ioSafe Duo User manual

ioSafe®Duo
Fireproof and Waterproof RAID Storage Device
User Manual

ioSafe Duo User Manual2
Table of Contents
1 General Information 3
1.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 Activate Warranty and Data Recovery Service Protection . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Package Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 ioSafe Duo at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.5 LED Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.6 Warnings and Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2 Hardware Setup 8
2.1 Drive Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.1.1 Tools and Parts for Drive Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.1.2 SATA Drive Installation or Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2 Connecting the ioSafe Duo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
USB Type-C Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
USB Type-C to A Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.3 RAID Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.3.1 Introduction to RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.3.2 Selecting the RAID Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.4 Connect Additional USB Peripherals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3 Usage with Windows and Mac Operating Systems 19
3.1 Usage with Windows Operating Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.1.1 Accessing or Disconnecting the ioSafe Duo in Windows . . . . . 19
3.1.2 Formatting the ioSafe Duo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.2 Usage with macOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.2.1 Accessing or Disconnecting the ioSafe Duo in macOS . . . . . . 22
3.2.1 Formatting the ioSafe Duo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.2.3 Create a Boot Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4 Securing the ioSafe Duo 25
5 Hardware Maintenance 26
5.1 Verify RAID Creation in Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.2 Replace a Failed Drive in a RAID 1 Array. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
5.3 Drive Rotation as Part of a Backup Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
5.4 Replace System Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
6 Troubleshooting 33
My ioSafe Duo will not show up on my Windows computer and causes it
to make repeating disconnection sounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
7 Product Support 37
7.1 Activate Data Recovery Service Protection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
7.2 ioSafe No-Hassle Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
7.3 Data Recovery Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
7.4 Contact Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Appendix: Technical Specifications 39

ioSafe Duo User Manual 3
1 General Information
1.1 Introduction
Congratulations on the purchase of your fireproof and waterproof ioSafe Duo! The Duo is
ideal for making sure your data is fully protected—from fire, water (floods and plumbing
breaks, for example), and even hard drive failure. The ioSafe Duo contains two hard drives
that are configured so that two copies of your work are automatically created.
This User Manual will show you how to properly set up an ioSafe Duo, from installing your
own drives, to customizing your RAID configuration, to using it with Windows and macOS oper-
ating systems. You will also learn how replace a failed drive, the unit’s system fan, and verify
a RAID array using Windows.
1.2 Activate Warranty and Data Recovery Service Protection
Please make sure you register your product to ensure you receive notices of product updates
and are fully protected by our hardware warranty and Data Recovery Service (if applicable).
Register your product to activate your Data Recovery Service protection plan and warranty by
visiting iosafe.com/activate.

ioSafe Duo User Manual4
1.3 Package Contents
Check the package contents to verify that you have received the items below. Please contact
ioSafe if any items are missing or damaged.
ioSafe Duo Qty. 1
USB Type C Cable Qty. 1 USB Type A to C Cable Qty. 1
Power Brick Qty. 1 Power Cable** Qty. 1
Hex Tool Qty. 1 Magnet Qty. 1
Drive Screws* Qty. 9 RAID Jumper Qty. 1
*Only included with unpopulated units
**Power cable is localized to the region you purchased your product for, whether North America, European Union/United Kingdom, or
Australia. European Union and United Kingdom units are packaged with two power cables, one for each region.

ioSafe Duo User Manual
1.4 ioSafe Duo at a Glance
5
USB Type-A
Peripheral Port
Drive
Status
Indictators
Power
Button
Kensington®
Lock Slot
USB
Type-C Port
System Fan
Front
Rear
Power Connector
USB Type-C
Peripheral Port
RAID Jumper
Pin Cover

ioSafe Duo User Manual6
1.5 LED Behavior
This table describes the behavior of the LEDs on the front of the ioSafe Duo. Note that a “RAID
array” is how the two hard drives inside the ioSafe Duo are linked together. One of the ways
they can be linked together is as a RAID 1, which automatically ensures that an exact copy of
your data is always available in case one of the hard drives in the ioSafe Duo dies. Other RAID
modes are available. To use them, see Section 2.3.
LED Name Color State Description
Disk Activity
LEDs #1-2
Green
Solid The corresponding drive bay is powered on.
Slow
Blinking The corresponding drive is being accessed.
Amber
Solid Both LEDs are solid amber when the internal temperature of the ioSafe Duo is over 131° F/55° C. Ensure the unit is being
stored in a properly ventilated area.
Slow
Blinking
Indicates that the correspending drive is being accessed while
the internal temperature of the ioSafe Duo is over 131° F/55° C.
Ensure the unit is being stored in a properly ventilated area.
Red
Slow
Blinking Indicates a drive failure or disconnection of the corresponding drive.
Fast
Flickering The RAID 1 array is being rebuilt. The disk with the red LED is the disk that is being overwritten.
Power LED
Blue
Off The unit is powered off.
Solid The unit is powered on.
Blinking A RAID array is being created.
Red
Solid Indicates a fan failure. Please contact Technical Support to
obtain a replacement fan (see Section 7).
Blinking A RAID array is being created at the same time a fan has failed. Please contact Technical Support to obtain a replacement fan
(see Section 7).
1.6 Warnings and Notices
Please read the following before using the product.
General
• If a hard drive inside the ioSafe Duo ever fails, do not replace it without consulting
Section 5.2 in this manual first. We’ve made the drive replacement procedure very
easy to follow, but if you don’t follow it you might accidentally erase your data!
• The circuit boards within the product are susceptible to static electricity. Proper
grounding is strongly recommended to prevent electrical damage to the product or
other connected devices, including the computer host. Avoid all dramatic movement,
tapping on the unit, and vibration.

ioSafe Duo User Manual
• Avoid placing the drive carrier close to magnetic devices or high voltage devices.
• Before starting any type of hardware installation, please ensure that all power
switches have been turned off and all power cords have been disconnected to pre-
vent personal injury and damage to the hardware.
• To avoid overheating, the ioSafe Duo should be operated in a well-ventilated area.
RAID
• Use only drives that are in perfect condition. Avoid using drives that have ever devel-
oped bad sectors during previous use. This could lead to possible device failure or
loss of data.
• The ioSafe Duo supports SATA drives of various specifications and different capaci-
ties. However, we recommend using drives of the same brand and type for optimal
performance that have been qualified by ioSafe. To view a list of qualified drives,
please visit iosafe.com.
• If drives of different capacities are used in a RAID 1, the capacity of the smallest drive
will determine how much of each drive is used. The additional capacity on the larger
drive will not be used by the RAID.
• Always back up data before switching RAID types. Switching RAID types will destroy
current data. You must reformat your drives afterwards.
About USB
• Actual connection performance depends on many factors including: CPU, file system
overhead, number of attached devices and more. Given these and other factors, in
day-to-day use you can expect maximum, sustained transfer rates to be less than
the theoretical rates maximum rates possible with the connection.
• USB 3.2 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and USB 3.1 host computers.
• The cables supplied with your system have been optimized for performance. Longer
cables or third-party cables may not work or only work intermittently.
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ioSafe Duo User Manual
2 Hardware Setup
2.1 Drive Installation
If you purchased an ioSafe Duo with pre-installed drives, skip this section and continue on to
Section 2.2.
2.1.1 Tools and Parts for Drive Installation
• Phillips screwdriver
• Hex tool (included)
• At least one 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch SATA hard drive or solid state drive (SSD). Please visit
iosafe.com for a list of qualified drive models.
Using drives with previously existing data on them in a new RAID or SPAN array will cause the
previously existing data to be erased. Please back up your data before beginning this operation.
However, if you are using the ioSafe Duo in JBOD mode, the previously existing data will not be
erased. See Section 2.3 for an introduction to the RAID and non-RAID modes that the ioSafe Duo
supports.
2.1.2 SATA Drive Installation or Removal
a. Use the included hex tool to remove the screws on the top and bottom of the front
cover. Then remove the front cover.
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ioSafe Duo User Manual
b. Remove the waterproof drive cover with the 3mm hex tool.
c. Remove the drive trays with the hex tool.
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ioSafe Duo User Manual
d. If you are removing a previously installed hard drive(s), remove the drive(s) from the
drive tray by removing the four (4) drive screws holding it into the tray with a Phillips
screwdriver.
Otherwise, skip this step.
e. Install a compatible drive into each drive tray using the supplied four (4) drive screws
and a Phillips screwdriver. Please visit iosafe.com for a list of qualified drive models.
Since you’ll likely be using this as part of a RAID array, ioSafe recommends that both installed
drives should have the same capacity.
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ioSafe Duo User Manual
f. Insert each loaded drive tray into an empty drive bay, ensuring that each one is
pushed in all the way. Then tighten the screws using the hex tool.
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ioSafe Duo User Manual12
g. Replace the waterproof drive cover and securely tighten it using the hex tool.
Avoid using tools other than the supplied hex tool to secure the waterproof drive cover as you
could under-tighten or break the screw. The hex tool has been designed to flex slightly when
the screw is sufficiently tight and the waterproof gasket is properly compressed.

ioSafe Duo User Manual 13
h. Install the front cover to finish installation and protect the drives from fire.
i. You may optionally use the round magnet provided to attach and store the hex tool
on the back of the unit.

ioSafe Duo User Manual
2.2 Connecting the ioSafe Duo
a. Connect the ioSafe Duo to your computer using one of the provided USB cables.
USB Type-C Cable
For the fastest performance, connect
the Duo to a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
port on your computer.
USB Type-C to A Cable
The Duo also runs on USB 3.x and
2.0 Type-A ports.
The cables that come in the box have been optimized for performance. Longer cables or third-
party cables may not work or only work intermittently.
14
USB Type-A
Connector
USB Type-C
Connector

ioSafe Duo User Manual
b. Connect the Duo to power using the provided power cord.
If you purchased the ioSafe Duo without pre-installed drives, or if you plan to use a different
RAID mode other than RAID 1, do not turn on the power yet. Continue to Section 2.3 instead.
c. Press the power button on the front to turn on the unit.
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ioSafe Duo User Manual
2.3 RAID Configuration
If you purchased the ioSafe Duo with pre-installed drives and you intend to use the default
RAID 1 mode, skip this section.
2.3.1 Introduction to RAID
A RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is an array of multiple data drives that
are combined in a way that provides faster performance or data safety. The ioSafe Duo is
capable of several RAID and RAID-like modes. Choose your preferred mode based on fac-
tors such as disk capacity, desired data safety, and desired performance.
ioSafe recommends that you use this product as a RAID 1 device. RAID 1 automatically maintains
an exact copy of all data stored on the Duo and protects you against the loss of a single drive. If
you purchased an ioSafe Duo with pre-installed drives, no additional steps are necessary to do
use it in this mode. The Duo works as a RAID 1 device right out of the box.
Supported RAID Modes
Mode Description Required No.
of Drives
RAID 0 All drives are combined into one single volume and benefit from increased read and write speeds at the cost of a higher risk of failure.
If one drive fails, the data on all drives is destroyed. 2
RAID 1 Known as mirroring. All data is replicated on two separate disks, so
only half of the combined disk capacity is available for data storage. 2
Supported RAID-Like Modes
Mode Description Required No.
of Drives
JBOD All drives are treated as individual volumes and will appear as sepa-
rate volumes in your operating system. 1
SPAN All drives are combined into one single volume at the cost of a higher risk of failure. It does not benefit from the same speed advantages
that RAID 0 does. If one drive fails, the data on all drives is destroyed. 2
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ioSafe Duo User Manual
2.3.2 Selecting the RAID Mode
a. Power off the ioSafe Duo.
b. Peel away the RAID Jumper Pin Cover sticker located on the rear of the ioSafe
Duo.
c. Insert the included jumper onto the appropriate jumper pins according to your
desired RAID mode, which is indicated on the legend above the jumper pins.
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ioSafe Duo User Manual
d. Press and hold down on the Power button until the Power button begins blinking
blue. The Drive Activity LEDs for both disks will also briefly blink red. The blinking
indicates that the array is being created.
Failure to hold the power button down will cause the ioSafe Duo to appear on your computer as
two separate drives (JBOD Mode) instead of one unified drive, regardless of what RAID jumper
setting you use.
e. The Power button will stop blinking and the Disk Activity LEDs will glow a solid
green once the array has been created. Verify that the RAID mode is correct (see
Section 5.1).
2.4 Connect Additional USB Peripherals
The USB ports on the front of the ioSafe Duo allow you to connect additional USB peripherals,
including thumb drives and phones. One (1) USB Type-A port and one (1) USB Type-C port
have been provided. Any connected devices will connect to your computer like normal.
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ioSafe Duo User Manual
3 Usage with Windows and Mac Operating Systems
3.1 Usage with Windows Operating Systems
3.1.1 Accessing or Disconnecting the ioSafe Duo in Windows
Accessing the ioSafe Duo
When the ioSafe Duo is properly connected and turned on (see Section 2), a window
may open on your computer to allow you access it.
If you need to use the ioSafe Duo with both macOS and Windows computers, you will need to
reformat it. See Section 3.2.1 for directions.
If you are using Windows 10 and no window appears, press Windows Key + E on your
keyboard to open a File Explorer window. Then click on This PC in the File Explorer
window’s navigation pane. Double-click on the icon representing the ioSafe Duo.
If you are using Windows 8.1, press Windows Key + E on your keyboard to open a File
Explorer window. Then click on Computer in the File Explorer window’s navigation
pane. Double-click on the icon representing the ioSafe Duo.
If you have installed your own hard drives in the ioSafe Duo and did not order a Duo with
pre-installed drives, then you will need to reformat your Duo before you can see it on your
computer. Please consult the User Manual located at iosafe.com for instructions.
If your computer begins making repeating device disconnection sound effects when you turn on
the ioSafe Duo, and the Duo will not appear on your computer, then please see Section 6.
Disconnecting the ioSafe Duo
a. Left click the USB plug icon with the checkmark on the Desktop task bar (see the
image below) and select the ioSafe Duo from the menu that pops up. You may
have to click on the Show Hidden Icons arrow on the task bar to find the correct
icon. Windows will indicate when it is safe to disconnect the USB cable from the
ioSafe Duo.
The USB Plug icon in the Windows 10 Desktop task bar.
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ioSafe Duo User Manual
b. Power off the ioSafe Duo.
Turning off the ioSafe Duo or disconnecting it from your computer without following the
procedure above can result in data loss.
3.1.2 Formatting the ioSafe Duo
Follow the steps below for Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 to reformat your ioSafe Duo.
If you purchased an ioSafe Duo with pre-installed drives, it will work with Windows right out of
the box without needing to format it. You may skip this section.
a. Press WINKEY + X and then select Disk Management.
b. The drive should appear in the list of Disks in the lower pane. You may need to scroll
down to see it. If the drive is already formatted, you can identify it easily by its volume
name. If the drive is not initialized or is brand new, a window will pop up asking you to
select a partition type. Select GPT and press OK.
c. To format the volume, right-click the Drive Properties Box of the drive (highlighted
red in the figure below) and select New Simple Volume...
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