Lacie BIG DISK, BIG DISK USB 2.0 User Manual

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

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LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0

User’s Manual

Table of Contents

Foreword 4 Precautions 6

1. Introduction 7

1.1. What Your LaCie Drive Can Do 7

2. Your LaCie Drive 8

2.1. Minimum System Requirements 8

2.2. Package Contents And Views Of The Drive 9

2.2.1. Package Contents 9

2.2.2. Views Of The Drive 10

2.3. USB 12

3. Installing Your LaCie Drive 13

3.1. Connecting The Power Supply 14

3.2. Connecting The Interface Cable 15

3.2.1. Mac Users 15

3.2.2. Windows Users 19

3.3. Installing Multiple Devices 21

3.4.. Disconnecting Your LaCie Drive 22

3.4.1. Mac Users 22

3.4.2. Windows Users 22

4. Using Your LaCie Drive 23

4.1. Formatting And Partitioning Your LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 24

4.1.1. Mac Users 24

4.1.2. Windows Users 26

5. Tech Tips 28

5.1. File System Formats 28

5.1.1. Mac Users 28

5.1.2. Windows Users 29

5.2. Available Storage Capacity 30

5.3. Optimizing Data Transfers 30

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0

Table of Contents

User’s Manual

5.3.1. Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Ports And Performance 31

5.3.2. Computer with only USB ports 31

6. USB Questions & Answers 32

7. Troubleshooting 34

7.1. Mac Users 35

7.2. Windows Users 38

8. Contacting Customer Support 41

9. Warranty 43 Glossary 44

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

Copyrights

Copyright © 2005 LaCie. 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 LaCie.

Trademarks

Apple, Mac, and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Microsoft, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition and Windows XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

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, LaCie assumes no liability resulting from errors or omissions in this document, or from the use of the information contained herein. LaCie 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.

FCC Statement:

Foreword

page 4

Caution!

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

NOTE: 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. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

Modifications not authorized by the manufacturer may void the user’s authority to operate this device.

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0

Tested To Comply With FCC standards

FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0

Foreword

User’s Manual

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Canada Compliance Statement

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

Manufacturer’s Declaration for CE Certification

We, LaCie, solemnly declare that this product conforms to the following European standards: Class B EN60950, EN55022, EN50082-1, EN61000-3-2 With reference to the following conditions:

73/23/EEC Low Voltage Directive 89/336/EEC EMC Directive

page 5

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

Precautions

page 6

Health And Safety Precautions

Only qualified persons are authorized to carry out maintenance on this device.

• Read this User's Guide carefully, and follow the correct procedure when setting up the device.

• Do not open your hard drive or attempt to disassemble or modify it. Never insert any metallic object into the drive to avoid any risk of electrical shock, fire, short-circuiting or dangerous emissions. Your hard drive contains no user-serviceable parts. If it appears to be malfunctioning, have it inspected by a qualified LaCie Technical Support representative.

• Never expose your device to rain, or use it near water, or in damp or wet conditions. Never place objects containing liquids on the drive, as they may spill into its openings. Doing so increases the risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting, fire or personal injury.

General Use Precautions:

• Do not expose the hard drive to temperatures outside the range of 5° C to 35° C (41° F to 95° F). Doing so may damage the drive or disfigure its casing. Avoid placing your drive near a source of heat or exposing it to sunlight (even through a window). Inversely, placing your drive in an environment that is too cold or humid may damage the unit.

• Always unplug the hard drive from the electrical outlet if there is a risk of lightning or if it will be unused for an extended period of time. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting or fire.

• Use only the power supply shipped with the device.

• Do not use the hard drive near other electrical appliances such as televisions, radios or speakers. Doing so may cause interference which will adversely affect the operation of the other products.

• Do not place the drive near sources of magnetic interference, such as computer displays, televisions or speakers. Magnetic interference can affect the operation and stability of your hard drive.

• Do not place heavy objects on top of the drive or use excessive force on it.

• Never use excessive force on your drive. If you detect a problem, consult the "Troubleshooting" section in this manual.

• Protect your hard drive from excessive exposure to dust during use or storage. Dust can build up inside the device, increasing the risk of damage or malfunction.

• Never use benzene, paint thinners, detergent or other chemical products to clean the outside of the drive. Such products will disfigure and discolor the casing. Instead, use a soft, dry cloth to wipe the device.

Caution!

The drive's warranty may be void as a result of the failure to respect the precautions listed above.

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

1. Introduction

page 7

1. Introduction

Thank you for the purchase of your new LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0! This hard drive system combines compatibility, convenience and a generous storage capacity to help you manage your data. Your LaCie external hard drive system is cross-platform, which enables you to use it on both Macs and PCs and you can customize the format and partitions of your LaCie drive to match your exact needs.

LaCie’s Hard Drive is ideally suited for a wide range of high-end, high-traffic environments, including:

• Workstations

• Audio/Video Editing

• Database Management

Engineered to fit seamlessly in to any work environment, the LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 can be stood vertically on the LaCie Drive Stand (included), placed in the LaCie Desk Rack (sold separately) or incorporated into standard 19” computer equipment racks with the LaCie Rackmount Kit (sold separately).

1.1. What Your LaCie Drive Can Do

• Back up your computers’ internal hard drive.

• Store and exchange data between several computers.

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

2. Your LaCie Drive

2.1. Minimum System Requirements

2. Your LaCie Drive

page 8

Mac Users

Hi-Speed USB 2.0

Hardware Requirements for USB:

• G3 or greater, with USB 2.0 or 1.1 interface card System Requirements for USB:

• OS 9.x and 10.x (Apple USB support 1.3.5 and greater)

Tech Note:

limited to USB 1.1 speed.

Mac OS 9.x and Mac OS 10.1 are

Windows Users

Hi-Speed USB 2.0

Hardware Requirements for USB:

• Pentium II or higher -compatible processor, with a USB 2.0 or 1.1 interface card

• 32MB RAM or greater System Requirements for USB:

• Windows 2000 and Windows XP

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

2.2. Package Contents and Views of the Drive

2.2.1. Package Contents

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 and Drive Stand kit

External power supply

Hi-Speed USB 2.0 cable

LaCie Storage Utilities CD-ROM

2. Your LaCie Drive

page 9

Important Info:

be returned in its original packaging.

Please keep your box. In the event that the drive should need to be repaired or serviced, it must

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

2.2.2. Views of the Drive

2.2.2.1. Front View

On/Off Button / Power LED /Activity LED

Push the button to power the drive on. The LED remains lit to show that the drive is on, and blinks to indicate drive activity.

2. Your LaCie Drive

page 10

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

2.2.2.2. Back View

2. Your LaCie Drive

page 11

Power Supply Connector - This is where you plug in the AC adapter supplied with the drive. See section

3.1. Connecting The Power Supply

Ventilation Outlet - These holes help to keep your drive cool during operation. Be sure not to block these openings

when using your drive. Rackmount Grooves - These grooves are used for mounting the drive in the Desk Rack kit (sold separately) or placing

your drive in standard 19” computer equipment racks using the LaCie Rackmount Kit (sold separately). Serial Number Sticker - This is where you will find your LaCie drive's serial number. Write down the serial number

and keep it in a safe place, because you will need to provide the number in the event you have to call LaCie Technical Support for any reason in regards to the drive’s performance. The serial number would also come in handy if your drive is lost or stolen.

Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Port - This is where you plug in the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 cable furnished with the drive. See section

3.2. Connecting the Inter

for more information.

face Cable for more information.

Lock Slot - This slot is used to connect an anti-theft system, such as the LaCie Security Lock, for maximum protection.

Refer to your anti-theft system documentation for details on how to connect the lock.

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

2. Your LaCie Drive

page 12

2.3. USB

USB is a serial input/output technology for connecting peripheral devices to a computer or to each other. Hi-Speed USB 2.0 is the latest implementation of this standard, and it provides the necessary bandwidth and data transfer rates to support highspeed devices such as hard drives, CD/DVD drives and digital cameras.

Benefits of the USB standard include:

• Backwards compatibility: Hi-Speed USB 2.0 works with the original USB specifications.

• Hot-swappable: no need to shut down or restart your computer when adding or removing devices.

Please see USB Questions And Answers

USB Icons

These icons will help you easily identify the USB interfaces. They appear on USB cables and next to the USB port connectors on certain computers.

USB 1.1 icon USB 2.0 icon

USB Cables

Your LaCie drive is shipped with a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 cable, to ensure maximum data transfer performance when connected to a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port. The cable will also work when connected to a USB port, but drive performance will be limited to USB 1.1 transfer rates.

for a more detailed discussion of USB’s uses and capabilities.

Hi-Speed USB 2.0 2.0 cable: Connects USB devices to USB ports.

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

3. Installing Your LaCie Drive

page 13

3. Installing Your LaCie Drive

Getting your LaCie drive installed and connected is very simple; essentially there are two steps: 1) connect the power supply to the drive and to an outlet, and 2) connecting an interface cable to the drive and to your computer.

To get started, go to section 3.1. Connecting The Power Supply

Caution!

important location consideration precautions to keep in mind when setting up your drive. Make sure to place your drive in a well ventilated space, do not block the ventilation outlet on the back of the drive and keep the area in front of the drive unobstructed to allow for proper airflow. If you will be stacking or racking your drive, please follow these considerations:

• When stacking drives, place no more than three drives on top of each other.

• When stacking drives, make sure and adhere the rubber feet to the bottom of the drives.

• When racking drives in the LaCie Desk Rack (sold separately), place no more than three drives in the rack.

• When racking in 19” equipment racks, only rack the equipment in a regulated, air-conditioned room, keep cables and other obstructions away from the rear of the drive and do not place more than three drives on top of each other.

The LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 utilizes the aluminum alloy casing to help dissipate heat. There are

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

3.1. Connecting the Power Supply

3. Installing Your LaCie Drive

page 14

Power Supply brick

Connect Cable A to your LaCie Drive.

Connect Cable B to the Power Supply brick.

Connect Cable B to a surge protector or wall outlet.

You are now ready to connect the interface cable to your drive and to your computer.

Caution!

•Only use the AC adapter supplied with your specific LaCie drive. Do not use a power supply from another LaCie drive or another manufacturer. Using any other power cable or power supply may cause damage to the device and void your warranty.

•Always remove the AC adapter before transporting your LaCie drive. Failure to remove the adapter may result in damage to your drive and will void your warranty.

Tech Note:

• Your LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 comes with an autoswitching power supply. This means that if the drive is connected to a USB connector on your computer, when you turn on the computer, the LaCie drive will turn on automatically. Likewise, when you turn off your computer, your LaCie drive will turn off automatically. To turn the drive off, simply push the blue On/Off button on the front of the drive. Do not turn the drive off, though, when it is reading or writing information!

• The LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 also manages power consumption. If the system’s power save feature supports it, the drive will spin down during the power save mode. After the system comes of out of power save, the drive will take a few seconds to spin up to full power before it can be accessed.

• You may use your LaCie drive when in a foreign country, thanks to its autoswitching 100-240 Volt power supply. To be able to use this feature, you may need to purchase an appropriate adapter or cord. Consult LaCie Technical Support for assistance in choosing the right adapter. LaCie accepts no responsibility for any damage to the drive resulting from the use of an inappropriate adapter. Using an adapter other than one authorized by LaCie will void your warranty.

Step 2)

There are two cables that are supplied with the power supply: one cable (A) connects to the LaCie drive; and the other cable (B) connects to a power outlet, such as a wall outlet or a surge protector.

LaCie Big Disk USB 2.0 User’s Manual

3. Installing Your LaCie Drive

page 15

3.2. Connecting the Interface Cable

The installation steps below follow the connectivity options for a Hi-Speed USB 2.0, depending on your operating system.

Important Info:

Windows Users! Move to section 3.2.2. Windows Users to view installation steps for the Windows OS.

3.2.1. Mac Users

These installation steps are separated by interface and Mac OS. To view the installation steps of the interface you plan on using, click on the appropriate operating system and interface:

Mac OS 10.x – Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Mac OS 9.x – USB

Tech Note:

recommended that you re-format the drive to the MS-DOS (also known as FAT 32) File System format. Please see section 5.1. File System Formats

If you will be using your LaCie drive in a cross-platform (Mac/Windows) environment, it is

for more information.

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