Freecom 3.5 "" / USB 2.0 / ESATA, Hard Drive Pro User Manual

Rev. 620

MANUAL

HARD DRIVE PRO

EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE / 3.5 " / USB 2.0 / ESATA

WIN & MAc

Freecom Hard Drive Pro

Dear user!

Thank you for choosing the Freecom Hard Drive Pro external hard drive. For optimal use and performance we advise you to read this manual carefully before using this product.

Freecom Technologies • Germany

www.freecom.com

Contents of the box

Please check the contents of the box. The following items should be included:

• Freecom Hard Drive Pro

• power adaptor & power cord

• eSATA interface cable

• USB interface cable

• CD with manual, application software and safety manual

• Quick Install Guide

Warning !

All rights reserved. The products named in this manual are only used for identication purposes and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. This device was designed for home or oce use.

Warning! This device is equipment complying with EN55022 class B.

Freecom cannot be made liable for any damages, loss of data or damage following thereof

-whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business prots, business interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use this Freecom product, even if Freecom has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

We reserve the right to upgrade our products in keeping with technological advances.

User manual

General Information ............................................................................................................ page 4

Precautionary measures .................................................................................................... page 5

Freecom Hard Drive Pro external hard drive .............................................................. page 6

Chapter 1:

Installation of the Freecom Software (PC) ...................................................................page 7

Chapter 2:

Hardware installation ..........................................................................................................page 12

Chapter 3:

Driver installation ................................................................................................................ page 14

Chapter 4:

Daily use of the Freecom Hard Drive Pro

with Freecom Personal Media Suite software ...........................................................page 14

Chapter 5:

The User Interface of the Freecom Personal Media Suite (PC ) ............................ page 15

Chapter 6:

Using the Freecom Backup Software (PC) ...................................................................page 29

Chapter 7:

Partitioning your Freecom Hard Drive Pro (PC) ......................................................... page 41

Partitioning your Freecom Hard Drive Pro (Mac) ...................................................... page 49

Chapter 8:

Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................... page 50

Table of Contents

Freecom Hard Drive Pro

General Information

The following hardware and software requirements must be fullled to ensure troublefree operation.

System requirements

To use the Freecom Hard Drive Pro, you will require the following components:

PC:

• Intel/AMD CPU 700 MHz or higher

• 256 MB RAM or higher

• CD-ROM drive for installing software

• Available eSATA, USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 port*

• Internet connection for online warranty registration, driver/software updates and downloads

• Operating system: Windows 2000, Windows XP

Mac:

• Mac G3/G4/G5 or Power Book G3/G4 or higher with USB interface or eSATA

• 256 MB RAM or higher

• CD-ROM drive for installing software

• Available eSATA, USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 port*

• Internet connection for online warranty registration, driver/software updates and downloads

• Operating system: Mac OS X v10.1 or higher

* USB 2.0 is downwards compatible to USB 1.1.

General Information

Precautionary measures

To ensure that your Freecom Hard Drive Pro functions properly, please take note of the following precautions. If these are not followed, you may void your warranty and damage the Freecom Hard Drive Pro.

• Safely remove the Freecom Hard Drive Pro via your operating system (the "unplug or eject hardware" option in the Windows taskbar) before disconnecting the USB cable or power cable and before switching o the device. Failing to do so may result in data loss.

• Do not drop the Freecom Hard Drive Pro or expose it to other kinds of sudden me

chanical shocks as this may result in data loss and damage to the hard drive.

• Do not use the Freecom Hard Drive Pro when the ambient temperature is below 10°C or above 35°C.

• If the Freecom Hard Drive Pro is moved from a cool environment to a warmer envi

ronment, please allow the drive to acclimatize to the ambient temperature before operating the device. Failing to do so may lead to condensation within the drive enclosure, which in turn may cause the drive to malfunction.

• Do not place liquids or drinks on the Freecom Hard Drive Pro. When liquids are spilled and get in contact with the electronics within the drive enclosure, it will damage the drive and will cause the drive to malfunction.

• Do not use the Freecom Hard Drive Pro in a dusty environment. Dust inside the en

closure may damage the internal electronics and result in drive malfunction.

• Only use the power adapter that was supplied with the Freecom Hard Drive Pro.

• Opening the Freecom Hard Drive Pro will void the warranty.

• Since USB 2.0 is backwards compatible with USB 1.1, the Freecom Hard Drive Pro can be connected to all USB ports. When connected to a USB 1.1 port, however, the performance (data transfer rate) of the Freecom Hard Drive Pro will be much lower than when the drive is connected to a USB 2.0 port.

• When using the Freecom Personal Media Suite software, please be aware that all les in the SYNC folder on the Freecom Hard Drive Pro are linked to the original les on your PC or network. If you delete a le in the SYNC folder, its original will be deleted during the next synchronization, too! To avoid this, you have to ‘Split From Original’ the le prior to deleting it. Please refer to chapter 5 for further information on Freecom SYNC and Microsoft Briefcase.

Freecom Hard Drive Pro

Freecom Hard Drive Pro external hard drive

For your convenience, the Freecom Hard Drive Pro has been partitioned (1 partition) and pre-formatted (FAT32 le system). The FAT32 format ensures maximum interchangeability of the Freecom Hard Drive Pro between dierent computers. Should you choose to format the Freecom Hard Drive Pro in another le system (e.g. NTFS), please be aware of possible problems when connecting the Freecom Hard Drive Pro to another computer than the one you used for formatting.

The Freecom Hard Drive Pro features a super fast eSATA connection which allows transfer speeds up to 3GBit/s. For connectivity, a hi-speed USB 2.0 interface is added, allowing you to connect the Freecom Hard Drive Pro over USB whenever an eSATA connection is not available. The combination of having an eSATA and USB 2.0 interface on the Freecom Hard Drive Pro makes it ideally suitable for data-storage, le sharing, backup, archiving, audio and video playback and editing and all applications that need fast le access.

Recommended sequence of installation

1. Install Freecom Personal Media Suite Software. (PC)

2. Connect the interface cable and the power cable to the drive and plug the power supply unit into the socket. Plug the interface cable into the appropriate slot of your computer.

3. Switch on the Freecom Hard Drive Pro.

Please refer to chapters 1-5 for a detailed description of the hardware and software installation.

Installation of the Freecom software

Chapter 1: Installation of the Freecom software (PC)

Before you can use the Sync button on your Freecom Hard Drive Pro, you need to install the Freecom Personal Media Suite software rst.

Note: To use the functions of the Freecom Personal Media Suite described in this handbook, your Freecom Hard Drive Pro has to be connected to your PC.

The sync button will only work with certain eSATA host controllers when connected over eSATA. In some cases the sync button will not work when the device is connected via eSATA to the computer. This is related to a compatibility issue of the eSATA host controller. Should this be the case, the synchronization process can be initiated from the Freecom Personal Media Suite by clicking the “sync now” button. When connected over USB, the sync button works on all USB hosts that have the bundled Freecom Personal Media Suite installed.

1.1 Installation of the Freecom Personal Media Suite

1. Insert the Freecom Hard Drive Pro Software & Manual CD into your CD drive. The Freecom start menu opens:

In case the software does not open automatically, please click on "Start.exe" in the

main directory of the CD.

2. Click on "Software Installation" and then "Personal Media Suite". The installation of the Freecom Personal Media Suite starts now. Follow the instructions on the screen, conrm with "Next" in order to continue with the installation.

Freecom Hard Drive Pro

3. Please read the license agreement carefully. To accept the license agreement, conrm with "Yes". Note: Clicking on "No" ends the installation. Select the target folder and program folder in the start menu in which the Freecom Personal Media Suite symbol is to appear.

4. You can select a dierent target folder for the program les by selecting another folder on your hard drive.

Installation of the Freecom software

5. In the dialogue "Options" you can select whether to create a link to the Freecom Personal Media Suite Software on the desktop and whether the program should be started automatically when starting Windows. It is recommended to select both options for better operation of the Freecom Personal Media Suite.

6. Click on "Next" to start the installation. All necessary program les are now written on the hard drive of your computer.

7. In the last window, you will be asked whether you want to start Freecom Personal Media Suite now. It is recommended to select this option so that you can congure the software for your Freecom Hard Drive Pro. Please click on "Finish".

1.2 Deinstallation of the Freecom Personal Media Suite

In order to remove the Freecom Personal Media Suite from your computer, please proceed as follows:

1. In the "Start" menu, please click on "Program les" - "Freecom Personal Media Suite".

2. Select "Uninstall Freecom Personal Media Suite". The software is now removed from your computer.

Freecom Hard Drive Pro

1.3 Installation of the Freecom Backup Software

1. Insert the Software & Manual CD into your CD drive. The Freecom start menu opens.

In case the software does not open automatically, please click on "Start.exe" in the

root directory of the CD.

2. Click on "Software Installation" and then "Backup Software". The installation of the Freecom Backup Software is started then. Follow the instructions on the screen, conrm with "Next" in order to continue with the installation.

3. Please read the licensing agreement carefully. To accept the licensing agreement, conrm with "Yes". Note: Clicking on "No" ends the installation. Select the target folder and program folder in the start menu in which the Freecom Backup Software symbol is to appear.

4. You can select a dierent target folder for the program les by selecting another folder on your hard disk.

5. In the "Options" dialogue you can select whether to create a link to the Freecom Backup Software on the desktop and whether a symbol should by placed for the program in the Quick Launch bar. It is recommended to select both options for better operation of the Freecom Backup Software.

6. Click on "Next" to start the installation. All necessary program les are now written to the hard disk of your computer.

7. In the last window, you are asked if you want to start Freecom Backup Software now. If you want to create a backup of your data right away, click on "Finish". If you want to start the software later, then remove the check mark at "Start Freecom Backup Software" and then click on "Finish".

1.4 Uninstallation of the Freecom Backup Software

In order to remove the Freecom Backup Software from your computer, please proceed as follows:

1. In the "Start" menu go to "Settings" – "Control Panel" – "Software".

2. Select the "Freecom Backup Software" entry and then click on "Remove". Acknowledge that you really want to remove the software. The Freecom Backup Software is now removed from your computer.

Installation of the Freecom software

Freecom Hard Drive Pro

Chapter 2: Hardware Installation

Before connecting the cables make sure the Freecom Hard Drive Pro is switched o (See Chapter 2.2).

1. Connect the interface cable (USB or eSATA) to the Freecom Hard Drive Pro.

2. Connect the cable of the power supply to the Freecom Hard Drive Pro and the power supply itself to the socket.

3. Connect the interface cable to the interface port of your computer.

4. Switch on the Freecom Hard Drive Pro by pushing the power button located at the front of the device.

Note: Since USB 2.0 is backwards compatible with USB 1.1, the Freecom Hard Drive Pro can be connected to all USB ports. When connected to a USB 1.1 port, however, the performance (data transfer rate) of the Freecom Hard Drive Pro will be much lower than when the drive is connected to a USB 2.0 port.

For optimal performance, the Freecom Hard drive pro should be connected to an eSATA port.

2.1 Sync Button

The front panel of the Freecom Hard Drive Pro contains the Sync button.

2.2 Power Button

To turn on the Freecom Hard Drive Pro, push the power button located on the front panel of the device. Note that the device will only turn on if the following conditions are met: the device is powered by the power adapter; it is connected with the interface cable (eSATA / USB) to a computer; the computer is running.The Freecom Hard Drive Pro will turn o automatically when the computer it is connected to is turned o or when the interface or power cable is disconnected. On top of that the device can also be turned o manually by pressing and holding the power button for 3 consecutive seconds. The device can manually be turned on again by pressing the power button once, but only when the computer it is connected to is running.

Attention! ( only USB ) Before switching o the Freecom Hard Drive Pro manually, make sure to safely remove the Freecom Hard Drive Pro via your operating system (the „unplug or eject hardware“ option in the Windows taskbar). Failing to do so may result in loss of data.

Hardware Installation

Sync Button

Power Button

Freecom Hard Drive Pro

Chapter 3: Driver installation

Under Windows 2000 / XP and Mac OS X a separate Freecom driver is not required. The drivers will be installed automatically by the operating system after plugging in the Freecom Hard Drive Pro into the USB/eSATA port of the computer.

Chapter 4: Daily use of the Freecom Hard Drive Pro

The combination of having an eSATA and USB 2.0 interface on the Freecom Hard Drive Pro makes it ideally suitable for data-storage, le sharing, backup, archiving, audio and video playback and editing and all applications that need fast le access.

4.1 Daily use of the Freecom Hard Drive Pro with Freecom Personal Media Suite software (PC)

Creating a SYNC folder (PC)

After the installation of the Freecom Hard Drive Pro is nished, the Freecom SYNC folder will be created automatically when Freecom Personal Media Suite was installed before. If not, please refer to the paragraph "Creating a new SYNC folder" in Chapter "The User Interface of the Freecom Personal Media Suite".

Chapter 5: The User Interface of the Freecom Personal

Media Suite (PC)

1 Tabs for conguration of the Freecom Personal Media Suite components

- Secure & Compress

- Freecom SYNC

- Autorun

2 Minimizes Freecom Personal Media Suite in the taskbar

3 Input eld (also shows the selected folder)

4 User menu

5 Connected Freecom Hard Drive Pro (drive letter + available memory capacity)

6 Link to www.freecom.com. Click on this to access the Freecom homepage. Here you

can nd further information about your Freecom Hard Drive Pro.

7 Quick Help for Freecom Personal Media Suite

8 Minimizes Freecom Personal Media Suite in the system tray.

5.1 Conguration

To open the conguration menu, please right-click on the Freecom Personal Media Suite icon in the system tray and select "Conguration":

1. "Show splash screen": Deactivate this function to prevent the display of the start screen when starting the program.

2. "Start program on Windows start": Starts the Freecom Personal Media Suite in the background with every Windows start. You will know this by the icon of the Freecom Personal Media Suite in the system tray.

The User Interface of the Freecom Personal Media Suite

Freecom Hard Drive Pro

Important: We recommend to leave the function "Start program on Windows start" activated under all circumstances in order to be able to use all the functions of the Freecom Personal Media Suite (e.g. "Autorun", "SYNC on Freecom device plug-in")!

5.2 Autorun

The "Autorun" function enables you to open or start documents, les or programs automatically when your Freecom Hard Drive Pro is connected to your PC.

Automatically start, for example, the last document you were working on, MP3 play lists, your favourite lm and much more. These les do not have to be on your Freecom Hard Drive Pro for this.

5.2.1 Adding les / folders

1. Open the Freecom Personal Media Suite and select the "Autorun" tab.

2. Add les, folders and programs to the Autorun list by either clicking on "Add le" and selecting the corresponding le or by pulling the les into the Autorun list eld using drag&drop.

3. For folders, please select "Add folders" or pull a folder into the Autorun list eld using drag&drop.

4. Alternatively, you can create a new folder on your Freecom Hard Drive Pro using the "Add folder" function by clicking on "Create new folder", naming the folder and selecting it.

+ 35 hidden pages

Freecom 3.5 "" / USB 2.0 / ESATA, Hard Drive Pro User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual