WiebeTech ComboGB User Manual

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ComboGB™

USER’S MANUAL

Revised October 2, 2006

Thank you for purchasing WiebeTech’s ComboGB, your best choice for a full-featured, ultraportable drive. The ComboGB offers maximum connectivity, performance and ruggedness, all in a size that fits easily in your pocket. And because it comes with all the cables you'll need to plug in to nearly any computer, ComboGB is one of the most versatile portable drives on the market.

Features

• Maximum connectivity – The ComboGB provides

native ports for three connection types: FireWire 400, FireWire 800, and USB2. A total of five different cables and adapters are included.

• Plug and Play – The ComboGB works with any

modern operating system, including Mac OS 9.1, 9.2, OS X, Windows 2K, XP, and any distribution of Linux that supports FireWire or USB. No drivers are required.

• Fast Performance - FireWire 800 will outperform many

older desktop FireWire drives when configured with a 7200 RPM drive.

• Bus-Powered – Most FireWire ports and some USB ports provide enough juice to power the

ComboGB. The included USB power cord helps deliver additional power when bus power is insufficient. An optional AC adapter is also available.

• Attractive and durable – The ComboGB also features an attractive case - a perfect balance of

aluminum and synthetic materials. The textured finish makes for a sturdy enclosure that's easy to hold or pick up, while the brushed and embossed aluminum inset panel looks great. Its small size allows it to fit right in your pocket so you can take it anywhere.

Installation Instructions

1. Check the accessories with your ComboGB. Please contact WiebeTech if any items are missing or

damaged. The box should contain:

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ComboGB enclosure 1 FireWire 800 cable 1 FireWire 400 cable 1 FireWire 400 iLink adapter 1 USB2 cable 1 Screws (3x5mm) for drive 4 Screws (2x8mm) for enclosure 2 Rubber bumpers 5

Manual and Warranty information (on CD)

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2. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the parts of your new ComboGB. This will aid you in the

remaining steps.

Interface Connectors:

IEEE 1394B (FireWire 800)

A B IEEE 1394A (FireWire 400) C USB 2.0

LEDs:

• Green LED indicates the power

• Red LED indicates HDD activity

D 5V DC jack for USB power cable or optional AC adapter

3. Insert a 2.5” hard drive into the interface on the green circuit board. If you purchased your ComboGB

with a drive pre-installed and pre-configured, you may skip to step 8.

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4. Secure the drive in place using 4 included screws (3 x 5mm).

5. Place the circuit board into the bottom half of the case.

6. Insert the front part of the case top first then carefully close the case until it snaps shut.

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7. Secure the two halves together using 2 included screws (2 x 8mm).

8. Connect the data cable of your choice. The ComboGB can connect via FireWire 400, FireWire 800,

and USB 2.0. Plug one end of the appropriate cable into a port on the host computer, and the other end to the ComboGB. If the host provides sufficient bus power, the green LED will illuminate and the drive inside the ComboGB will spin up. Otherwise, you will also need to attach either the USB power cable or the optional AC adapter.

Using the USB power cord

If bus power alone is not able to power the ComboGB, plug the included USB power cord into a USB port of your computer. Plug the other end into the DC jack of your ComboGB. The power cord supplies DC 5V.

There is a pass-thru USB port on one connector. Some laptops will require the use of both connectors to supply sufficient power.

Note: If the ComboGB still cannot operate, your system may not supply enough power. You will need the optional AC power adapter (DC 5V/2A). This is available from WiebeTech with the product code PWR-2.

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Your ComboGB is now ready to use!

The red LED access indicator will light briefly after the drive spins up. This indicates that communication with the drive has been established. Thereafter, it will light whenever the drive is accessed. If the access LED does not blink shortly after drive spin up, it may indicate a problem with the drive or the ComboGB. The most common problem is insufficient power. Contact technical support for further assistance if necessary. If your hard drive is already formatted, you can begin using it right away. New hard drives will need to be formatted before they can be used.

Usage with Macintosh Computers

Compatibility

The ComboGB is fully plug-and-play under Mac OS 9.1, 9.2 and OS X. No drivers are needed. FireWire 800 ports are FireWire 400 host compatible (a FireWire 800-400 cable or adapter such as WiebeTech’s Cable-11 is necessary for use with FireWire 400 ports). The USB2 port is USB 1.1 compatible.

Mounting and Ejecting Volumes

If the hard drive installed in the ComboGB is already formatted, an icon representing the drive’s volume will appear (mount) on the desktop. You can begin using the volume right away. If the drive is unformatted, a message will appear on the desktop saying that the disk is unreadable. You can use OS X’s Disk Utility to easily format the drive.

Eject the volume before powering down the unit by dragging the volume’s icon to the trash bin, or by selecting the volume then pressing Command-E. Shutting down the unit without first ejecting the volume can result in data loss.

Booting from your ComboGB

Some Macs support booting from a FireWire device. To activate this feature, you must first install OS X on the external volume. The easiest way to do this is to clone an existing system drive using a utility such as Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper. Next, go to System Preferences Æ Startup Disk. A window will list the available bootable volumes. Select the volume from which you wish to boot. Another method is to hold down the Option key during boot up. A screen should appear that allows you to select the volume you wish to use. This is useful if you wish to boot from your ComboGB only some of the time.

Usage with Windows Operating System

Compatibility

The ComboGB is fully plug-and-play with Windows 2000 and XP. No drivers are needed on these operating systems. On systems running Windows 98SE or ME, the ComboGB is plug-and-play through FireWire. FireWire 800 ports are FireWire 400 host compatible (a FireWire 800-400 cable or adapter such as WiebeTech’s Cable-11 is

necessary for use with FireWire 400 ports). The USB2 port is USB 1.1 compatible.

Mounting and Ejecting Volumes

If the hard drive attached to the ComboGB is already formatted, you can begin using the volume right away. When the ComboGB is properly connected and turned on, a window may open to allow you access to the volume. If no window appears, you can find the volume by double-clicking the “My Computer” icon.

Eject the volume before powering down the unit by single-clicking the green arrow icon on the task bar, then selecting “Safely remove….” Windows will indicate when it is safe to disconnect the ComboGB. Shutting down the unit without first ejecting the volume can result in data loss.

Booting from your ComboGB

Some PC motherboards support booting from an external device. To activate this feature, you will need to adjust the

motherboard’s BIOS settings. Check with your motherboard’s manufacturer or owner’s manual for details.

(Windows XP)

(Windows 98SE, ME, 2K)

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Technical Specifications

Product Name & Code

ComboGB (CGB)

FireWire 800 port: up to 800 Mbps

Interface Types & Speeds

FireWire 400 port: up to 400 Mbps USB 2.0 port: up to 480 Mbps

Chipset

Compatibility

Oxford OXUF922 and TI TSB81BA3

Drive: 2.5” PATA (IDE) hard disk drives, 9.5mm. Supports PIO modes 0-4, DMA modes 0-2, and Ultra DMA modes 0-5.

FireWire 400: Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP, Mac OS 9.1, 9.2, OS X, Operating System Requirements

Linux distributions supporting FireWire

FireWire 800: Windows XP, Mac OS 10.2 or above

USB: Windows 2K, XP, Mac OS 9.1 or above (10.2 or above for USB 2.0 speed) Optional Power Supply

Operating Temperature

Operating Humidity

Certification

Shipping Weight

Dimensions

+5V, 1-2 Amp, available as an optional purchase. Product code: PWR-2.

Dimensions of barrel connector: 1.3mm x 3.5mm x 10mm

50 – 85° Fahrenheit (10 – 30° Celsius)

5% to 95%, noncondensing

FCC, CE

EMI Compatibility: FCC Part 15, Class B CE mark, Commercial 

2 pounds

5.4” x 3.2” x .8” (135mm L x 81mm W x 20mm H)

1-year limited warranty. See warranty statement for details and limitations.

Warranty

WiebeTech offers free phone support for 90 days after purchase (1-866-744-8722).

Email support is available at support@wiebetech.com.

ComboGB is a trademark of WiebeTech LLC. Other marks are the property of their respective owners.

FCC Compliance Statement. “This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.”

ComboGB

Tested to comply

with FCC standards

FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE

In the event that you experience Radio Frequency Interference, you should take the following steps to resolve the problem:

1) Ensure that the bottom plate and case of your attached drive is grounded, either to the ComboGB case or to an Earth ground.

2) Use a FireWire cable with RFI reducing ferrites on each end.

3) Use a power supply with an RFI reducing ferrite approximately 5 inches from the DC plug.

If you have any questions or problems, please contact support@wiebetech.com for technical support. If you are interested in purchasing more WiebeTech products, check our website or contact appreciate being able to serve you!

sales@wiebetech.com. We

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