Partitioning / Formatting Hard Disks
• In Windows XP/Vista or Windows 7, partitioning and formatting are very easy to perform from your compu-
ter's Control Panel (in the Computer Management).
• After partitioning, the newly created partition has to be formatted (fast formatting is suffi cient; „normal"
formatting may take a long time to complete, depending on the size of the hard disk).
Make sure when partitioning and formatting that the correct hard disk is selected!
Fan Control
There is a fan built into the top of the storage box, which keeps inserted hard disks cool.
Therefore, in order to avoid overheating, never place objects on the storage box. Never block the
fan!
The fan speed can be regulated; the appropriate knob for this is on the back of the storage box between the
power supply socket and the USB 3.0 port.
☞
The more hard disks you have installed, the higher the fan speed that must be chosen,
in order to ensure suffi cient cooling.
Handling
• Only use in dry indoor locations. The product must not get damp or wet! There is a risk of a
life-threatening electric shock!
• Never use the product immediately after it has been taken from a cold room to a warm one.
The condensation that forms might damage your unit. The wall plug transformer also poses a
risk for a potentially fatal electric shock!
Allow the product to reach room temperature, before connecting it to the power supply and
putting it into use. This may take several hours.
• Avoid the following adverse conditions at the installation location and during transportation:
- Excessive humidity or damp
- Extreme cold or heat, direct sunlight
- Dust or fl ammable gases, fumes or solvents
- Strong vibrations, impacts or blows,
- Strong magnetic fi elds such as those found in the vicinity of machinery or loudspeakers
• Any maintenance or repair work may only be carried out by authorised personnel.
• When setting up the product, make sure that the cables are neither kinked nor pinched.
• Do not move the product with a hard drive installed, when the latter is in use. Movement during
operation may cause the write/read heads in the hard drive to make contact with the magnetic
disk. This may not only lead to data loss but may also damage the hard drive! The same ap-
plies to about 30 seconds after the storage box has been switched off, until the magnetic disks
in the hard disks have come to a standstill.
Cleaning
Before cleaning the device, disconnect it from the power supply. Use a clean, dry, soft cloth for cleaning.
Do not use aggressive cleaning agents as these can cause discolouration.
Do not press too strongly on the surface when cleaning, to prevent scratch marks.
Dust can easily be removed using a clean, long-haired brush and a vacuum cleaner.
Tips & Notes
a) USB 3.0
• USB 3.0 devices are backwards compatible. This means that the storage box with hard disks installed will
also function with standard USB 2.0 or slower USB 1.1 ports - but then, only at the maximum USB 2.0 or
USB 1.1. speed.
• Depending on the hard disk in your computer, and the hard disks installed in the enclosure, as well as the
USB 3.0 controller used, USB 3.0 supports speeds that may exceed 100MByte/s!
• To connect the hard drive enclosure to a USB 3.0 port on your computer, you must use a USB 3.0 cable
(e.g. the one enclosed).
If you use a conventional USB 2.0/1.1 cable, only the max. speed supported by USB 2.0/1.1 can be
achieved and not the transmission speed supported by the USB 3.0 cable.
• If you want to connect the hard drive enclosure via a USB hub, the latter must also support the USB 3.0
transfer mode in order to achieve the maximum speed.
Because there are different chip sets used in USB 3.0-Hubs, it can sometimes possible that the storage
box will not be recognised. In this case, connect the storage box directly to a USB 3.0 port on your com-
puter or use a different USB 3.0 hub.
b) eSATA
• As described in the section „Connection and Getting Started", the SATA controller you use must support
the „Port Multiply" function. This is necessary for the connection and recognition of more than one hard
disk via a single eSATA cable.
If the SATA controller does not have this facility, only one of the disks that have been inserted into the
storage box will be recognised.
If this happens, then instead of using the eSATA connection to connect the storage box, use the USB 3.0
port and the enclosed USB 3.0 cable.
• If a hard disk is to be inserted or removed while the system is running, the SATA controller must have a hot
swap facility. This is also necessary if the storage box is switched on or off when the computer is already
running.
Failure to observe this instruction can lead to the loss of data!
c) General
• Each hard disk is recognised individually, the storage box does not contain a RAID controller. Therefore,
the storage box works like four individual USB/eSATA hard disk enclosures.
• The hard disk LEDs 1-4, on the front of the storage box ,light up when a disk is present and fl ash during
read/write activity.
• USB devices can be plugged in and unplugged during operation.
You should, however, take into account that data may be corrupted or the operating system may crash if
the connection cable (or hard disk) is removed while data is being transferred or while program fi les are
open.
In Windows, an arrow symbol is displayed in the menu bar when the hard disk (or other USB devices) is
in use. Click this arrow symbol to „separate" the device, i.e. to terminate data transmission, so you can
disconnect the connection cable without risking the loss of data.
When using eSATA, inserting /removing hard disks while the system is running can lead to problems and
the loss of data (see above under b).
If it is essential for you to unplug the connection between storage box and computer while the
system is running (or to change the hard disk),we recommend operation via USB.
Operation via eSATA must be fully tested before recording important data on the hard disks as
many things may cause a malfunction. As described, the SATA controller and the driver you use
must support „Port Multiply" and „Hot Swap" !
• For operation with hard disks that are >2TB, Windows Vista or Windows 7 are required.
• The storage box goes into energy-saving mode automatically when the PC is shut down (Power-LED stays
on; HDD-LEDs are off). Depending on the motherboard or the operating system, this also occurs when the
PC goes to Sleep or Powersave mode.
Disposal
Dispose of an unserviceable product in accordance with the relevant statutory regulations.
Technical Data
a) Storage Box
Operating voltage .................................12 V/DC
Connection ...........................................USB 3.0 (compatible with USB 2.0/1.1) or eSATA
Suitable hard disks for installation ........SATA, 8.89 cm/3.5"
Number of hard disks ...........................1 to 4
Hard disk size .......................................max. 3TB (per hard disk)
Dimensions (H x W x D) .......................181 x 170 x 207 mm
Weight ..................................................1465 g (without hard disks)
b) Mains adapter
Operating voltage .................................100 - 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz
Output ...................................................12 V/DC, 5.42 A
These operating instructions are a publication by Conrad Electronic SE, Klaus-Conrad-Str. 1,
D-92240 Hirschau (www.conrad.com).
All rights including translation reserved. Reproduction by any method, e.g. photocopy, microfi lming,
or the capture in electronic data processing systems require the prior written approval by the editor.
Reprinting, also in part, is prohibited.
These operating instructions represent the technical status at the time of printing. Changes in
technology and equipment reserved.
© Copyright 2012 by Conrad Electronic SE.