OWC ThunderBay 4 Guide

2.5" & 3.5"
HDDs & SSDs
Mac & Windows4-Bay RAID Array Thunderbolt 2
Assembly Manual & User Guide
ThunderBay 4

OWC ThunderBay 4 Contents
Introduction
1.1 Minimum System Requirements.............................................. 1
-Mac Requirements
-PC Requirements
-Supported Drives
1.2 Package Contents..................................................................... 1
1.3 About This Manual.................................................................... 1
1.4 Front View.................................................................................. 2
1.5 Rear View................................................................................... 2
1.6 Usage Notes.............................................................................. 3
Device Setup
2.1 Hard Drive Installation .............................................................. 4
2.2 Quick Start................................................................................. 4
2.3 About SoftRAID ......................................................................... 5
2.4 Chaning Drives & Drive Failure ................................................. 5
Support Resources
3.1 Troubleshooting ........................................................................ 6
3.2 About Data Backup ................................................................... 6
3.3 Online Resources ...................................................................... 6
3.4 Contacting Technical Support.................................................. 6
CONTENTS

1
OWC ThunderBay 4 Introduction
1.1 Minimum System Requirements
Mac Requirements
-OS X 10.9.3–10.11.6; macOS 10.12 or later
-Any Mac with a Thunderbolt port
-Thunderbolt 2 port recommended for best performance
PC Requirements
-Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or later (Boot Camp is not supported)
-Any PC with a Thunderbolt port
-Thunderbolt 2 port recommended for best performance
Supported Drives
-Any 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch SATA drive
1.2 Package Contents
Drive mounting screws are included with empty enclosures, but not pictured.
Required tools: Phillips PH2 screwdriver
1.3 About This Manual
The images and descriptions may vary slightly between this manual and the unit shipped. Functions
and features may change depending on the rmware version. The latest product details and warranty
information can be found on the product web page. OWC’s Limited Warranty is not transferable and
subject to limitations.
INTRODUCTION
OWC ThunderBay 4
with Thunderbolt 2
Thunderbolt cable Power cable Security keys Quick start guide
Chat:M–F, 8am–8pm, Sat. 9am–5pm CT
www.owcdigital.com/support
Quick Start Guide
©2020Other World Computing, Inc. All rights reserved. OWC, the OWC logo, and ThunderBay are trademarks of New Concepts Development Corporation,
registeredinthe U.S. and/or other countries. Mac and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. Thunderbolt
andtheThunderbolt logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Micr osoft and Windo ws are either regis tered trademarks o r trademarks of
MicrosoftCor poration in the Un ited States and/or ot her countries . Other marks maybe the trademark or registered trademark property of their owners.
Phone:M–F, 8am–8pm CT
1.866.692.7100(N. America) | +1.815.338.4751 (Int’l)
Email:Answered within 48 hours
www.owcdigital.com/support
System Requirements
OperatingSystem:
–Mac: OS X 10.9.3–10.11.6;macOS 10.12 or later
–PC: Wi ndows 7 Service Pack 1 or later
–Bootcamp i s not supported
Hardware:
–Mac or PC wi th Thunderbolt 2 port
recommendedfor best performance
–Hosts with T hunderbolt ports sho uld also
workbut at s lower speeds
SupportedDrives:
–2.5 -inch and 3.5-inch S ATAdrives
PackageContents
–Thunde rBay 4 with Thunderbolt 2
–Thunderbolt cable
–Power supply and cable
–Security keys
–SoftR AID license
Installation & RAID Information
Fordetailed assembly steps, RAID information, and additional capabilities, the Assembly Manual &
UserGuide is available at: www.owcdigital.com/support/manuals
ContactingTechnical Support
ThunderBay 4
SoftRAID license
an OWC brand

2
OWC ThunderBay 4 Introduction
LED Color Power On Sleeping Drive
Activity
Drive Bad/
Bay Empty
Power Blue /
Amber
Solid blue with active
data connection Amber N/A N/A
Drive
(A, B, C, D) Green None Active None Active Flash Green Not Active
1 2
1.4 Front View
1. Locking faceplate — Use the included keys to lock or
unlock and remove the faceplate.
2. LED indicators — See the chart below for LED details.
1.5 Rear View
1. Security slot — Connect a security tether here.
2. Thunderbolt 2 ports — Attach the included Thunderbolt
cable to one of these ports and to your computer, or to
another Thunderbolt device. Use the other Thunderbolt 2
port to add more Thunderbolt devices to the chain.
3. On/Off switch — Turn the power on and off using this
switch.
4. Power input — Connect the included power cable here.
3
2
14

3
OWC ThunderBay 4 Introduction
1.6 Usage Notes
-Although the ON/OFF switch controls power to the device, the OWC ThunderBay 4
requires an active data signal for powered operation. As long as the ON/OFF switch
is in the ‘ON’ position, the ThunderBay 4 will turn on when it receives a data signal
through the Thunderbolt cable. If there is no Thunderbolt cable connected, or if the
computer is off or in a sleep or hibernation mode, the ThunderBay 4 will turn off and
its power LED will turn orange to indicate that it is not receiving a data signal.
-In order to use any Thunderbolt devices chained through the ThunderBay 4, the ON/
OFF switch of the ThunderBay 4 must be in the ‘ON’ position.
-For the safe removal of your drives and to ensure that no data is lost, always
eject or unmount the drives from your operating system before unplugging the
ThunderBay 4 or removing the drives.
-Thunderbolt device chains can support up to six Thunderbolt devices.
-Thunderbolt 2 is backwards compatible with Thunderbolt, but any devices
connected in a Thunderbolt chain after a Thunderbolt device will operate at original
Thunderbolt speed (10Gb/s) rather than Thunderbolt 2 speed (20Gb/s). If mixing
Thunderbolt 2 and original Thunderbolt devices, make sure all Thunderbolt 2
devices are in front of the Thunderbolt devices (i.e. computer>Thunderbolt 2
devices>Thunderbolt devices).

4
OWC ThunderBay 4 Device Setup
If you purchased the ThunderBay 4 with drives, they have been installed prior to shipment — please
skip to Section 2.2, Step 4. If you are installing your own drives, follow the steps in Section 2.1 to install
3.5-inch hard drives into your ThunderBay 4 enclosure, or to replace existing 3.5-inch drives. Note: it is
possible to install 2.5-inch SATA drives using the ne-threaded screws that are included (16 in total),
and the four screw holes on the bottom of each drive tray (highlighted in step 5 below).
2.1 Hard Drive Installation
Follow these steps to install hard drives into your ThunderBay 4 enclosure, or to replace existing drives.
Repeat steps 1 through 8 as necessary for each drive you are installing.
1. Insert one of the included keys into the lock on the upper left of the faceplate.
2. Turn the key clockwise, then pull it towards you. The faceplate will swing open, as shown.
3. Once the faceplate has swung open as far as it will go, pull up to remove it.
4. On the drive tray you wish to remove, turn the thumbscrew counter-clockwise until you no
longer feel resistance. Then hold onto the thumbscrew and pull the drive tray out.
5. Set the drive tray as shown on your work surface. If you are replacing an existing hard
drive, unscrew it from the drive tray at this time. NOTE: the highlighted screw holes are for
2.5-inch drives. The holes for 3.5-inch drives are highlighted in green (Step 7).
6. Place the hard drive inside the drive tray as shown. The label should face up and the SATA
connectors should be on the far rear corner of the drive.
7. Fasten the drive into the drive tray using six of the included screws (three per side).
8. Slide the drive tray back into the rails in the ThunderBay 4 and push until it is seated
fully, then push in on the thumbscrew and turn it clockwise until it stops turning. If you
encounter resistance, do not force the drive tray. Remove it, check to make sure that there
are no obstructions and that the drive tray is lined up correctly, then slide it in again.
DEVICE SETUP
2 3 4
6 7 85
1

5
OWC ThunderBay 4 Device Setup
2.2 Quick Start
1. Install hard drives into the ThunderBay 4 according to the instructions in Section 2.1.
2. Connect the power cable to the enclosure and a power outlet, then make sure the ON/OFF
switch is set to the ‘ON’ position.
3. Connect a Thunderbolt cable between the ThunderBay 4 and a computer. When you do
this, the ThunderBay 4 will turn on and the drives will be available for use on the computer.
-NOTE: If you installed your own drives in the previous section, they need to be formatted
before you can use the ThunderBay 4. It shipped with a license for SoftRAID, which
is recommended for setting up RAID volumes and working with ThunderBays. If you
purchased your solution with drives, they were already formatted as a RAID volume, but you
should still install SoftRAID to get the best performance and functionality.
If you do not wish to use SoftRAID you can visit www.owcdigital.com/format and use one
of the Mac or PC specic links for instructions on formatting your drives.
2.3 About Software RAID
OWC ThunderBay 4 manages and protects your data with our advanced SoftRAID engine.SoftRAID
offers multiple RAID options (0, 1, 4, 5, 1+0), giving you the ability to set up your storage for speed, data
security or the best of both worlds. Packed with features from active predictive disk failure monitoring,
to multiple array volume spanning, SoftRAID from OWC brings technology typically found only in data
centers to your workstation or editing bay.
To learn more about SoftRAID please visit: www.softraid.com
2.4 Changing Drives & Drive Failure
You can add or remove any drive without needing to turn off the device or to unmount any of the other
drives. Each drive operates independently of the others and is not affected by the addition or removal
of another drive unless you set them up as members of a RAID array using software.
By itself, the ThunderBay 4 does not monitor drive health or alert you to a drive failure. You can monitor the
health of your drives via SoftRAID in order to determine when a drive has failed or is in a pre-failure state. To
replace a failed drive, simply remove the drive from its bay and replace it with another drive, following the
steps in Section 2.1. The ThunderBay 4 does not need to be turned off during this process.

6
OWC ThunderBay 4 Support Resources
3.1 Troubleshooting
Begin your troubleshooting by verifying that the power cable is connected to the ThunderBay 4 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, verify that both ends of your cables are properly plugged into the computer and the
ThunderBay 4.
If the ThunderBay 4 is still not working properly, try connecting to another computer or using another
Thunderbolt cable. Remember that the ThunderBay 4 needs an active data signal in order for the power
to remain on. If it is disconnected from the computer, or if the computer goes to sleep or turns off, the
ThunderBay 4 will go to sleep. If you are still experiencing problems, consult Section 3.4 for OWC technical
support contact information.
3.2 About Data Backup
To ensure that your les are protected and to prevent data loss, we strongly suggest that you keep two
copies of your data: one copy on your OWC ThunderBay 4 and a second copy on your internal drive or
another storage medium, such as an optical backup, or on a second external storage unit. Any data loss or
corruption while using the ThunderBay 4 is the sole responsibility of the user, and under no circumstances
may OWC, its parent, partners, aliates, ocers, employees, or agents be held liable for loss of the use of
data including compensation of any kind or recovery of the data.
3.3 Online Resources
To access our online knowledge base, please visit: www.owcdigital.com/faq
3.4 Contacting Technical Support
SUPPORT RESOURCES
Phone: M–F, 8am–8pm CT
1.866.692.7100 (N. America)
+1.815.338.4751 (Int’l)
Email: Answered within 48 hours
www.owcdigital.com/support
Chat: M–F, 8am–8pm, Sat. 9am–5pm CT
www.owcdigital.com/support

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, OWC, its
parent, partners, aliates, ocers, employees, and agents assume no liability resulting from errors or
omissions in this document, or from the use of the information contained herein. OWC 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 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 accordance 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:
-Read this user guide carefully and follow the correct procedures when setting up the device.
-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.
-Do not attempt to disassemble or modify the device. To avoid any risk of electrical shock, re,
short-circuiting or dangerous emissions, never insert any metallic object into the device. If it
appears to be malfunctioning, contact OWC 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, re or personal injury.

General Use Precautions:
-Do not place objects on top of the device.
-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 re.
-Do not use the device near other electrical appliances such as televisions, radios or speakers.
Doing so may cause interference 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. Magnetic interference can affect the operation and stability of hard
drives.
-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 re.
Warranty:
The OWC ThunderBay 4 has up to a 5 Year OWC Limited Warranty. For up-to-date product and warranty
information, please visit the product web page.
Copyrights and Trademarks:
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent
of OWC.
© 2020 Other World Computing, Inc. All rights reserved. OWC, the OWC logo, and ThunderBay are trademarks of New Concepts Development
Corporation, registered in the U.S. and/or other countries. Apple, Bootcamp, Mac, macOS, and OS X are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the
United States and other countries. Thunderbolt and the Thunderbolt logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Microsoft and
Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other marks may
be the trademark or registered trademark property of their owners.
OWCMANTB43TKY — 01/16/2020