Akitio Taurus Mini Super-S User manual

Dual-Bay RAID Storage Enclosure
for two 2.5-inch Serial ATA Hard Drives
Taurus Mini Super-S
User Manual
September 13, 2010 – v1.0
www.akitio.com
EN
CH

Taurus Mini Super-S Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1Introduction ................................................................................................................................1
1.1 System Requirements..........................................................................................................1
1.1.1 PC Requirements.............................................................................................................1
1.1.2 Mac Requirements...........................................................................................................1
1.1.3 Supported Hard Drives ....................................................................................................1
1.2 Package Contents................................................................................................................1
1.3 About this Manual ................................................................................................................1
1.4 Trademarks ..........................................................................................................................1
1.5 Detailed View .......................................................................................................................2
1.5.1 Front View ........................................................................................................................2
1.5.2 Rear View.........................................................................................................................2
1.6 RAID Modes.........................................................................................................................3
1.6.1 RAID 0 - Disk Striping ......................................................................................................3
1.6.2 RAID 1 - Disk Mirroring ....................................................................................................3
1.6.3 Changing the RAID Mode................................................................................................3
2System Setup .............................................................................................................................4
2.1 Hard Drive Assembly ...........................................................................................................4
2.2 Replacing Hard Drives.........................................................................................................6
2.3 Connection to Computer......................................................................................................6
2.4 About Data Backup ..............................................................................................................6
3LCD Display ................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Main Menu............................................................................................................................7
3.2 System Information ..............................................................................................................7
3.3 HDD Information ..................................................................................................................8
3.4 Settings ................................................................................................................................8
3.4.1 >2TB Volume Mode .........................................................................................................9
3.4.2 RAID Mode Setup ..........................................................................................................10
3.4.3 Alarm Setup ...................................................................................................................11
3.4.4 Backlight Setup ..............................................................................................................12
3.5 Event Information...............................................................................................................13
4Appendix...................................................................................................................................14
4.1 Precautions ........................................................................................................................14
4.1.1 Power on/off precautions ...............................................................................................14
4.1.2 Location and placing precautions ..................................................................................14
4.1.3 Electricity and power plug..............................................................................................14
4.1.4 Cables ............................................................................................................................14
4.2 FAQ ....................................................................................................................................14

Taurus Mini Super-S Introduction
Page 1
1 Introduction
1.1 System Requirements
1.1.1 PC Requirements
•Minimum Intel Pentium III CPU 500MHz, 128MB RAM
•eSATA equipped PC; Windows XP/Vista/7
•FireWire 400/800 equipped PC; Windows XP/Vista/7
•USB 2.0 equipped PC; Windows XP/Vista/7
•Your hardware device must have the correct corresponding port (e.g. USB 2.0 host controller)
•Plug & Play support for eSATA host controller
1.1.2 Mac Requirements
•Minimum Apple G4 processor, 128MB RAM
•eSATA equipped Mac; Mac OS 10.4 or above
•FireWire 400/800 equipped Mac; Mac OS 10.2 or above
•USB 2.0 equipped Mac; Mac OS 10.2 or above
•Your hardware device must have the correct corresponding port (e.g. USB 2.0 host controller)
•Plug & Play support for eSATA host controller
1.1.3 Supported Hard Drives
•Two 2.5" SATA-I or SATA-II hard drives (1.5Gb/s or 3.0Gb/s)
•Height 9.5mm or 12.5mm
•20GB - 1TB per HDD
•Hard drives of identical capacities are recommended
Note
In order for the computer to access volumes larger than 2TB, both the hardware and OS need to
have the capacity to support large volumes (e.g.: WinVista 32bit/64bit or Mac OS 10.4 and above).
1.2 Package Contents
Package content may vary depending on vendor & version.
•Taurus Mini Super-S storage enclosure (hard drives not included)
•Power supply
•Interface cables
•User manual
1.3 About this Manual
Firmware, images and descriptions may vary slightly between this manual and the actual product
you have. Functions and features may change depending on the firmware version. Please read
your warranty carefully, as this may vary between different vendors!
1.4 Trademarks
•MS-DOS, Microsoft, Windows XP/Vista/7 are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
•Apple Macintosh and Mac are trademarks of Apple Computer.
•All other third party brands and names are the property of their respective owners.

Taurus Mini Super-S Introduction
Page 2
1.5 Detailed View
1.5.1 Front View
LED/Button
Status
•Green = Data access (read/write)
•
Red = Error or empty drive bay
•OFF = HDD status normal
•
Orange = Rebuilding data
Select
•
Select setup menu or mode
OK
•Confirm current option or enter setup menu
Note
HDD A indicates the drive at the bottom and HDD B indicates the drive on top.
1.5.2 Rear View
Icon/Label
Meaning
DC IN
Power receptacle
USB 2.0
USB 2.0 High Speed port
FW800
FireWire 800 port
eSATA
External SATA port
RAID
RAID mode is locked and cannot be changed
RAID
RAID mode can be set via LCD display

Taurus Mini Super-S Introduction
Page 3
1.6 RAID Modes
Hard drives of identical capacities are recommended. If the capacities are different, the total
amount of the space that can be used will depend on the drive with the smallest capacity. The
difference in performance is only visible for fast interfaces like eSATA.
1.6.1 RAID 0 - Disk Striping
The drives are shown as one large single volume but the total size will depend on the drive with the
smallest capacity. This setting is used where speed is the primary objective but RAID Level 0 (also
called striping) is not redundant. This form of array splits each piece of data across the drives in
segments; since data is written without any form of parity data-checking, it allows for the fastest
data transfer. On the downside, if one drive becomes damaged, the whole array can become
corrupted.
2 drives
1.6.2 RAID 1 - Disk Mirroring
Two drives show up as one volume but only 50% of the total capacity, depending on the drive with
the smallest capacity, can be used. RAID 1 creates an exact copy (or mirror) of a set of data on the
second drive. This is useful when reliability and backup take precedence over storage capacity.
Should one hard drive fail, it can be replaced and the data rebuilt automatically.
2 drives
1.6.3 Changing the RAID Mode
The RAID mode should be set after installing the drives and before first formatting the drives.
1. Make sure the power is off and then install the hard drives.
2. Unlock the RAID switch on the rear of the device.
3. Connect the power supply to the device and then plug it into the power outlet to turn the
device on.
4. Enter the setup menu and set your preferred RAID mode. The system will restart and ask
for confirmation.
5. Initialize the disk, create a partition and format the drives.
6. Lock the RAID switch to prevent an accidental change of the RAID mode.
Note
Changing the RAID mode requires you to re-format the drives. This will erase all data on the hard
drives that are being formatted. Make sure to backup all existing data first!
Important
In order for the computer to access volumes larger than 2TB, both the hardware and Operating
System need to have the capacity to support large volumes (e.g.: WinVista 32bit/64bit or Mac OS
10.4 and above).

Taurus Mini Super-S System Setup
Page 4
2 System Setup
2.1 Hard Drive Assembly
Your unit may come with pre-installed hard drives. Before opening such an enclosure, please read
the warranty from your vendor carefully, as this could void your warranty.
1. Remove the two hand-tightening screws at top rear of the device and then remove the
upper part of the rear panel.
2. Grab the HDD tray and pull it out of the case.
3. Align the hard drive with the HDD tray as illustrated below and mount it with two screws on
each side.
4. Repeat the previous two steps for the second HDD tray.

Taurus Mini Super-S System Setup
Page 5
5. Slide the HDD tray(s) back into the case and push it lightly into place.
6. Align the rear panel with the case and fasten the hand-tightening screws to finish the
assembly.
7. Turn on the power and use the LCD display to set your preferred RAID mode.
8. Connect the device to your computer. For PC users, use the disk management tool or for
Mac users, use the disk utility to create a new partition and format the drives.
9. Done! Your drive is now ready to use.
Note
This device is designed for two hard drives and does not work when only one HDD is installed.
Important
Upon initial start up of the device and when changing the RAID mode, any existing data on the
installed hard drives will be erased. Please make sure you backup all data prior to installing the
hard drives and prior to changing the RAID mode!

Taurus Mini Super-S System Setup
Page 6
2.2 Replacing Hard Drives
When a drive fails, the corresponding HDD LED will light up red. If only one drive is defective and
the RAID mode is set to RAID 1, the data can still be accessed, however, we strongly recommend
replacing the faulty drive immediately to assure continued proper backup and data safety.
If more than one drive fails at the same time or if the RAID mode is set to RAID 0, the data will be
lost and the system can not be accessed again until the drive(s) have been replaced.
1. Check the HDD LED. The corresponding LED will light up red, indicating the defective drive.
HDD A indicates the drive at the bottom and HDD B the drive on top.
2. Turn off the power by removing the power supply from the wall socket.
3. Open the enclosure and replace the faulty hard drive(s) with a new one.
4. Finish the assembly and re-connect the power supply.
5. For RAID 1, the RAID array will be rebuilt automatically. During this process, the Rebuild
LED will be flashing until all data is backed up. Rebuilding the RAID array will take several
hours, depending on the drive capacity.
6. For RAID 0, unlock the RAID switch, go to the RAID setup menu, select RAID 0 and
confirm the settings. After the system restart, simply format the drives.
Note
We recommend not turning off the power during the rebuild process but if the process is
interrupted, it will continue rebuilding the data as soon as the power is turned back on.
2.3 Connection to Computer
A few precautions and notes when using your external storage drive:
•Do not expose the product to water or humid conditions.
•Do not cover the enclosure’s ventilation holes.
•Before connecting the device, install the hard drives and set your preferred RAID mode.
•For the safe removal of your drive and to assure that no data is lost, always follow the correct
unplug procedure for external hardware (e.g.: Eject the drive before removal).
•In order for the computer to access volumes larger than 2TB, both the hardware and Operating
System need to have the capacity to support large volumes (e.g.: WinVista 32bit/64bit or Mac
OS 10.4 and above) or the >2TB option should be disabled.
•When the computer goes into stand-by mode, the external hard drives will spin down as well.
•Only one interface can be used at any given time.
2.4 About Data Backup
To protect your files and help prevent the loss of your data, we strongly recommend that you keep
two copies of your data, one copy on your Taurus Mini and a second copy either on your internal
drive or another storage media such as CD, DVD, Tape or an additional external drive.
Any loss or corruption of data while using the Taurus Mini is the sole responsibility of the user, and
under no circumstances will the manufacturer be held liable for compensation or the recovery of
this data.

Taurus Mini Super-S LCD Display
Page 7
3 LCD Display
To select a menu or change an option, use the [Select] button. To enter a menu and confirm a
change, use the [OK] button. For further details, follow the on-screen wizard or refer to the
following step by step descriptions.
3.1 Main Menu
Press the [Select] button to change between the different menus and press the [OK] button to
enter a menu.
1. The main screen displays the product name and the current RAID mode.
2. The system information will show further details about the configuration and the hardware.
3. The HDD information will show further details about the installed hard drives.
4. The settings menu offers options to change the device configuration.
3.2 System Information
Press the [Select] button until the system information menu is selected and then press the [OK]
button to start displaying further details about the device configuration and the hardware. It will
automatically cycle through the different information displaying each screen for about 8 seconds
and then return to the main screen. To fast forward, press the [Select] button.
1. The main screen of the system information menu.
2. The serial number is a combination of the 1394 vendor ID, the chip ID Hi and the chip ID Lo.
3. Displays the current firmware version of the Taurus Mini Super-S.
4. The I/O status shows the interface that is currently used for the connection to the computer.
5. Displays the current status of the >2TB and the alarm function.
6. Shows how the RAID mode was set (LCM = LCD display, AP = computer program) and the
total storage capacity.

Taurus Mini Super-S LCD Display
Page 8
3.3 HDD Information
Press the [Select] button until the HDD information menu is selected and then press the [OK]
button to start displaying further details about the installed hard drives. It will automatically cycle
through the different information displaying each screen for about 8 seconds and then return to the
main screen. To fast forward, press the [Select] button.
1. The main screen of the HDD information menu.
2. Displays the model number and serial number of the drive installed at HDD1.
3. Displays the total storage capacity and the temperature of the drive installed at HDD1.
4. Displays the model number and serial number of the drive installed at HDD2.
5. Displays the total storage capacity and the temperature of the drive installed at HDD2.
3.4 Settings
Press the [Select] button until the settings menu is selected and then press the [OK] button to enter
the configuration menu. You can now use the [Select] button to cycle through the different settings
and the [OK] button to further configure the device settings.
1. Option to enable or disable the support for large volumes in excess of 2TB.
2. Setup menu for the RAID settings.
3. Option to enable or disable the general alarm sound.
4. Setup menu to define how long the backlight for the LCD display stays lit.
5. To exit the settings menu and return to the main menu.

Taurus Mini Super-S LCD Display
Page 9
3.4.1 >2TB Volume Mode
In order for the computer to access volumes larger than 2TB, both the hardware and Operating
System need to have the capacity to support large volumes (e.g.: WinVista 32bit/64bit or Mac OS
10.4 and above) or the >2TB option should be disabled.
•[Enabled] Supports volumes in excess of 2TB. If the total storage capacity exceeds 2TB, older
Operating Systems will not be able to mount and access the drive.
•[Disabled] Only supports volumes up to 2TB. If the total storage capacity exceeds 2TB, the
remaining storage space can not be accessed but on the other hand, older Operating Systems
are still able to use the drive.
Press the [OK] button to enter the setup menu and press the [Select] button to cycle through the
different options.
•To exit the menu without changing any of the settings, press the [Select] button until you see
the Exit screen and then press the [OK] button.
•To change the setting, press the [Select] button to choose your preferred mode, press the [OK]
button to select it and then press the [OK] button again to confirm the change.

Taurus Mini Super-S LCD Display
Page 10
3.4.2 RAID Mode Setup
In order to set the RAID mode, make sure the RAID switch is in the unlocked position.
•[RAID 1] Confirm RAID 1 mirroring mode.
•[RAID 0->1] Change the mode from RAID 0 striping to RAID 1 mirroring.
•[RAID 0] Confirm RAID 0 striping mode.
•[RAID 1->0] Change the mode from RAID 1 mirroring to RAID 0 striping.
Press the [OK] button to enter the setup menu and press the [Select] button to cycle through the
different options.
•To exit the menu without changing any of the settings, press the [Select] button until you see
the Exit screen and then press the [OK] button.
•To change the setting, press the [Select] button to choose your preferred mode, press the [OK]
button to select it, press the [OK] button again to confirm the change and once more to
acknowledge that all data will be erased by this change. The device will restart automatically
and after start up, one more confirmation is required to set the new RAID mode.
Note
Changing the RAID mode requires you to re-format the drives. Make sure to backup all existing
data first!

Taurus Mini Super-S LCD Display
Page 11
3.4.3 Alarm Setup
The general alarm sound is the short beep you hear when starting up the system and it will also
sound when something is wrong. To enable or disable the alarm, select ON or OFF respectively.
•[ON] Beeper and alarm is enabled.
•[OFF] Beeper and alarm is disabled.
Press the [OK] button to enter the setup menu and press the [Select] button to cycle through the
different options.
•To exit the menu without changing any of the settings, press the [Select] button until you see
the Exit screen and then press the [OK] button.
•To change the setting, press the [Select] button to choose your preferred mode and then press
the [OK] button to confirm the change.

Taurus Mini Super-S LCD Display
Page 12
3.4.4 Backlight Setup
The backlight for the LCD display can be enabled, disabled or set so that it turns off automatically,
when the screen has been idle for a certain amount of time.
•[ON] Always ON.
•[OFF] Always OFF.
•[1min] Backlight turns off when the screen has been idle for more than one minute.
•[3min] Backlight turns off when the screen has been idle for more than three minutes.
•[5min] Backlight turns off when the screen has been idle for more than five minutes.
Press the [OK] button to enter the setup menu and press the [Select] button to cycle through the
different options.
•To exit the menu without changing any of the settings, press the [Select] button until you see
the Exit screen and then press the [OK] button.
•To change the setting, press the [Select] button to choose your preferred mode and then press
the [OK] button to confirm the change.

Taurus Mini Super-S LCD Display
Page 13
3.5 Event Information
In addition to the details about the hardware and device configuration, the LCD display will also
show certain event information. Following is a list of possible messages and their meanings.
•[HDD Error / Remaining 1xHDD]
When using RAID 0 and one of the drives fails, the alarm will go off and the display indicates
that only one good drive remains. Refer to the HDD LED’s in order to locate the defective drive.
•[RAID Warning / Degraded Array]
When using RAID 1 and one of the drives fails, the alarm will go off and the display shows this
message. Press the [OK] button to temporarily mute the alarm and use the HDD LED’s in order
to locate the defective drive.
•[XX Cable / Connected]
Shows which cable has been connected.
•[Cable / Disconnected]
Shows when the cable has been unplugged.
•[Rebuilding… / Hrs left xhxxmin]
Shows during the rebuild process of a RAID 1 array with an approximate time in hours and
minutes indicating how long it takes until the backup is done.
•[Detecting Disk / Starting…]
Shows during start up of the system.
•[XX / Starting …]
Shows during start up of the system.
•[RAID Mode Locked]
Shows when trying to change the RAID mode but the RAID switch is still in the locked position.

Taurus Mini Super-S Appendix
Page 14
4 Appendix
4.1 Precautions
4.1.1 Power on/off precautions
We highly recommended unplugging the device when not in use and when re-locating it.
4.1.2 Location and placing precautions
Avoid positioning your device in the following places:
•Locations with direct sunlight, next to radiators, other sources of heat.
•Locations with very high temperatures (more than 38°C) or humidity (more than 90%).
•Very dusty or sandy locations.
•Locations subject to vibration, shock, or with a sloping base.
4.1.3 Electricity and power plug
Careful attention must be paid to the following points in order to prevent damage, fire, and/or injury:
•When removing the power cable from the socket, pull on the plug fixture and never on the cord.
•Do not connect and remove the power cable with wet hands.
•Keep the power cable away from heaters.
•Never try to repair the power cable yourself or to modify it in any way.
•If the unit is dropped or becomes damaged in any other way, unplug the power cable.
•Always connect the power adapter to your device before you plug it into the power outlet.
4.1.4 Cables
Use only the cables supplied or recommended by your vendor in order to avoid the risk of
malfunction, electric shock, and/or possible interference to the device.
4.2 FAQ
Q: What file system should I choose to format my drive?
A: This will depend on how you want to use the drive but in general, we recommend:
•Windows XP/Vista/7 NTFS
•Mac OS X HFS+ (Mac OS Extended)
•Others FAT32 (single file size is limited to 4GB)
Q: How many drives can fail before I lose my data?
A: For RAID 0, any drive failure will result in the data being lost. For RAID 1, more than one drive
failure at the same time will mean the data can not be recovered anymore.
Q: Can I install only one hard drive?
A: No, the Taurus Mini Super-S requires two hard drives.
© Copyright 2010 by Akitio. All Rights Reserved
The information contained in this manual is believed to be accurate and reliable. Akitio assumes no responsibility for any
errors contained in this manual. Akitio reserves the right to make changes in the specifications and/or design of this
product without prior notice. The diagrams contained in this manual may also not fully represent the product that you are
using and are there for illustration purposes only. Akitio assumes no responsibility for any differences between the
product mentioned in this manual and the product you may have.

雙硬碟插槽 RAID 陣列外接盒
使用兩個 2.5 吋的 Serial ATA 硬碟
Taurus Mini Super-S
使用者說明書
2010 年9月13 號- v1.0
www.akitio.com.tw
EN
CH

Taurus Mini Super-S 目錄
目錄
1產品簡介.......................................................................................................................................1
1.1 系統需求 ...............................................................................................................................1
1.1.1 PC
系統需求 .....................................................................................................................1
1.1.2 Mac
系統需求 ...................................................................................................................1
1.1.3
支援的硬碟類型 ............................................................................................................1
1.2 包裝內容 ...............................................................................................................................1
1.3 關於本說明書........................................................................................................................1
1.4 商標 ......................................................................................................................................1
1.5 產品外觀 ...............................................................................................................................2
1.5.1
前方外觀 .......................................................................................................................2
1.5.2
後方外觀 .......................................................................................................................2
1.6 RAID 模式.............................................................................................................................3
1.6.1 RAID 0 –
磁碟分段 ...........................................................................................................3
1.6.2 RAID 1 –
磁碟鏡像 ...........................................................................................................3
1.6.3
設定 RAID 模式 ............................................................................................................3
2系統設定.......................................................................................................................................4
2.1 硬碟安裝 ...............................................................................................................................4
2.2 更換硬碟 ...............................................................................................................................6
2.3 對電腦的連線........................................................................................................................6
2.4 關於資料備份........................................................................................................................6
3LCD 顯示......................................................................................................................................7
3.1 主選單...................................................................................................................................7
3.2 系統資訊 ...............................................................................................................................7
3.3 硬碟資訊 ...............................................................................................................................8
3.4 設定 ......................................................................................................................................8
3.4.1 >2TB
支援模式 .................................................................................................................9
3.4.2 RAID
模式設定 ...............................................................................................................10
3.4.3
警示設定 .....................................................................................................................11
3.4.4
背光設定 .....................................................................................................................12
3.5 狀態資訊 .............................................................................................................................13
4附錄 ............................................................................................................................................14
4.1 提醒 ....................................................................................................................................14
4.1.1
電源 ............................................................................................................................14
4.1.2
放置環境 .....................................................................................................................14
4.1.3
電力供給 .....................................................................................................................14
4.1.4
線材 ............................................................................................................................14
4.2 FAQ ....................................................................................................................................14

Taurus Mini Super-S 產品簡介
第1 頁
1 產品簡介
1.1 系統需求
1.1.1 PC 系統需求
•Intel Pentium III CPU 500MHz, 128MB RAM 以上
•有支援 eSATA 的系統 （Windows XP/Vista/7）
•有支援 FireWire 400/800 的系統 （Windows XP/Vista/7）
•有支援 USB 2.0 的系統 （Windows XP/Vista/7）
•您的電腦必須要有對應的連接埠
•eSATA 的隨插即用支援
1.1.2 Mac 系統需求
•Apple G4 處理器, 128MB RAM 以上
•有支援 eSATA 的系統 （Mac OS 10.4 以上）
•有支援 FireWire 400/800 的系統 （Mac OS 10.2 以上）
•有支援 USB 2.0 的系統 （Mac OS 10.2 以上）
•您的電腦必須要有對應的連接埠
•eSATA 的隨插即用支援
1.1.3 支援的硬碟類型
•兩個 2.5" SATA-I 或SATA-II 硬碟 (傳輸速度 1.5Gb/s 或3.0Gb/s)
•硬碟厚度為 9.5mm 或12.5mm
•硬碟容量在 20GB - 1TB 之間 (建議使用兩顆相同容量的硬碟)
注意
為了使電腦可以存取容量為 2TB 以上的硬碟磁區，您必須使用有支援大容量硬碟的作業系統(例如
Windows Vista/7 或Mac OS 10.4 以上) 。
1.2 包裝內容
包裝內容可能會隨著版本和商家而有所不同
•Taurus Mini Super-S 外接盒 (不含硬碟)
•電源供應器, 資料傳輸線, 使用者說明書
1.3 關於本說明書
韌體版本、圖片以及說明敘述可能會與您所拿到的產品有所不同。不同的韌體版本可能會造成功能
和介面上的差異。請仔細閱讀保固說明，保固說明可能會依商家而有所不同。
1.4 商標
•MS-DOS, Microsoft, Windows XP/Vista/7 是Microsoft Corporation 的商標。
•Apple Macintosh 以及 Mac 是Apple Computer 的商標。
•所有第三方產品的商標和名稱是由它們的擁有者所有。

Taurus Mini Super-S 產品簡介
第2 頁
1.5 產品外觀
1.5.1 前方外觀
LED/按鈕
狀態
•綠色 = 資料存取中
•紅色 = 硬碟未放入或者硬碟錯誤
•熄滅 = 硬碟狀態正常
•
橘色 = 重建資料中
Select •
選擇設定選單或模式
OK •
確定目前選項，或者進入設定選單
注意
HDD A 為在下方的硬碟, HDD B 則是在上方的硬碟。
1.5.2 後方外觀
圖示/標籤
說明
DC IN
電源輸入孔
USB 2.0 USB 2.0 連接埠
FW800
FireWire 800 連接埠
eSATA
External SATA 連接埠
RAID
RAID 模式已經被鎖定
RAID
RAID 模式可以從前方面板的設定中修改