OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual Guide

OWC Digital
Mercury Elite Pro Dual
ASSEMBLY MANUAL & USER GUIDE
®

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................1
1.1 MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
1.1.1 Apple® Mac® Requirements
1.1.2 PC Requirements
1.1.3 Supported Drives
NOTE: Boot Camp not supported using the Thunderbolt connection.
1.2 PACKAGE CONTENTS
1.3 ABOUT THIS MANUAL
1.4 FRONT VIEW
1.4.1 LED Indicators
1.5 REAR VIEW
1.5.1 Rear Features
1.5.2 Connectivity Notes
DEVICE SETUP...................................................................................................4
2.1 QUICK START
2.2 ASSEMBLY
2.3 RAID SETTINGS
2.3.1 Changing the RAID Mode
2.3.2 RAID Modes
2.4 DRIVE FAILURE
2.4.1 Drive Replacement
2.4.2 Rebuilding a RAID 1
APPENDIX........................................................................................................12
3.1 FORMATTING
3.2 UNMOUNTING DRIVES
3.3 TROUBLESHOOTING
3.4 ABOUT DATA BACKUP
3.5 ONLINE RESOURCES
3.6 TECHNICAL SUPPORT INFORMATION

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL INTRODUCTION
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INTRODUCTION
1.1 MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
1.1.1 Apple® Mac® Requirements
• USB 2.0: OS X® 10.2 or later
• USB 3.0: OS X 10.6 or later
• Thunderbolt™ port: OS X 10.6 or later
1.1.2 PC Requirements
• USB 2.0: Windows® XP or later
• USB 3.0: Windows XP or later
• Thunderbolt port: Windows 7 or later
NOTE: Boot Camp not supported using the Thunderbolt connection.
1.1.3 Supported Drives
• 3.5”SATA hard drives
NOTE: Drives of identical model and capacity are required for RAID 0 and RAID 1.
1.2 PACKAGE CONTENTS
OWC Digital
Mercury Elite Pro Dual
Power Supply and
cable
Thunderbolt cableUSB 3.0 (Standard-A
to Standard-B) cable
1.3 ABOUT THIS MANUAL
Firmware, images, and descriptions may vary slightly between this manual and the unit
shipped. Functions and features may change depending on the firmware version. Please
visit the product webpage for the most recent product specifications.

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL INTRODUCTION
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1.4 FRONT VIEW
1.4.1 LED Indicators
Power — This LED will emit a solid blue light
when the Elite Pro Dual is on. During drive activ-
ity the LED will blink blue steadily, and during a
rebuild the LED will pulse blue slowly.
HDD1/HDD2 — These LEDs represent the two
hard disk drives (HDDs) inside the enclosure. Dur-
ing normal activity, these LEDs will remain off. If
one of the hard drives inside the enclosure fails,
or if one of the drives is removed without the
RAID mode being reset, the corresponding LED
will blink red.
1.5 REAR VIEW
Power HDD2HDD1
1
4
5
6
2
3

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1.5.1 Rear Features
1. USB 3.0 port — Attach the included USB 3.0 (Standard-A to Standard-B) cable here.
2.Conrm button — Press this button to confirm a newly selected RAID mode.
3. RAID dial — Adjust the position of the dial to change to a new RAID mode.
4. Thunderbolt ports — Attach the included Thunderbolt cable to one of these ports
and to your computer, or to another Thunderbolt device. Use the other Thunderbolt
port to add more Thunderbolt devices to the chain.
5. Power input — Connect the included power supply here.
6. Kensington® Security Slot — Connect a security tether here.
1.5.2 Connectivity Notes
• Only one interface (USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt) at a time can be used.
• Thunderbolt device chains can support up to six Thunderbolt devices.
• There is no power switch on the Mercury Elite Pro Dual. As long as the power supply is
connected, the device will turn on when it receives a data signal through the interface
cable (USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt). If there is no interface cable connected, or if the
computer is off or in a sleep or hibernation mode, the device will turn off.
• For the safe removal of your drive and to assure that no data is lost, always eject or un-
mount the drive from your operating system before unplugging the drive.
• In order for the computer to access volumes larger than 2TB, the operating system
needs to support large volumes (e.g., Windows Vista or OS X 10.4 and above).

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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DEVICE SETUP
2.1 QUICK START
If you purchased the OWC Digital Mercury Elite Pro Dual as an empty enclosure, proceed
to Section 2.2, Assembly. If you purchased the enclosure with drives already installed, the
OWC Drive Guide formatting utility has been installed. Follow these steps to use the OWC
Drive Guide to format your drives for Mac (OS X 10.4 and later) or Windows (XP and later).
1. Plug in the device, then connect it to your computer using the proper cable. If you prefer
to use a different formatting utility, do so at this time, skipping the remaining instructions.
2. Your drive will show up as “OWC SETUP”. Open your drive to view its contents.
3. Double-click the OWC Drive Guide application.
4. Follow the simple on-screen instructions to complete the formatting process.
5. Once the formatting is finished the drive is ready to use.
2.2 ASSEMBLY
NOTE: The following assembly instructions are written for users who purchased the Mercury
Elite Pro Dual as an empty enclosure. The instructions show how to open the Mercury Elite
Pro Dual in order to install drives. If you purchased the Mercury Elite Pro Dual with drives
already installed, opening the Mercury Elite Pro Dual before the expiration of the
original warranty will VOID the warranty. If you wish to remove or replace the drives
after the expiration of the original warranty, you may do so at that time.
1. Remove the Mercury Elite Pro Dual from the retail box and the protective plastic bag.
Set the Mercury Elite Pro Dual on its side and look at the bottom of the enclosure. Use a
Phillips screwdriver to remove the two screws, as circled below in red.

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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2. Once the two screws have been removed,
slide the inner chassis out of the front of the
outer enclosure, as shown to the right. Start
by pushing on the rear of the inner chassis,
then when you are able to get a grip on the
front grill of the inner chassis, pull it the rest
of the way.
3. When removed from the outer enclosure, the inner chassis will appear as shown below.
Remove the packet of screws and use the screws as directed later in the assembly
instructions. Note that the plastic shield over the circuit board is there by design and
should not be removed.

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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4. Install the lower hard drive (HDD2), as shown below. Slide the SATA connector on the hard
drive into the black SATA connector circled in red. Make sure the drive is firmly seated in
the black SATA connector before proceeding.
5. Install the upper hard drive (HDD1), as shown below. Insert the SATA power and SATA data
cables from the Mercury Elite Pro Dual into the SATA connector on the hard drive (NOTE:
do not twist the black SATA data cable. Doing so could cause instability in the connection),
then slide the hard drive to line up the screw holes in the hard drive with those on the
inner chassis. Make sure the SATA connectors are seated firmly before continuing.

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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6. Using eight of the larger screws from the packet you removed from the inner chassis,
fasten the hard drives into the inner chassis. There are four screw holes on each side of the
inner chassis, as circled below in red.
7. Note that while the inner chassis can slide into both sides of the outer enclosure, there is
only one correct way that will allow the screw holes to line up correctly. To determine the
correct orientation of the outer enclosure with the inner chassis, turn the outer enclosure
on its side and look at the bottom. As shown below, the screw holes at the front of the
outer enclosure are close to the silicone feet. The screw holes at the rear of the outer
enclosure are farther away from the silicone feet.
REAR FRONT

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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8. Once you have determined the correct
orientation, slide the inner chassis back
into the outer enclosure, as shown to
the left.
9. Once the front grill of the inner chassis sits flush with the edge of the outer enclosure,
turn the Mercury Elite Pro Dual on its side again to look at the screw holes on the bottom.
You should be able to see that the screw holes in the outer enclosure line up with the
screw holes in the inner chassis. Use the four smaller screws to fasten the inner chassis to
the outer enclosure, as shown below. The assembly of the Mercury Elite Pro Dual is now
complete.

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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2.3 RAID SETTINGS
!
!
WARNING: Changing the RAID mode will destroy the
data on the drives. Be sure to back up your data rst! See
section 3.4 for information on proper backup strategies.
2.3.1 Changing the RAID Mode
The RAID mode is controlled by a dial on the rear of the unit, as shown below. The dial
has four positions, each labeled with a different RAID mode. In order to change the RAID
mode, simply follow these steps:
1. Adjust the RAID dial so that the arrow is pointing at the desired RAID mode. A small
flathead screwdriver works the best to adjust the dial.
2. If the power supply is connected to the
Mercury Elite Pro Dual, use a paperclip or
other thin object to press the ‘confirm’ but-
ton next to the RAID dial. This will power
cycle the device, turning it off and back on
again. You do not need to hold down the
‘confirm’ button for any amount of time;
just press once and release.
3. If the power supply is not connected you
do not need to press the confirm button.
Simply connect the power supply to turn
the device back on. Note that a data cable
(Thunderbolt or USB) must be connecting
the Mercury Elite Pro Dual to a computer in
order for the device to power up.
4. Once the Mercury Elite Pro Dual powers up,
it will be set to the new RAID mode. You can then format the new RAID volume and
use it immediately .
See Section 2.3.2, RAID Modes for more information on each RAID mode that can be
used.

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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2.3.2 RAID Modes
Independent Drive Mode:
Each drive will appear individually without being combined. If you are using drives of
differing capacity and model, or if you are using only one drive, this is the mode to use.
NOTE: Due to the incomplete support in OS X for the chipsets used in the Mercury
Elite Pro Dual, independent drive mode has the following limitations:
1. When connected over Thunderbolt in OS X 10.8.3 and earlier, only HDD2 appears.
Independent drive mode does not have this limitation when used over USB or when
used in OS X 10.8.4 and later.
2. When two hard drives are installed, only HDD2 will be available as a startup drive in
OS X. This happens in all versions of OS X and with both Thunderbolt and USB. HDD1
can be used normally after the computer has started; HDD1 is only unavailable
during the startup process. If only one drive is installed in the Mercury Elite Pro Dual,
it can be used in either the HDD1 or HDD2 position and it will be available as a
startup drive.
Span Mode:
The drives show up as one large single volume. The total size will depend on the drives
installed; you can use drives of different capacities. A span is a configuration (not RAID) in
which the data is written sequentially across the drives. This combines the capacities of
the drives, but it does not provide any performance or redundancy benefits.
RAID 0 “Drive Striping” Mode:
The drives show up as one large single volume with a size equal to the combined capaci-
ties of both drives. RAID 0 is used when speed is the primary objective, but it does not
have any redundancy for protection. Data is alternated very quickly across both drives
to gain speed by distributing the workload. This allows for the fastest data transfer rates,
but if one drive fails, the whole array can become corrupted and data will be lost. Always
maintain a backup of your data!
RAID 1 “Drive Mirroring”Mode:
The drives show up as one volume with a size equal to the capacity of one of the two
drives used in the array. RAID 1 copies (or “mirrors”) a set of data from the first drive to
the second drive. This is useful when reliability and redundancy are more important than
capacity. When one drive fails, it can be replaced and the data will be rebuilt automatically.
2.4 DRIVE FAILURE
In the event that one of the drives fails, the corresponding drive LED will turn solid red. If
the Mercury Elite Pro Dual was configured as a RAID 0 or span, the data on the array is lost
and the volume cannot be used. In a span, only the data stored on the failed drive is lost,
although data recovery software will be required to recover the data from the other drive in
the span. If the drives were configured independently, then the data on the drive that did
not fail will remain intact.

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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2.4.1 Drive Replacement
If the drive was part of a RAID 1, it can be replaced and the array will be rebuilt. In the
meantime, the data will remain accessible through the other drive in the RAID 1. If the
Mercury Elite Pro Dual was purchased with drives already installed and it is still under
warranty, see Section 3.6 for information on how to contact OWC technical support to
arrange for replacement.
If the warranty has expired or if the Mecury Elite Pro Dual was purchased without drives,
follow the assembly instructions in Section 2.2 to access and replace the failed drive.
If the HDD2 LED is blinking red, the failed drive is the one on the bottom, connected
directly to the black SATA connector on the circuit board (see Section 2.2, step 4). If the
HDD1 LED is blinking red, the failed drive is the one on the top, connected using cables
(see Section 2.2, step 5).
NOTE: The failed drive must be replaced with a drive of identical model and capacity if
being used in a RAID 0 or RAID 1.
If the Mercury Elite Pro Dual is set up as a span or as a RAID 0, the array must be reformat-
ted before it can be used again. If the device is set up in independent drive mode, you
do not need to reformat the existing drive or the new drive. If the new drive had data
on it before being installed in the Mercury Elite Pro Dual, that data will remain intact. See
Section 2.4.2 for information on rebuilding after drive replacement in a RAID 1.
2.4.2 Rebuilding a RAID 1
After the failed drive is replaced, if the device is configured as a RAID 1, the array will auto-
matically begin the rebuild process when it is turned on. This process may take from sev-
eral hours up to more than a day, based on the capacity of the drives. During the rebuild
process, the power LED will pulse blue slowly. It is recommended to leave the Mercury
Elite Pro Dual turned on during the entire rebuild process, but if power is interrupted,
the unit will continue rebuilding automatically when power is restored. Once the rebuild
process is complete, the power LED will resume normal activity. See Section 1.4 for
more information on the behavior of the LEDs on the front of the Mercury Elite Pro Dual.
NOTE: The Mercury Elite Pro Dual needs an active data signal to remain on. If it goes
to sleep, if it is disconnected from the computer, or if the computer goes to sleep or
turns off, the device will turn off. In order to minimize the total rebuild time, it is recom-
mended to keep the device connected to the computer, keep the computer turned on,
and disable any hard drive sleep settings on the computer for the duration of the rebuild
process.

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL APPENDIX
12
3.1 FORMATTING
For formatting information, including instructions on how to format your Mercury Elite Pro
Dual for Mac or Windows, go to: www.owcdigital.com/support/
3.2 UNMOUNTING DRIVES
To properly unmount any connected drives from your computer, you need to follow a few
simple steps.
For OS X systems:
There are several methods to umount disks with OS X systems. You can drag the icon for
the disk you wish to unmount to the trash can, or right-click the disk icon on the desktop,
then click “Eject”. You can also eject the disk in the sidebar of a Finder window, or select
the drive icon on the Desktop and press Command-E.
For Windows systems:
1. Go to the System Tray (located in the lower right corner of your screen). Click on the
“Eject” icon (a small green arrow over a hardware image).
2. A message will appear, detailing the devices that the “Eject” icon controls, i.e., “Safely
remove...” Click on this prompt.
3. You will then see a message that says, “Safe to Remove Hardware.” It is now safe to
disconnect the Mercury Elite Pro Dual from the computer.
3.3 TROUBLESHOOTING
Begin your troubleshooting by verifying that the power cable is connected to the Mercury
Elite Pro Dual and to a power source. If the power cable is connected to a power strip, make
sure that the power switch on the strip is turned on.
Then, simply verify that both ends of your cables are properly plugged into the computer
and the Mercury Elite Pro Dual. If the Mercury Elite Pro Dual is still not working properly, try
connecting to another interface (USB or Thunderbolt) and see if the device works properly.
You can also connect the Mercury Elite Pro Dual to a different computer.
Remember that the Mercury Elite Pro Dual needs an active data signal to remain on. If it goes
to sleep, if it is disconnected from the computer, or if the computer goes to sleep or turns off,
the Mercury Elite Pro Dual will turn off.
If problems persist, consult Section 3.6 for assistance contacting OWC technical support.
APPENDIX

OWC DIGITAL - MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL APPENDIX
13
3.4 ABOUT DATA BACKUP
To ensure that your files are protected and to prevent data loss, we strongly suggest that
you keep two copies of your data: one copy on your Mercury Elite Pro Dual and a second
copy on either your internal drive or another storage medium, such as an optical backup, or
on another external storage unit. Any data loss or corruption while using the Mercury Elite
Pro Dual is the sole responsibility of the user, and under no circumstances will Other World
Computing be held liable for compensation or the recovery of any lost data.
3.5 ONLINE RESOURCES
To access our online help resources, including things like FAQs, formatting tips, and a
step-by-step walkthrough of our recommended method for migrating your data from
an old drive to a new one, please visit: www.owcdigital.com/support/
3.6 TECHNICAL SUPPORT INFORMATION
HOURS OF OPERATION
8am to 8pm (CT) Monday - Friday
866-692-7100 (North America)
[phone] (International)
Live chat is available during normal business hours at:
www.owcdigital.com/livechat/
Email support is available at:
www.owcdigital.com/support/

Copyright 2015 OWC Digital. All Rights Reserved. Other World Computing’s
Limited Warranty is not transferable and subject to limitations.
®OWCMANMEPDTBU3R5 04/08/15 DM
Changes:
The material in this document is for information purposes only and subject to change without notice. While reasonable
efforts have been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy, Other World Computing and its officers
and employees assume no liability resulting from errors or omissions in this document, or from the use of the information
contained herein. Other World Computing reserves the right to make changes or revisions in the product design or the
product manual without reservation and without obligation to notify any person of such revisions and changes.
FCC Statement:
Warning! Modications not authorized by the manufacturer may void the user’s authority to operate this device.
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15
of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equip-
ment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference with radio com-
munications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case the user
will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15
of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in ac-
cordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference with radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Health And Safety Precautions:
• Use proper anti-static precautions while performing the installation of your hard drives into this drive enclosure.
Failure to do so can cause damage to your drive mechanisms and/or the hard drive enclosure.
• Read this user guide carefully and follow the correct procedures when setting up the device.
• Do not attempt to disassemble or modify the device. To avoid any risk of electrical shock, fire, short-circuiting or danger-
ous emissions, never insert any metallic object into the device. If it appears to be malfunctioning, contact Other World
Computing technical support.
• Never expose your device to rain, or use it near water or in damp or wet conditions. Never place objects containing liquids
on the drive, as they may spill into its openings. Doing so increases the risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting, fire or
personal injury.
General Use Precautions:
• To avoid damage, do not expose the device to temperatures outside the range of 5° C to 40° C (41° F to 104° F).
• Always unplug the device from the electrical outlet if there is a risk of lightning or if it will be unused for an extended
period of time. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting or fire.
• Do not use the device near other electrical appliances such as televisions, radios or speakers. Doing so may cause interfer-
ence which will adversely affect the operation of the other products.
• Do not place the device near sources of magnetic interference, such as computer displays, televisions or speakers. Mag-
netic interference can affect the operation and stability of hard drives.
• Do not place heavy objects on top of the device.
• Protect your device from excessive exposure to dust during use or storage. Dust can build up inside the device, increasing
the risk of damage or malfunction.
• Do not block any ventilation openings on the device. These help to keep the device cool during operation. Blocking the
ventilation openings may cause damage to the device and cause an increased risk of short-circuiting or fire.
• For up-to-date product and warranty information, please visit the product webpage.
Copyrights and Trademarks:
© 2015 OWC Digital. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or trans-
mitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written
consent of OWC Digital. Other World Computing and OWC are trademarks of New Concepts Development Corporation,
registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in Canada. The OWC logo and OWC Digital are trademarks of New
Concepts Development Corporation. Apple, FireWire, Mac, and OS X are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and
other countries. Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Win-
dows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Other marks may be the trademark
or registered trademark property of their owners.