Acomdata PDHD1000USE-72 User manual

User's Guide

2
Getting started
6 Welcome
7 Precautions
8 Package contents
9 System requirements
9 Windows users
10 Mac users
Getting to know your AcomData Drive
12 pureDrive at a glance
13 pureDrive in-depth
13 Hi-Speed USB 2.0
14 eSATA (eSATA-equipped models)
15 Mac & PC ready
15 Hot-pluggable
15 Fanless design
16 Security lock slot
16 On-Off switch
17 Technical specifications
Installing your pureDrive
19 Installing the USB 2.0 driver
Contents

3
20 Drive setup
20 Placing the Drive on your desktop
21 Connecting the Drive
24 Re-naming your Drive
Using your AcomData Drive
26 How to unmount and turn off the Drive
26 Windows users
27 Mac users
28 Formatting the Drive
28 About formatting and file systems
30 Choosing a file system
31 Formatting the Drive in Windows Vista, XP or 2000
32 Formatting the Drive in Windows Me or 98SE
33 Formatting the Drive on a Mac
Help & other information
35 Maintaining your Drive
35 Defragmenting and optimizing a hard drive
35 Examining and repairing a hard drive
35 Protecting your data from malware
36 Cleaning the Drive case
37 Frequently asked questions
39 Troubleshooting
39 Troubleshooting for Windows users
42 Troubleshooting for Mac users

4
43 Obtaining service
44 Contact AcomData
45 Notices

Getting
started

6
Welcome, and thank you for choosing an
AcomData pureDrive.
Your pureDrive features high-quality
construction, advanced engineering,
and state-of-the-art data storage
technology, designed to provide years
of reliable, user-friendly performance.
This guide contains important information for the proper installation,
use, and care of your AcomData product. Please read it carefully and
retain it for future reference.
Symbols used in this guide:
Alerts the reAder to AwArning or to very impor-
tAnt informAtion.
indicAtes importAnt informAtion for windows
users.
indicAtes importAnt informAtion for mAc users.
indicAtes importAnt informAtion for usB users.
indicAtes importAnt informAtion for
esAtA users.
indicAtes Ahelpful tip or other informAtion
of interest.
Welcome

7
Please follow the precautions below. Failure to so do may result in
device damage, data loss, and voiding of the warranty.
• 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.
• If the device has a three-prong plug, never plug the device into
a two-prong outlet.
• 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.
Precautions

8
AC AdApter
QuiCkStArt
Guide
uSB CABle
Cd-rOM
ACOMdAtA puredrive
eSAtA CABle
(Supplied with eSAtA-
equipped modelS only)
StAnd
Package contents

9
Windows users
• Minimum 233 MHz processor (Pentium, Celeron, AMD, etc.)
• One of the following Windows operating systems:
- Windows Vista (Ultimate, Home Basic/Premium, Business)
- Windows XP with Service Pack 1 or later
(Home, Professional, Professional x64, Media Center Edition)
- Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or later
- Windows Me or 98SE
• A computer or hub with a free USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 port
OR a free eSATA port (eSATA-equipped models only)
IMPORTANT NOTES:
• To get Windows updates go to www.microsoft.com
• USB 1.1 ports limit interface transrer rates to up to 12 Mbps.
• Users of Windows 98SE and 2000 (SP3 or earlier):
You will need to install the supplied USB 2.0 driver. Instruc-
tions are provided in "Installing the USB 2.0 Driver."
System requirements

10
Mac users
• G3 (or later) or Intel processor
• Mac OS 10.2 or later
• A computer or hub with a free USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 port
OR a free eSATA port (eSATA-equipped models only)
IMPORTANT NOTES:
• USB 1.1 ports limit interface transfer rates to up to 12 Mbps.
• Mac OS 10.2 will not recognize FAT32/MD-DOS format-
ted hard disk volumes larger than 128 GB. For more
information, go to: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.
html?artnum=107483 .
There are several ways to deal with this issue:
1. If you don’t need Windows compatibility, you can re-format the Drive using the
Mac OS Extended file system;
2. You can partition the Drive so that no single 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 assembled 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 re-formatting is required.

Getting to
know your
AcomData
Drive

12
(ActuAl lAyouts of the BAck pAnels mAy not Be exActly As shown)
pureDrive at a glance usB2.0 model
usB2.0 model
usB2.0 / esAtA model
On-Off Switch
POwer POrt
USB POrt
eSAtA POrt
Activity LeD

13
Hi-Speed USB 2.0
USB 2.0 has a maximum interface transfer rate (ie bandwidth) of
480 Mbps (Megabits per second). That's 40 times faster than the
earlier standard, USB 1.1 (12 Mbps).
Performance in day-to-day use will depend on many factors,
including CPU utilization, file system overhead, and the structure
and number of files being transferred. Also, as with any data I/O
(input/output) technology, some bandwidth is taken up data
transmission protocols (this is called interface overhead). In day-to-
day use you can expect maximum, sustained transfer rates in the
mid-30s MB/s (Megabytes per second).
Interface transfer rates are expressed in bits per second (e.g.
Mbps – Megabits per second) because this is the truest way of
measuring raw interface performance. However, for the end user
it is more meaningful to express transfer rates in bytes per second
(e.g. MB/s – Megabytes per second) because computer files are measured
in bytes (kilobytes, megabytes, etc.).
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.
pureDrive in-depth

14
However, data transfer rates between two devices are limited by
the device with the slower interface. For example, if you plug a
USB 2.0 device into a USB 1.1 port on your computer, data transfer
rates between the computer and the deivce will be limited to USB
1.1 speeds.
USB uses a master-slave architecture. 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 one or more USB hubs.
eSATA (eSATA-equipped models)
Parallel ATA (PATA) technology served computers well for about
two decades. However, increasingly faster hard disk transfer rates
have forced the ATA interface specification to be continuously
updated in order to avoid becoming the limiting factor in disk I/O
performance.
SATA, a serial implementation of the ATA interface, was developed
by the Serial ATA International Organiztion in response to this need.
SATA's serial architecture can achieve faster data transfer rates than
PATA by overcoming a number of electrical signalling constraints
inherent in a parallel architecture. SATA can also be scaled to
accommodate increasing storage capacities and higher perfor-

15
mance demands.
The external implementation of SATA is called 'eSATA'. eSATA cables
and connectors are more robust than those used for internal SATA
hard disks and can sustain greater wear and tear.
Mac & PC ready
Your AcomData Drive was formatted at the factory with the FAT32
file system. Because FAT32 is supported on both Windows and
Mac, the Drive is compatible with both platforms right out of the
box. Although FAT32 will work fine in most cases, you may want
to consider re-formatting the Drive using one of the other file sys-
tems available with your OS. See “Formatting the Drive" for infor-
mation and instructions.
Hot-pluggable
You can connect/disconnect the Drive while your computer, and
the Drive itself, are running (i.e. "hot").
Fanless design
All hard drives generate heat during normal operation. However,
your AcomData Drive was engineered to dissipate heat so effi-

16
ciently that it doesn’t need a fan. The results are a sleeker, more
compact design, and near-silent operation.
Security lock slot
Deter would-be thieves by physically securing your Drive to your
desk (security lock not included).
On-Off switch
It's a simple thing, but it's powerful too. The on-off switch allows
you to save electricity by turning the Drive on only when you actu-
ally need to use it.
Always unmount the Drive or turn off your computer before you turn off
or disconnect the Drive. See “How to Unmount and Turn off the Drive” for
details.

17
Dimensions............................................................................................................ 4.4" X 1.26" X 7.4"
Interfaces................................................................................................................transfer rates (max.)
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 ..............................................................................................................480 Mbps
eSATA 1.5 Gbps....................................................................................................................150 MB/s
eSATA 3.0 Gbps....................................................................................................................300 MB/s
Spindle speed.......................................................................................................................... 7200 rpm
Cache (buffer) ...................... 16 MB (750 GB or larger models ); 8 MB (500 GB or smaller models)
Seek times .................................................................................................... Read: 11 ms; Write: 12 ms
Error rate (non-recoverable) .................................................................................< 1 in 1014 bits read
Spindle start (max)............................................................................................................................. 9 s
Start/Stop Cycles (@ 25°C)..........................................................................................................50 000
Chassis approved/recognized .............................................................................................................CE
External power supply:........................ AC input: 100–240 V, 50-60 Hz, 1.0 A; DC output: 12 V, 2 A
Ambient temperatire ........................................... Operating: 5 – 35 °C; Non-operating: -20 – 60 °C
Relative humidity (non-condensing)
.....................................................Operating: 5% – 95%, 33°C; Non-operating: 5% – 95%, 33°C
Technical specifications

Installing your
pureDrive

19
If you are using Windows 98SE or Windows 2000 (with Service Pack
3 or earlier) you need to install the USB 2.0 driver before connect-
ing the Drive to a USB 2.0 port. Follow the instructions below. All
other users can proceed to "Drive setup.."
1. Insert the CD into your computer's CD/DVD drive.
2. On the splash screen that appears, select "Install USB 2.0 Driver."
3. Follow the instructions in the InstallShield Wizard.
On the final screen of the InstallShield Wizard, you will be given the
option to restart your computer. (You must restart your computer in
order to make the software active.) Make sure the 'restart' option is
selected and click Finish. Do not remove the CD until after the com-
puter restarts.
4. After your computer restarts, you can remove the CD.
Installing the USB 2.0 driver

20
Placing the Drive on your desktop
The pureDrive can be placed on your desktop horizontally or
vertically using the supplied stand.
Place the Drive on a sturdy, flat surface. Do not place the Drive on an
unstable or makeshift base, such as a stack of books, that may be prone to
collapse or toppling.
To place the Drive vertically:
1. Place the stand at the
desired location on your
dektop.
2. Hold the Drive above the
stand, roughly centered
with it.
3. Push the Drive down onto
the stand as far as it will go.
Drive setup