?”

WHEN PREPARING A DISK THAT IS TO BE INCLUDED IN A BACKUP SET, RETROSPECT FIRST ERASES THE DISK. FOR THIS REASON IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SELECT THE CORRECT DISK.

Click OK. You will receive a second warning. Click Erase. The disk will be erased and prepared for use by Retrospect Express.

Once the mini Pal is ready, Retrospect Express will run the Backup. When the Backup is complete, Retrospect Express will quit automatically.

From now on, whenever you want to backup your files, simply press the PushButton™. Retrospect Express will launch, automatically perform a Backup, and then quit.

Install Retrospect Express 5.1 for Mac OS 9 and pre-OS 10.1.5

1. Save all work you are currently working on and restart your computer.

2. Insert the AcomData Software CD disk into your CD drive.

3. If the CD does not open automatically, double-click on the CD icon.

4. In the CD window, double-click on the Retrospect Express 5.1 folder.

5. In the Retrospect Express 5.1 folder, double click on the Install Retrospect Express icon.

6. The Retrospect Express splash screen will appear. Click Continue.

7. Click Accept on the Retrospect Licensing agreement to accept the terms and continue with the installation.

8. Retrospect Express will install the software application to the default location. Click Install.

9. Once the Retrospect software is successfully installed, click Restart to restart your computer.

For information on how to use the Retrospect Express, see the Help menu in Retrospect Express.

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PushButton™ Backup for PC

5. Next you will see the License Agreement screen. If you accept the terms, select “I accept the terms in the license agreement” and click Next.

6. Complete the Customer Information screen (optional) and click Next.

Software Installation

While we highly recommend using the PushButton™, it is possible to run backups directly from the Retrospect Express user interface. If you want to run backups without using the PushButton™ you do not need to install the AcomData PushButton™ Manager. You only need to install Retrospect Express.

Installing Retrospect® Express

1. Save all work you are currently working on and then restart your computer.

2. Insert the AcomData Software CD into your CD drive. The CD will launch automatically and you will see the Retrospect Express start screen (Figure 17).

3. In the Retrospect Express start screen, select “Install Retrospect Express.”

4. In the Retrospect InstallShield Wizard, click Next.

FIGURE 17

7. In the Setup Type screen there are two options: “Recommended” and “Custom.” If it’s not already selected, select “Recommended” and click Next.

8. In the Ready to Install the Program screen, click Install.

9. The Installing Retrospect screen will appear. Please wait while InstallShield Wizard installs Retrospect.

10. Once the InstallShield Wizard has successfully installed Retrospect, click Finish.

11. If you wish to install the AcomData PushButton™ Manager to run backups via the PushButton™, proceed to the next section: “Installing the AcomData PushButton™ Manager.” Otherwise, restart the computer and Retrospect Express will be ready to use. For information on how to use Retrospect Express see the Help menu in Retrospect Express.

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FIGURE 18

Installing AcomData PushButton™ Manager

If you have just installed Retrospect Express, the Retrospect Express start screen should still be up. If you do not see the Retrospect Express start screen, but the CD is still in the CD drive, go to My Computer and double-click on the CD drive icon. The Retrospect Express start screen will appear. If the CD is not in the drive, insert it. The CD will launch and the Retrospect Express start screen will appear automatically.

1. In the Retrospect Express start screen click on “Install

AcomData PushButton™ Manager.”

2. The Welcome to the AcomData PushButton™ Manager Setup Wizard will

appear (Figure 18). Click Next.

3. In the Select Installation Folder screen (Figure 19), select the destination folder. We recommend using the default location shown in the Folder field. Click Next.

4. The Confirm Installation screen will appear. Click Next.

5. When the Installation Complete screen appears, click Close.

6. In the Retrospect Express start screen, click Quit.

7. Restart your computer. After the computer boots up, you should see the AcomData PushButton™ Manager icon on your System Tray.

8. Proceed to the next section: “Setting up PushButton™ Backup.”

FIGURE 19

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Setting up PushButton™ Backup

1. Press the PushButton™ on the mini Pal. Retrospect Express will launch. In the Welcome to Retrospect! window (Figure 20) the license code field will display the correct license code. You do not need to enter a license code. Click OK.

2. Next, the display will ask you to register your copy of Retrospect Express. Click Register Now and complete the Retrospect Express Registration form that appears.

3. In the Retrospect Button Backup wizard click Next.

4. In Step 1 (Figure 21) you will be asked which volume you want to backup (for example, C drive). Click Next.

5. In Step 2 you will be asked what files you want to backup. Select Entire vol-

FIGURE 20

ume to backup the entire disk, or select Documents only. Click

Next.

6. In Step 3 (Figure 22) you will be asked where you want to save your backup. Select the mini Pal (listed as “External”) and click Next.

7. In the next window you’ll have the option to click Start Now or click Finish to exit. If you wish to change the script to run Backups instead of Duplicates, click Finish and proceed to the next section: “Customizing the Button Backup Script.” If you wish to start running Duplicates now, click Start Now. The Duplicate operation will run, and then Retrospect Express will quit. From then on, whenever you press the PushButton™. Retrospect Express will launch, automatically run an incremental Duplicate operation, and then quit.

FIGURE 21

FIGURE 22

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Customizing the Button Backup Script

This section shows you how to change the Button Backup script to run Backups rather than Duplicates. You can also set the script to run Archives. (For information on Archives, see the Help menu in Retrospect Express.)

If you change the Button Backup script to perform another type of operation, the old script will be overwritten and no longer available.

1. Launch Retrospect Express by clicking the Retrospect Express icon––do not press the PushButton™. Click Automate in the navigation bar and choose Manage Scripts (Figure

23).

2. Select the Retrospect

Button Backup (Duplicate) script and

click the Delete icon on the toolbar in the Scripts screen (Figure 24).

FIGURE 23

FIGURE 24

3. On the Scripts screen, click New. A window will appear giving you the option to set up the script using EasyScript. Click No.

4. You will be asked what kind of script you wish to create. Choose Backup and click OK. In the text field (Figure 25), type in the exact name: Retrospect Button Backup. You must type the name correctly or Retrospect will not recognize this script. Click New.

5. In the Backup: Retrospect Button Backup window (Figure 26, next page), click Sources to specify drives or folders. After you finish specifying drives and folders, click OK. The following suggestions may be helpful:

• To specify multiple drives on your computer, in the Volume Selection window hold the Control key while you click the drive names.

• To specify folders, in the Volume Selection window highlight a drive and click Subvolume to choose a folder within that drive. Then, in the Defining Subvolume window, click Define. In the Volume Selection window, click one of the defined folders to select it, or hold the Control key while you click to select multiple folders.

• To remove a drive or folder, select it in the Volume Selection window and click Forget in the toolbar.

FIGURE 25

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FIGURE 26

6. To add additional folders or drives as described in the previous step, click

Add in the Sources window. After you finish adding folders and drives, click OK.

7. In the Backup: Retrospect Button Backup window, click Destinations. To create a new location, in the Backup Set Selection window, click Create New to launch the Create New Backup Set wizard.

8. In the Create New Backup Set wizard, click Next. Select Disk (Figure 27) as the Backup Media and click Next.

9. Enter a name for the Backup Set or use the default name (Figure 28). In this example, the Backup Set is named Custom Backup. Click Select.

10. In the Select a Disk window, choose your mini Pal as the location for the Backup Set (Figure 29, next page) and click OK.

11. Verify the Backup Set name; make sure your mini Pal is selected as the destination disk. Click Next.

12. Keep Backup Set Security set at None and click Next (Figure 30).

13. Click Next to save the Retrospect Catalog File for this Backup Set in the default location:

My Documents\ Retrospect Catalog Files (Figure 31).

Retrospect uses the catalog to keep

FIGURE 27

FIGURE 28

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FIGURE 29

FIGURE 30

track of the files in the Backup Set.

14. Click Finish to close the Backup Set Creation wizard.

15. Select the Backup Set in the Destination selection window and click OK.

16. Select the Backup Set in the Retrospect

Button Backup: Destinations window

and click OK.

17. In the Backup summary window, Retrospect Express confirms the source and destination that you selected. The Selecting category lists the file selection criteria that Retrospect Express uses with this script. By default Retrospect Express uses the

All Files criteria, which means that Retrospect Express will back up all your files the first time it performs a backup, but will back up only new and changed files with each following backup. If you want to use the Selecting button to choose file selection criteria other than the All Files default, see the Help menu in Retrospect Express.

18. To compress the backed up data, click on Options in the Backup summary window. Check “Data compression (in software)” and click OK to return to the Backup summary window.

19. After making sure that the backup script is correct, click OK to save your changes.

20. To use your new script, quit Retrospect Express and press the PushButton™ on your mini Pal.

FIGURE 31

APPENDIX

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About FireWire & USB 2.0

FireWire 400

FireWire is a serial data input/output technology developed by Apple Computer and Texas Instruments. The first FireWire standard was approved by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) in 1995. The official name for FireWire 400 is IEEE 1394a.

Interface transfer rates up to 400 Mbps (50 MB/s)

FireWire 400 can transmit data at up to 400 Megabits per second, which is equivalent to 50 Megabytes per second. FireWire supports both isochronous and asynchronous data transfers. Isochronous mode provides guaranteed transmission of data at defined intervals; it’s used when delayed or out-oforder data frames are unacceptable, such as for capturing digital video. In asynchronous mode, the intervals between transmissions can vary, and data can be resent if missed. Asynchronous mode is typically used for routine data transfers.

Peer-to-peer architecture

FireWire devices are host-independent, meaning data transmissions between FireWire devices on the same bus can take place without input from the host computer. This independence from the host is one of the reasons FireWire devices are, on average, faster than USB 2.0 devices in routine day-to-day use, even though the rated maximum interface transfer for USB 2.0 is higher.

Cable length up to 4.5 m

Standard FireWire 400 cables use 6-pin connectors at both ends. Cables with 4-pin connectors are also available for connecting FireWire devices to laptop/ notebook computers and other devices that have 4-pin ports.

About USB 2.0

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an interface technology for the serial transmission of digital data. The original standard (USB 1.1) could transmit data at speeds of up to 12 Mbps. USB 2.0 has a maximum throughput of 480 Mbps (60 Megabytes/s) –– that’s up to 40 times faster than USB 1.1.

Interface transfer rates up to 480 Mbps

480 Mbps is equivalent to 60 Megabytes per second. 480 Mbps is the maximum rate; data transfer rates will vary depending on a number of factors, including available CPU resources.

Master-slave architecture

The computer (the master) dictates data flow to, from, and between attached USB devices (the slaves).

Cable length up to 5 m.

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Maintaining Your mini Pal & Safeguarding Your Data

A hard drive is a very sophisticated and sensitive device that requires proper care and maintenance to ensure the longest possible life, reliable operation, and most of all, the integrity of your stored data.

Backup Your Data

The single most important action you can take to safeguard your valuable data is to backup the data to another storage device. There are many reasons why data stored on a hard drive can become corrupted or lost. One of the most common is human error, e.g. mistakenly deleting or overwriting a file.

If you are using your mini Pal as a general storage device, as opposed to a backup device, you should backup your data on a regular basis.

Defragmenting and Optimizing a Hard Drive

A hard drive stores data on disks called platters. Each platter surface is divided into concentric tracks. Each track is divided into sections called sectors. Sectors are grouped into storage units called clusters.

When data is saved to a new disk, it is written contiguously, one cluster after another. As old files are erased, clusters that were previously occupied become available for new data. However, there may not be enough space for the disk to write a new file in a contiguous set of clusters. The disk uses the

clusters it can, and if more are needed, it uses other clusters in other locations. The result is a fragmented file that may be scattered in several places on the disk.

Over time, as more and more files are erased and new files are added, the data on the disk becomes increasingly fragmented. The more fragmented a disk becomes, the longer it takes to read and write data because the drive’s read/write mechanism spends more time moving back and forth over the platter searching for data fragments or free clusters.

We recommend using defragmentation and optimization software to maximize the storage efficiency and optimize performance. Optimization software re-organizes files so that the files you use most often can be accessed more quickly. Defragmentation software consolidates file fragments that are scattered on your hard drive into more efficient contiguous clusters.

Defragging and optimization functions will often be included in one application, such that both operations are performed at the same time.

Examining and Repairing a Hard Drive

Regular examination of a hard drive with a quality disk examination and repair utility is the best way to prevent irreparable disk damage and avoid data loss.

There are several software packages available that offer a suite of disk management utilities, including defragmentation, optimization, repair, erased file recovery, and more. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to examine a disk for damage at least once a month.

Some maintenance and repair operations can take quite some time, so it is wise to schedule these operations for those times when you don’t need to

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use your computer. The good news is that, for the most part, you won’t need to tend to the computer while the software performs these operations.

Protect Your Data from Viruses

One of the greatest threats to your data comes from viruses. These nastysounding creatures are insidious programs created by malefactors. Some viruses are designed to render your computer inoperable; others will erase files. The worst part is you may not be aware that your system has been infected until it’s too late.

The most common way computers catch viruses is by downloading and sharing infected files via e-mail and other Internet services. You can protect your data against viruses by using ant-virus software. These programs are designed to seek out and eradicate viruses from infected files before they can cause damage. There are a number of good anti-virus programs on the market for both PC and Mac.

Cleaning the mini Pal Case

Always unplug all cables from the mini Pal before cleaning it. Clean the mini Pal using a soft, dry cloth. For tough dirt, dampen a soft cloth with some neutral detergent diluted in water; wipe off the dirt, then wipe off the mini Pal with a dry cloth. Do not use alcohol, paint thinner, or other chemicals; they may damage the case surface.

Troubleshooting

If you experience a problem with your AcomData product, you should take the following actions in the order specified:

1. Make sure you followed all of the instructions in this guide properly.

2. Consult the Troubleshooting sections of this guide.

3. If the issue you are having is still not resolved, please contact Technical

Support using one of the following options: a) the online Technical Support form at www.acomdata.com; b) via e-mail at techsupport@acomdata.com; c) by telephone at (909) 348-0680

If the problem is related specifically to Retrospect Express:

The first thing you should do is check the Help menu in Retrospect Express. The solutions for most issues can be found there. If the issue cannot be resolved that way, we recommend that you go to the Dantz Support page at http://www.dantz.com/en/support/index.dtml and select one of the support options.

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Troubleshooting for Mac users

The power will not go on when I plug in the mini Pal.

A: Make sure your connections are secure.

My computer does not recognize the mini Pal.

A: First, make sure the connections are secure. Second, check if your mini Pal is listed in the Apple System Profiler. If the driver listed is “USB Authoring Support” or “Toast USB Support”, disable this Extension(s) in the Extensions Manager, as they can cause a conflict with the mini Pal.

When I leave my computer idle for a while my mini Pal won’t work.

A: Most likely, your computer is going to “sleep.” The immediate solution is to restart your computer. To prevent this problem from recurring, change your Energy Saver preferences so your computer will never go into sleep mode.

When I connected the mini Pal to my computer I got the following alert message: “Please insert disk ‘untitled’.”

A: If you get this alert message, your Mac is not recognizing the mini Pal, and the mouse cursor may actually freeze on screen. If this happens, hold down the Apple/Control key and press the Period “.” key. You should regain control of your mouse. Restart your computer and rebuild the Desktop. (Refer to the manual that came with your Mac for instructions on how to rebuild the Desktop. It is good practice to periodically rebuild the Desktop anyway.) After your Mac restarts, the mini Pal should mount normally and you should not have this problem again.

I set up my mini Pal on Mac OS 9 and it was working fine. Then when I upgraded to Mac OS X my computer asked me to re-initialize the mini Pal.

A: If this message appears, you have no choice but to re-initialize (re-format) the mini Pal. Copy the data stored on your mini Pal to another storage device before upgrading to Mac OS X. After the upgrade is complete, re-initialize the mini Pal on Mac OS X, and then copy the data back.

My mini Pal feels warm when it’s powered on. Is this dangerous?

A: When powered on, mini Pal may feel quite warm to the touch. This is normal.

My USB 2.0 peripherals seem to be operating slower than 480 Mbps.

A: First, in order to reach USB 2.0 speeds, your mini Pal must be connected to a USB 2.0 port on your computer. If the connection only supports USB

1.1, any USB devices connected to mini Pal will operate at USB 1.1 speeds. Second, 480 Mbps is the maximum speed that USB 2.0 devices can reach. Actual data transfer rates will vary depending on a number of factors, including available CPU resources, and the number of USB devices connected.

My mini Pal is asking me to initialize it, but it was already formatted.

A: On Mac OS 9, you may need to initialize a hard drive the first time you connect it to your computer, even though the hard drive may have already been formatted. Another reason is that the file system might have become corrupted, in which case it needs to be repaired. Use a disk utility to repair the disk. Periodic testing of a hard drive is recommended to keep it in good working order.

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Troubleshooting for PC Users

The power will not go on when I turn on the mini Pal.

A: Make sure your connections are secure.

My computer does not recognize the mini Pal.

A: Make sure all of your connections are secure. If you have an add-on card, make sure it is working properly and/or update the driver. Also, make sure you have all the latest updates for your operating system.

When I leave my computer idle for a while and come back, my mini Pal won’t work properly.

A: The most likely cause is that your computer is going into sleep mode. The immediate solution is to restart your computer. To prevent this problem from recurring, go into your Power Settings/Energy Saver and set it to where it never goes into sleep mode.

My mini Pal feels warm when it’s powered on. Is this dangerous?

A: When in operation, mini Pal may feel quite warm to the touch. This is normal.

The mini Pal gives me a “Device cannot start. Code (10).”

A: This is a power issue. Make sure your connections are secure. The other possibility is that the mini Pal has malfunctioned and requires service.

I don’t see my mini Pal in My Computer, but it does appear in Device Manager. (Windows XP & 2000 only)

A: Right-click on My Computer. Select Manage in the pop-up menu. In the Computer Management window, select Storage, then select Disk Management. In the Disk Management window, you should see a list of available storage devices. Look for the disk that has a capacity closest to the mini Pal. Right-click on the right-hand box; in the pop-up menu select Delete Partition. Once you do this, it will say “Online” & “Unallocated.” Right-click on the box and select Create New Partition in the pop-up menu. When the Partition Wizard appears, select Primary Partition and click on Next. You will see a default value for the mini Pal; click Next. You will then see a drive letter (you can change this letter if you wish); click Next. You will then be asked to format the mini Pal.

When I try to format my mini Pal in Windows 2000/XP I get the message: “Could not complete format.”

A: This problem can occur if you are using an expansion card to connect the mini Pal. Plug the mini Pal into a FireWire port on your computer and try the format again. You may also come across this error if you try to format mini Pal using FAT32 file on Windows XP or 2000.

My USB 2.0 peripherals seem to be operating slower than 480 Mbps.

A: First, in order to reach USB 2.0 speeds, your mini Pal must be connected to a USB 2.0 port on your computer. If the connection only supports USB

1.1, any USB devices connected to mini Pal will operate at USB 1.1 speeds.

Second, 480 Mbps is the maximum speed that USB 2.0 devices can reach. Actual data transfer rates will vary depending on a number of factors, including available CPU resources, and the number of USB devices connected.

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Frequently Asked Questions

re-formatting the mini Pal using the NTFS file system. If you plan to use the mini Pal on a Mac OS only, consider re-formatting it using the Mac OS Extended file system.

Q: Can I use mini Pal on two computers at the same time?

A: Actually, yes. It is possible to connect mini Pal’s FireWire interface to one computer and the USB 2.0 interface to another computer. mini Pal’s hard drive and any FireWire devices attached to mini Pal will be available to the computer using the FireWire connection. Any USB devices attached to mini Pal will be available to the computer using the USB connection. One computer can even be a Mac and the other a PC.

Q: Do I have to format my mini Pal prior to using it?

A: All mini Pals are formatted at the factory with the FAT32 file system, making them compatible with all supported operating systems right out of the box. You can re-format mini Pal if you wish to use a file system other than FAT32.

Q: Can I format the mini Pal for use on multiple operating systems?

A: mini Pals are compatible with all supported operating systems right out of the box. If you ever need to re-format mini Pal and you need both Mac and PC compatibility, you can format mini Pal using the FAT32 or MS-DOS file system. See “Re-Formatting mini Pal” for instructions.

Q: What is the difference between FAT32 and NTFS?

A: FAT32 is an older and more compatible file system but it has certain limitations, such as file size (maximum 4 GB). NTFS is more secure and has fewer limitations. The NTFS file system can only be used on Windows 2000 and XP. If you plan to use your mini Pal on Windows 2000 and/or XP only, consider

Q: Does mini Pal work on Windows XP Media Center Edition?

A: Not at this time.

Q: Is the mini Pal compatible with Windows 95, 98 (First Edition) or NT 4.0?

A: No.

Q: Can I use both the USB 2.0 and FireWire interfaces of my mini Pal at the same time?

A: Definitely yes. If your computer is equipped with USB as well as FireWire, you can use both interfaces. One FireWire connection is needed to run mini Pal’s internal hard drive. The remaining two FireWire connections can be used to attach FireWire peripherals. The USB 2.0 connection is used for the USB 2.0 hub.

Q: Can I connect a mini Pal to a USB or FireWire expansion card?

A: Yes, but you may need to update the software/firmware for the card. We recommend you check with the card’s manufacturer for the latest updates.

Q: Why doesn’t the FireWire cable fit my FireWire port?

A: The supplied FireWire cable uses 6-pin connectors at both ends, but many laptops have a 4-pin FireWire port. In order to connect the mini Pal to your laptop via FireWire, you will need to purchase a 6-pin to 4-pin cable.

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Q: What is the cache (buffer) size of my mini Pal?

A: mini Pals under 250 GB have 2MB buffers; mini Pals that are 250 GB or larger have 8MB buffers.

Q: Can you use mini Pal as a startup disk?

A: mini Pal cannot be used as a startup disk. However, if you use your mini Pal as a backup device, and you use the Backup operation in Retrospect Express, it is possible to backup the entire contents of your computer’s startup disk, including the operating system and all associated files. If your computer’s startup disk becomes unresponsive, you can restore the entire disk from your mini Pal. See the Help menu in Retrospect Express for more information.

and Mac with a capacity of, say, 111.8 GB. The actual number of available bytes might be 120,044,335,923, which is just over 120 GB (decimal).

Hard drive manufacturers use the decimal method because it is simpler and less confusing to consumers who may not be familiar with the base 2 number system. Manufacturers of operating systems do not need to concern themselves with this issue, so they use the more traditional binary method. As long as the drive displays the correct number of bytes (approximately), you are getting the drive’s full capacity. The reason we say that the number of bytes will be approximate is because operating systems reserve a small amount of disk space for their own purposes. The actual amount may vary depending on the operating system.

Q: Why doesn’t the mini Pal need a fan?

A: All hard drives generate some heat during normal operation. Heat generation can be an issue with some hard drives, which is why they often have big, noisy fans. The mini Pal was engineered to be more efficient and to generate so little heat that it does not need a fan, allowing us to make the mini Pal as quiet as possible.

Q: Why is the capacity of my mini Pal as shown in Windows or Mac OS lower than the its actual stated capacity?

A: The difference is mostly due to the different way which Windows and Mac operating systems measure storage capacity, as compared to the method used by hard drive manufacturers. Hard drive manufacturers have always used the decimal (base 10) method, where 1GB = 1,000 MB = 1,000,000 KB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. Windows and Mac operating systems use the binary (base 2) method, where 1GB = 1,024 MB = 1,048,576 KB = 1,073,741,824 bytes. Example: A hard drive with a capacity of 120 GB will show up on Windows

Q: Can I use my AcomData mini Pal to copy an operating system from one computer to another?

A: You cannot transfer an installed operating system to another computer simply by copying the operating system’s files. You will need to install the operating system on the target computer according the manufacturer’s instructions. You can then use your mini Pal to transfer files (except the operating system) from one computer to the other.

If you use your mini Pal as a backup device, and you use the Backup operation in Retrospect Express, it is possible to backup the entire contents of your computer’s startup disk, including the operating system and all associated files. If your computer’s startup disk becomes unresponsive, you can restore the entire disk from your mini Pal. See the Help menu in Retrospect Express for more information.

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Q: Does AcomData provide data recovery services?

A: AcomData does not provide data recovery services.

Q: If I have more than one mini Pal connected to the same computer, can I use the PushButton™ Backup function on each mini Pal?

A: While you can connect more than one mini Pal to a computer, you can only use the PushButton™ on the first mini Pal you installed. However, if the Button Backup Script is set to run Backups, and you need additional storage capacity for your backups, you can add mini Pals to the Backup Set and continue to run the backups by pressing the PushButton™ on the first mini Pal.

Q: I already had Retrospect installed on my computer before I purchased my AcomData mini Pal. Can I use this version rather than the version bundled with the mini Pal to perform backups?

A: PushButton™ Backup will only work with the Retrospect Express bundled with your mini Pal. This is because the software was specially configured to work specifically with PushButton™ Backup. However, you can use a previously installed version of Retrospect to backup data to your mini Pal using the Retrospect user interface rather than the PushButton™. If you plan to keep using your previous version of Retrospect, do not install the Retrospect Express or PushButton™ Backup software bundled with the mini Pal.

Q: What’s the difference between Retrospect Express and other versions of Retrospect?

A: The Retrospect Express software bundled with mini Pal offers the same powerful features as other versions of Retrospect, except its use is limited to one desktop or laptop computer. Furthermore, the Retrospect Express software bundled with your mini Pal was specially designed for AcomData PushButton™ Backup. The PushButton™ Backup function will not work with other versions of Retrospect.

Q: Do I have to install Retrospect Express or the AcomData PushButton™ Manager to use my mini Pal?

A: You only need to install Retrospect Express and the AcomData PushButton™ Manager if you want to use PushButton™ Backups. You can also perform backups without using the PushButton™ by installing Retrospect Express but not the AcomData PushButton™ Manager. In this case, you would launch Retrospect Express from the Desktop and use the on-screen interface.

Q: Will the Retrospect Express bundled with mini Pal recognize Backup Sets that were created with an earlier version of Retrospect?

A: Typically, the Retrospect Express software bundled with your mini Pal will be able to utilize Backup Sets that were created with other versions of Retrospect. There may be some exceptions. For example: Retrospect Express

6.0 for Mac will be able to read Backup Sets created on Retrospect version 5.1

on the Mac but it will not be able to write to these Backup Sets.

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Glossary

Bit - The smallest unit of digital data. In binary code, a bit is represented logically as a either a 1 or a 0.

Buffer – RAM cache that temporarily stores data so it can be delivered to a device as it is needed. Hard drives use RAM cache for faster transfers. Data that is read from cache memory can be accessed much more quickly than data that is read directly from the disk.

Bus – An electronic link that can transmit data between digital devices, such as computers and computer peripherals.

Byte – A unit of digital data, usually made up of eight bits.

Capacity – The amount of data that can be stored on a storage device. Hard drive

capacity is typically measured in Gigabytes.

Daisy chain – A hardware configuration in which peripheral devices are connected to each other in series rather than each device being connected directly to the host computer.

Device driver – Software that enables a computer to communicate with peripheral devices, such as hard drives and CD drives. Each type of device requires a driver.

FAT32 – A type of file system that organizes files on a disk. FAT32 is standard for Windows 98SE and Me, and is supported under Windows 2000 and XP. A single file is limited in size to 4 GB.

Format – Sets up a file system for storing and retrieving files on a disk. Referred to as initialization on Mac.

Gigabyte – 1,024 megabytes (binary); 1,000 megabytes (decimal), or approximately one billion bytes.

Hard Drive – An electromechanical device used for information storage and retrieval, incorporating one or more rotating disks (platters) on which data is recorded, stored, and read magnetically.

Hardware – Physical components of a computer system.

Hot-Pluggable – The ability to connect and disconnect external devices while the

computer is running.

Hub – A device which links peripherals together onto the same data bus.

Interface – Junction between two items of hardware or software for the exchange of

data.

Mb (Megabit) – One million bits.

Mbps (Megabits per second) – A data transmission speed of one million bits per sec-

ond. Data transmissions are measured in bits (kilobits, megabits etc) per second.

MB (Megabyte) – 1,048,576 bytes (binary); 1,000,000 bytes (decimal).

NTFS – The primary file system for Windows 2000 and XP operating systems that

organizes files on your computer. Supports large capacity hard drives up to 2 TB.

Operating System (OS) – Software that controls the assignment and use of hardware and software resources.

Partition – A way to logically divide a hard drive. An operating system treats each partition as if it were a separate drive.

Peripheral – A generic term for hard drives, printers, scanners and other discrete devices that add functionality to a computer.

Port – A connection which enables compatible devices to send and receive data. A port can be either hardware-based or software based.

Software – A set of instructions that enable a computer to perform pre-programmed functions in the order specified by the user.

Startup Disk – The disk from which a computer loads its operating system at startup.

Volume – A fixed amount of storage on a hard drive. The term volume is often used

as a synonym for the drive itself, but it is possible for a single drive to contain more than one volume or for a volume to span more than one drive.

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One Year Limited Warranty

AcomData warrants this product (the “Product”) against defects in material or workmanship as follows:

1. LABOR: For a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase from AcomData or its local representative supplier, AcomData will repair defective Product (or, at its option, replace with a new or recertified product) at no charge. After this 1 year period, you must pay for all labor charges.

2. PARTS: For a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase from AcomData or its local representative supplier, AcomData will supply, at no charge, new or rebuilt replacement parts in exchange for defective parts of this Product. Any replacement parts will be warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or ninety (90) days from installation by AcomData. All exchanged parts replaced under this warranty become the property of AcomData.

This warranty only covers the hardware components packaged with the Product. This warranty does not cover: (1) any software contained in, or included with, the Product; any such software is provided “as is.” Please refer to any documentation included with the software for your rights and obligations with respect to the software; (2) any consumables (such as batteries) supplied with this product; (3) cosmetic damages; (4) damage to or loss of any software programs, data or removable storage media; (5) damage due to the Product such as, but not limited to, excessive heat or humidity, or modifications of this Product.

This Warranty does not apply if the malfunction results from: (1) the use of this Product in conjunction with accessories, products or ancillary or peripheral equipment, or where it is determined by AcomData that there is no fault with this Product itself; (2) improper installation, operation, testing or maintenance of this Product; (3) power failure or connection to improper voltage supply; or; (4) attempted repair by any party other than AcomData.

This Limited Warranty is invalid if the factory applied serial number has been altered or removed from the Product.

Repair or replacement, as provided under this warranty, is the exclusive remedy of the consumer. AcomData shall not be liable for any incidental or consequential damages for breach of any expressed or implied warranty, breach of contract, negligence, strict liability, or any other legal theory related to this product. Such damages include, but are not limited to: loss of profits; loss of data; loss of use of the product or any associated equipment; down time and purchaser’s time.

This warranty extends only to you, the original purchaser. It is not transferable to any one who subsequently purchases the Product from you. Proof of purchase in the form of a bill of sale (which is evidence that the Product is within the warranty period) must be presented to obtain warranty service.

When sending an AcomData Product in for service you must take the Product, or deliver the Product (freight prepaid) to AcomData, in either its original packaging or in a package that provides the Product with a degree of protection equivalent to that of the original packaging. AcomData is not responsible for any damage to, or loss of, any programs, data, or other information stored on any media or any part of any product serviced hereunder. Be sure to remove all features, parts, options, alterations, and attachments not under warranty prior to returning the Product to AcomData. AcomData is not liable for any loss or damage to these items.

Except to the extend prohibited by applicable law, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose on this product is limited in duration of this warranty.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, or allow limitations on how long on implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation or exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific rights; you may have other rights which vary from state to state.

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Obtaining Service

How to

for Your AcomData Product

If you experience a problem with your Acomdata product, please contact Technical Support at techsupport@acomdata.com, or call (909) 348-0680.

A knowledgeable AcomData Technical Support Specialist (TSS) will be able to help you solve most problems. If the problem cannot be resolved by Tech Support, your TSS will assist you in arranging for service. Please read the One Year Limited Warranty for terms and conditions.

What you need in order to obtain warranty service:

1) A copy of the bill of sale from the purchase of your AcomData product;

2) A Returned Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number that is assigned to your product by your TSS. An RMA can only be generated if the product has been registered online at www.acomdata.com. If your AcomData product is not registered at the time you need service, you must register the product online or your Technical Support Specialist can register it for you. Your TSS will then take you through the process to ensure you receive prompt service.

Do not send a product in for service without first contacting AcomData Technical Support and following the instructions from your TSS. AcomData will not accept returned products that have not been assigned an RMA number.

Purchase Accessories

Contact Customer Service at customerservice@acomdata.com. In your e-mail, please include:

• your name;

• phone number;

• mailing address;

• model number or description of item (e.g. 6-pin to 4-pin FireWire cable);

• quantity per item.

A Customer Service agent will contact you to complete the transaction.

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Contact Information

Address:

3410 Pomona Blvd. Pomona, CA 91768

Telephone: Fax: (909) 348-0680 (909) 598-8662

Web Site: Pre-Sales Questions:

www.acomdata.com sales@acomdata.com

Customer Service: Technical Support:

customerservice@acomdata.com techsupport@acomdata.com

Notices

COPYRIGHTS

Copyright © 2005 AcomData. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of AcomData.

TRADEMARKS

The AcomData name and its logos are registered trademarks of AcomData. Retrospect is a registered trademark of EMC corporation. Other trademarks mentioned or appearing in this document are the property of their respective owners.

CHANGES

The material in this document is for information only and subject to change without notice. While reasonable efforts have been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy, AcomData assumes no liability resulting from errors or omissions in this document, or from the use of the information contained herein. AcomData reserves the right to make changes or revisions in the product design or the product manual without reservation and without obligation to notify any person of such revisions and changes.

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENT

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.

CANADA COMPLIANCE STATEMENT

This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

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