Acomdata M-HDXXXUPE5-72 User Manual

USER’S GUIDE
EXTERNAL
HI-SPEED USB 2.0
E5

Important

1. Please retain the bill of sale from the purchase of your AcomData product. A copy of the bill of sale will be needed in the event that the product requires warranty service.
2. Please fill in the information requested below. You will need this information at hand for product registration and in the event that the product requires service. (See “Obtaining Service” for more information.) The Model and Serial numbers are printed on the label affixed to the underside of the Drive's stand.
Model Number:________________________________________
Serial Number:_________________________________________
Date of Purchase:_______________________________________
Name of Reseller:__ _________________________________

Contact AcomData

Address: 3410 Pomona Blvd.,
Pomona, CA 91768
Telephone: (909) 348-0680
Fax: (909) 598-8663
Web Site: www.acomdata.com
Customer Service: customerservice@acomdata.com
Technical Support: techsupport@acomdata.com
Pre-Sales Questions: sales@acomdata.com
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Contents
1 Important
2 Contact AcomDat
Introduction
8 Welcome
10 Precautions
11 Package Content
12 Product Registration for Warranty Coverag
14 System Requirements for Window
16 System Requirements for Ma
Getting to Know Your AcomData Drive
20 The Drive at a Glance
21 The Drive In-Dept
21 About Hi-Speed USB 2. 22 CD + SecureH 23 Password Securit 25 PushButton™ Backu 25 Synchronization (Sync 26 Mac & PC Read
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26 Hot-Pluggable 27 Fanless Desig 27 On-Off Switc
28 Technical Specification
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Drive Installation & Setup
30 Setting Up the Drive
30 Choosing an Orientation (Vertical or Horizontal 30 Vertical Placemen 32 Horizontal Placemen
34 Installing the USB 2.0 Drive
35 Connecting the Driv
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Using Password Security
40 Password Security for Windows
40 Changing the Passwor 41 Disabling Password Securit 42 Enabling Password Securit
44 Password Security for Ma
44 Installing the SecureHD Login Softwar 45 Changing the Passwor 46 Disabling Password Securit 47 Enabling Password Securit
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49 What if you forget your password?
Using & Maintaining Your Drive
52 How to Properly Turn Off and Disconnect the Drive
54 Naming the HD Partitio
56 Re-Formatting the HD Partitio
56 About Formatting and File System 58 Choosing a File Syste 59 Formatting the HD Partition in Windows XP or 200 60 Formatting the HD Partition in Windows Me or 98S 61 Formatting the HD Partition
62 Performing Routine Task
63 Maintaining your Driv
63 Defragmenting and Optimizing a Hard Driv 64 Examining and Repairing a Hard Driv 65 Protecting Your Data from Viruse 65 Cleaning the Drive Cas
66 Stacking Drive
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in Mac OS X
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Help & Other Information
68 Troubleshooting & Tech Support
69 Troubleshooting for Windows User 72 Troubleshooting for Mac User
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75 Obtaining Service
76 Frequently Asked Question
80 Glossary of Term
83 One Year Limited Warrant
85 Notices
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Introduction

Welcome

Welcome, and thank you for choosing an AcomData E5 External Hard Drive.
Your AcomData Drive features high-qual­ity construction, advanced engineering, and state-of-the-art data storage tech­nology, designed to provide years of reli­able, user-friendly performance.
Your AcomData Drive is furnished with two guides:
1) this Hard Drive User's Guide, and;
2) a PDF* PushButton Backup User's Guide, located on the
Drive's CD partition (more on the CD partition later).
* Viewing PDF Document s requires ADobe AcrobAt or ADob e reADer V. 5 or l Ater. You cAn
DownloAD ADob e reADer For Free At: www.AD obe.com/ProDucts/AcrobAt/reADsteP2.html
This User's Guide will help you set up your Drive as a high-per­formance data storage device, complete with robust, portable Password Security (if desired). Please read this guide carefully and retain it for future reference.
If you want to use PushButton™ Backup or Synchronization, please follow the instructions in this guide first; then refer to the PushButton™ Backup User’s Guide.
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Symbols used in this guide:
Alerts t he reAder to A
wArning or importAnt
informAtion.
indicAtes i nformAtion
specific to mAc users.
indicAtes A helpful tip or
other useful informAtion.
indicAtes i nformAtion
specific to win dows users.
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Alerts t he reAder to
importAnt in formAtion About
usb-rel Ated issues.

Precautions

Please follow the precautions listed below. Not doing so may result in damage to the device, loss of data, and voiding of the warranty.
• If using this device for general-purpose storage, we strongly
recommend 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 attempt to open, disassemble, or modify the device.
• Do not expose the device to 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.
• Do not expose this device to temperatures outside the range of
5°C to 35°C when the device is in operation, and -20ºC to 60ºC when not in operation.
• Do not use a third-party AC adapter or power cord.
• Do not bump, jar or drop the device.
• Do not 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.
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Package Contents

AcomdAtA
e5 driv e & stAnd
usb 2.0 dr iver instAllAtion cd
hArd driv e
users guide
usb cAble
mAil-in
registr Ation cAr d rubber feet
Ac AdApter &
power cord
If you are missing any item shown above, please contact Customer Service at customerservice@acomdata.com, or call 800-470-4495.
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Product Registration for Warranty Coverage

Registration is required in the event that your product needs servicing. (See “Obtaining Service ” for details.)
Online Registration
Register your product instantly 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:
• download software updates
• access all online support services
• view all of your registered AcomData products
• manage your personal profile;
4. If you need warranty service, arranging product returns is faster and easier if you registered online.
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Mail-in Registration
You may also register via mail by filling out and returning the Registration Card included in the package.
When registering your AcomData product you will need the Model number and Serial number. Both are printed on the product label affixed to the box, and on the label affixed to the underside of the Drive's stand.
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System Requirements for Windows

What you need for the Drive itself:
• Minimum 233 MHz processor
• One of the following operating systems:
- Windows XP
(Home Edition, Professional, Professional x64 Edition, Media Center Edition)
- Windows 2000
- Windows Me
- Windows 98SE
• Available USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 port
Password Security has no additional requirements.
PushButton Backup requires:
• 800 MHz or faster processor
• 20 MB of free hard disk space on your computer
(Pentium, Celeron, AMD, etc.)
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IMPORTANT NOTES:
Windows 98SE users:
You will need to install the supplied USB 2.0 driver. Instructions are provided in "Installing the USB 2.0 Driver."
Windows 2000 Users:
If you do not have Service Pack 4 you will need to install the supplied USB 2.0 driver. Instructions are provided in "Installing the USB 2.0 Driver."
If using a USB 1.1 connection the device will operate at USB 1.1 speeds (up to 12 Mbps).
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System Requirements for Mac

What you need for the Drive itself:
• Mac or Power Mac with a PowerPC or Intel processor
• Mac OS 10.2 or later
• Available USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 port
Password Security requires:
5 MB of free computer hard disk space for the SecureHD Login software
PushButton Backup requires:
• Mac OS 10.3 or later
• 10 MB of free computer hard disk space for the backup software
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IMPORTANT NOTES:
If using a USB 1.1 connection the device will operate at USB 1.1 speeds (up to 12 Mbps).
Mac OS 10.2 users whose Drives are 128 GB or larger:
Mac OS 10.2 does not recognize FAT32/MS-DOS formatted volumes larger than 128 GB. (For more information on this issue, go to: http://docs.info.apple.com/ar ticle. html?artnum=107483 on the Apple web site.)
If you are using Mac OS 10.2 and your Drive is larger than 128 GB there are several ways to deal with this issue:
1. If you don’t need Windows compatibilit y, you can re-format the Drive using one of the Mac OS Extended file systems;
2. If you want to maintain Windows compatibility, you can partition the Drive such that no partition is larger than 128 GB. Partitioning a hard disk will erase any data stored on the disk. Go to http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107483 for instructions;
3. Before you connect the Drive to your computer, upgrade to Mac OS 10.3 or later. This option will allow you to maintain Windows compatibility and no partitioning or re­formatting is required.
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Getting to Know Your AcomData Drive

The Drive at a Glance

PushBut ton
lights u P blue when the Dr iVe is PowereD on . FlAshes reD when reAD ing or writing DAtA. Press to run A bAckuP oPerAtio n. (requires
instAllAtion oF t he Pushbutton bAckuP soFt- wAre. see the Pushbutton bAckuP users guiDe For inForm At ion.)
Zinc Alloy stAnd
cAn be r emoVeD For horizontAl Pl Acement or
stAcking oF Dr iVes.
Power switch
turn the DriV e on AnD oFF As neeDeD while Your
comPuter is r unning. see “how to ProPerlY turn
oFF AnD Disconnect th e DriVeFor D etAils.
usB 2.0/1.1 Port
the suPPlieD usb cAble Plugs in here. the Dri Ve
hAs A tYPe b Por t, AnD Your comPut er hAs A tYPe
A Port, which corresPonD to the connecto rs oF
the usb cAbl e.
Power Port
the Ac ADAPter Plugs in here. when connec ting
the Dri Ve, tAke cAre to ori ent the connector ProPerlY, As it will onlY go in one wAY.
ActuAl lAyout o f
bAck pAnel mAy not be
exActly As shown.
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The Drive In-Depth

About Hi-Speed USB 2.0

Your AcomData Drive is equipped with a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface. (USB stands for "Universal Serial Bus.") USB 2.0 has a maximum interface transfer rate (i.e. bandwidth) of 480 Mbps (Megabits per second). That's 40 times faster than the earlier standard, USB 1.1, which has a bandwidth of 12 Mbps).
Performance in day-to-day use will depend on many factors, including: CPU utilization; file system overhead; the number of active devices on the USB bus; the size, structure and number of files being transferred, and; the speed at which other devices can transfer data to/from the Drive. Also, as is the case with any data I/O (input/output) technology, some bandwidth is taken up by the protocols that structure and govern data transmissions (this is called interface overhead). Given these and other factors, in day-to-day use you can expect maximum, sustained transfer rates in the mid-30s MB/s (Megabytes per second).
Note: The interface transfer rate specification of an I/O technology, such as USB, is expressed using the bit as the base unit (e.g. Mbps) because this is the truest way of measuring raw interface performance. However, for the end user it is more meaningful to express day-to-day transfer rates using the byte as the base unit (e.g. MB/s) because com­puter files are measured in bytes (kilobytes, megabytes, etc.).
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USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.1. This means you can connect a USB 1.1 device to a USB 2.0 port, and vice versa. However, interface transfer rates are limited by the interface with the lower speed. So, for example, if you plug a USB 2.0 device into a USB 1.1 port on your computer, data transfer rates will be limited to USB 1.1 speeds.
USB uses a master/slave architecture. This means the computer (the "master") dictates data flow to, from and between attached USB devices (the "slaves"). A single USB bus can support up to 127 USB devices. However, connecting more than a few USB devices to a computer usually requires the use of one or more USB-equipped hubs. A typical USB hub can accommodate sev­eral USB devices.

CD + SecureHD

Your AcomData Drive uses an advanced partition scheme called CD + SecureHD. The Drive was formatted at the factory with two partitions. As the name suggests, one is the CD partition; the other is the HD (Hard Disk) partition. The CD partition and the HD partition mount to your computer as separate, distinct vol­umes, as if they were two discrete devices.
The CD partition appears on your computer just like a CD-ROM volume. On Windows PCs it will appear in My Computer under
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Devices with Removable Storage with the label "CD PART." On the Mac OS it will appear on the Desktop and in the Finder.
The CD partition stores the software and documentation bun­dled with your Drive, so they go wherever your Drive goes. This has three main benefits: 1) if your Drive is password protected, no matter what computer you connect it to, the Drive is always secure; 2) you can very quickly set up any supported computer for backups; 3) reference documentation is always readily avail­able (no manual or CDs to forget, lose or damage). The CD parti­tion takes up very little space (less than 20 MB), and it is read­only; you cannot delete it or modify it.
The HD partition is used to store the data you save to the Drive. It is a standard hard disk partition that mounts to your system just like any other hard disk volume, except you have the option to secure it using Password Security.

Password Security

The Password Security feature is a simple yet powerful tool that you can use to restrict access to the HD partition of your Drive. With Password Security your Drive is always secure, no matter what computer you connect it to.
If Password Security is enabled, before the HD partition will mount, you must enter your password on the SecureHD Login
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window. (The CD partition will mount automatically, whether you login or not.)
On Windows, Password Security comes enabled and armed with a pre-set password. You can create your own password, or you can disable Password Security.
To use Password Security on a Mac you must first install the SecureHD Login software. Then, whenever you want to mount the Drive, simply launch the SecureHD Login and enter your password.
Password Security employs SHA-256 encryption, which uses a type of algorithm (known as a hash function) to encrypt your password. The encrypted password is stored as a hash value (a fixed-sized output generated from a variable-sized amount of text). Because the hash is one-way only, it is extremely difficult to decrypt, making Password Security very secure—to say the least. It is so secure, in fact, that if you forget your password you will simply never be able to access the stored data. The data is effectively lost. Luckily, you can create a password hint to help you remember.
Instructions for using Password Security are included in the chapter "Password Security."
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PushButton™ Backup

PushButton Backup is a faster, easier way to run routine data backups. Rather than having to launch a backup utility and set cumbersome parameters every time you want to backup your files, all you need to do is press the PushButton on your Drive.
Not only does PushButton Backup make backups simpler and more convenient, but since you’re backing up your data to a high-performance hard drive—as opposed to say, tape or opti­cal media—backups are also much faster.
A detailed explanation of the various backup operations available, as well as full instructions for setting up and using PushButton Backup, are provided in the PushButton Backup User's Guide, located on the CD partition of your Drive.

Synchronization (Sync)

Synchronization, or Sync, is one of the most powerful features available with your AcomData Drive. While providing the benefits of data redundancy, the Sync operation synchronizes the data on two or more hard drives, so you can work from multiple drives without the need to keep track of what files are on which drives.
Sync is one of the operations that can be launched via the PushButton. A more detailed explanation and instructions are
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