Newer Technology miniStack V2.5 Instructions for use

Owner’s Manual &
Assembly Guide
3.5” SATA Hard Drive
External Storage with integrated
FireWire 400 & USB 2.0 powered hubs

2
Thank you for purchasing your NewerTechnology miniStack v2.5,
the easiest, most compact way to add storage and expandibility to
your Macmini!
While the miniStack was designed to compliment the Mac mini, it
is a useful addition to your system - no matter what model computer
you have!
Special Features of the
Newer Technology miniStack v2.5
Cooling:
The Newer Technology miniStack v2.5 is made of high quality plastic
and integrates a smart interactive cooling system which automatically
regulatesandvariesfanspeedaccordingtothetemperatureofthehard
drive. It also has a built in passive aluminum radiator on the bottom of
the miniStack which dissipates heat away from the hard drive without
having to use the cooling fan. This cooling system extends the life of
your hard drive by keeping it cooler than a traditional external hard
drive enclosure.
External Expansion:
The Newer Technology miniStack v2.5 features built-in USB 2.0 and
FireWire 400 (1394a) hubs allowing you to expand your peripherals
without adding external hubs which clutter up your desk.
Internal Storage:
The Newer Technology miniStack v2.5 has a built in SATA
connector which supports large drive technology, for massive
storage capacity! Simply place your own 3.5” SATA hard drive
inside the miniStack enclosure and connect using either FireWire
400 or USB 2.0 - it’s that easy!
Package Contents
• Newer Technology miniStack v. enclosure
• External power adapter (Input 100-240V, Output +12V/2A, +5V/2A)
• Hard drive screws
• Power cord
• USB . A-B interconnect cable
• FireWire (a) pin-pin interconnect cable

3
Using your Newer Technology miniStack v.2.5
Remove the NewerTechnology miniStack v2.5 from its packaging
and examine the back of the enclosure. You will see the following
ports:
1. Smart Power Switch - Used to turn the miniStack on. As
long as the power switch is in the ON position, the mini-
Stack will power on and off with your computer - no need
to shut the enclosure off when done!
2. Power Receptacle - Used to power the miniStack.
3. USB 2.0 Ports - Add USB devices to your miniStack here.
4. USB Uplink Port - Connect your computer to the miniStack
here.
5. FireWire (1394a) Ports - Connect one FireWire port to your
computer using the included cable and have two extra
ports to add peripherals with!
6. Kensington Security Slot - Secure your miniStack to your
desk using a Kensington MicroSaver Security Cable (not
included).
7. Smart Fan Exhaust Port - Warm air is vented from your
miniStack through this port.
Remember -
Your miniStack also
functions as both a
FireWire and a USB 2.0 Hub.
You can hook up your favorite
peripherals using the extra ports
like you would with any other
FireWire or USB hub.

4
Hard Drive Installation
Please observe all static
safety precautions
before proceeding.
Before removing any electronic
component from its protective
anti-static bag, you should safely
discharge any excess static elec-
tricity. A simple way to do this is
by touching a grounded piece of
metal, such as the metal cover of
your computer’s power supply
or a water pipe.
1. Begin by removing the four Phillips screws from the bottom
of the Newer Technology miniStack v2.5 enclosure. Remove
the drive carrier from inside of the enclosure.
2. Place your 3.5” SATA hard drive onto the mounting bracket as
shown. The connecting cables need to be positioned to the
left, with the opening in the drive bracket to the top. Once
inserted properly into the bracket, insert the four included
screws to fasten it securely.
Make sure your hard
drive is attached to the
heat sink in the same
manner as illustrated.
Attaching it incorrectly will
result in your hard drive being
unable to fit properly into the
enclosure.

5
3. Place the drive and bracket inside the enclosure, routing the
power and data cables to avoid pinching them.
4. Take the black and white wire at the upper right of the enclosure
in this picture and tape the thermal probe (the blue portion of
the wire) onto the center of the hard drive using the enclosed
piece of yellow Kapton tape as shown.
5. Once the hard drive is inserted, replace the four Phillips
screws on the bottom of the enclosure to fully secure the
drive carrier. Make sure that all wires are as flat as possible
and place the plastic top back onto the miniStack enclosure.
Before continuing, make sure that there are no bulges in the
top cover.
Make sure the hard
drive and heat sink are
fully inserted into the
enclosure.
Otherwise, you will not be able
to put the top panel on prop-
erly, nor secure the heat sink
with the four Phillips screws
you removed in Step 1.
The thermal probe
helps to regulate the
fan speed.
Failure to attach the thermal
probe can result in drive
overheating, leading to possible
data corruption and loss!

6
System Setup:
Your miniStack v2.5 external drive enclosure and expansion hub
is simple to connect to your computer.
Here are a few tips to get the most out of your new external storage
and expansion device:
• If you have a Mac mini or an Apple AirPort Extreme Base
Station, your miniStack enclosure fits perfectly underneath
them to save desk space.
• Do not place anything behind your miniStack that would
block airflow.
• Treat your miniStack just like you treat your computer - keep
it dry, cool, and out of direct sunlight.
• Always check any peripheral cable that you are going to use
with your miniStack for damage before connecting.
Hub Connection
To use either the USB 2.0 or FireWire (1394a) Hub feature, you must
connect the cables provided between your computer and the
miniStack v2.5. Connect the FireWire cable between the computer
and enclosure using any of the 3 FireWire ports on the miniStack,
and the single FireWire connection on the Mac mini. The USB 2.0
connection between the machines is the same, except the USB 2.0
Uplink port on the miniStack is used to connect to your computer.
Hard Disk Mode:
The Newer Technology miniStack v2.5 enclosure will detect the
fastest connection it has to your computer and will automatically
mount via that connection.
Fan Settings:
The miniStack v2.5 has a cooling fan that will monitor thermal
temperatures inside the drive enclosure and only turns on when
needed. There are no adjustments needed to change the speed
of the fan.
For optimal
performance, it is
recommended that you
connect your miniStack to your
computer with both FireWire
and USB.
Though USB 2.0 has a higher
theoretical throughput, real-
world tests show FireWire to
have a faster data transfer rate.
Hooking both FireWire and USB
will allow for the data transfer
speed of FireWire as well as the
versatility of the USB hub.

7
Formatting for use with Mac OS X:
If the drive has never been formatted, upon initial boot of your
new Newer Technology miniStack v2.5 drive, you will be greeted
with the following dialog box:
Click on the “Initialize…” button to open Disk
Utility.
If the disk is formatted already, and you wish
to reformat it, you can find Disk Utility in
Applications>Utilities
Click on the Drive designated “Newer Technology,” then go to the
“Erase tab” and follow the instructions there to initialize the drive
mechanism.
Once formatted, your Newer Technology miniStack V2.5 is ready
to use! Connect your USB or FireWire accessories to the
built-in hubs and enjoy!
For further information
on formatting your
hard drive, including
instructions for formatting
under Windows, go to:
http://eshop.macsales.com/hddformat

NWTMANMSV25ASSY
©2008 Newer Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Revision 1, 5/08 - MCS
The information contained within is believed to be accurate and reliable. Newer Technology, Inc. assumes no responsibility for any errors
contained within. Newer Technology, Inc. reserves the right to make changes in the specifications and/or design of this product without prior
notice. The photographs contained within may differ from the product that you receive and are used for illustration purposes only. Newer
Technology, Inc. assumes no responsibility for any differences between the product described in this manual and the product you may receive.