OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual Guide

MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL
Assembly Manual & User Guide

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Minimum System Requirements............................................1
1.1.1 Apple Mac Requirements
1.1.2 PC Requirements
1.1.3 Supported Drives
1.2 Package Contents .................................................................1
1.3 About This Manual.................................................................1
1.4 Front View..............................................................................3
1.5 Rear View...............................................................................3
1.6 Usage Notes ..........................................................................4
DEVICE SETUP
2.1 Quick Start.............................................................................5
2.2 Assembly ...............................................................................5
2.3 RAID Settings ........................................................................8
2.3.1 Changing the RAID Mode
2.3.2 RAID Modes
2.4 Drive Failure...........................................................................9
2.4.1 Replacing Drives
SUPPORT RESOURCES
3.1 Formatting ...........................................................................10
3.2 Troubleshooting ...................................................................10
3.3 About Data Backup .............................................................10
3.4 Online Resources.................................................................10
3.5 Contacting Technical Support .............................................10
OWC MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL CONTENTS
CONTENTS

OWC MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL INTRODUCTION
1
1.1 Minimum System Requirements
1.1.1 Apple Mac Requirements
• USB 3.1 Gen 1
• OS X 10.6-10.11.6
• macOS 10.12 or later
• FireWire 800
• OS X 10.2-10.11.6
• macOS 10.12 or later
1.1.2 PC Requirements
• USB 3.1 Gen 1: Windows XP or later
• FireWire 800: Windows XP or later
1.1.3 Supported Drives
• 3.5” SATA hard drives (identical model and capacity required for RAID 0 and RAID 1)
1.2 Package Contents
Not pictured: If the Mercury Elite Pro Dual was purchased without drives, a packet of screws is included.
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 or driver version, if applicable. Please visit the product web page
for the most recent product information. OWC’s Limited Warranty is not transferable and subject to limitations.
Mercury Elite Pro Dual Power Supply
and cable
FireWire 800 (1394b)
9-9 pin cable
USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Standard-A
to Standard-B) cable
INTRODUCTION

OWC MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL INTRODUCTION
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To avoid damage, do not expose the device to temperatures outside: 41º — 107º F
(operating) or -40º — 149º F (non-operating)
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 aect 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 aect the operation and stability of hard
drives.
Do not place 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 re.
Read this user guide carefully and follow the recommended steps for assembly.
Use proper anti-static precautions while installing your hard drives into this drive enclosure.
Failure to do so can cause damage to your drive mechanisms and/or the 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, please contact 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
Safety Precautions

OWC MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL INTRODUCTION
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1.4 Front View
1. Power — This LED emits a solid blue light when the
Elite Pro Dual is powered on.
2. LEDs 1 & 2 — These LEDs represent the two
drives inside the Elite Pro Dual. During normal
activity, each of these LEDs will blink green when
the corresponding drive is accessed. If one of the
drives in the Elite Pro Dual fails, or if the drive bay
is empty, the corresponding LED will turn solid red.
3. Rebuild — If the Elite Pro Dual is set up as a RAID 1
and one of the hard drives is being rebuilt, this LED
will blink green during the rebuild process. The LED
that corresponds to the hard drive being rebuilt will
also blink green.
1.5 Rear View
1. ON/OFF Switch — Turn power to the Elite Pro Dual
on and o with this switch.
2. DC IN — Connect the included power supply here.
3. FireWire 800 ports — Attach the included 9-9 pin
FireWire 800 cable to one of these ports and to your
computer. Use the other FireWire 800 port to daisy
chain other FireWire 800 devices.
4. USB 3.1 Gen 1 port — Attach the included USB 3.1
Gen 1 (Standard-A to Standard-B) cable here.
5. RAID Dial — Set the RAID mode here.
6. Kensington®Security Slot — Connect a security
tether here.
1 2 3
1
2
3
4
5
6

OWC MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL INTRODUCTION
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1.6 Usage Notes
• Use only one interface (USB 3.1 Gen 1 or FireWire 800) at a time.
• 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).
• If the enclosure is powered on but there is no active data connection, or if the computer is sleeping,
both drive LEDs will display as solid red. If this happens when the drive is not sleeping and there is a
cable connection present, check both ends of the data cable to ensure it is securely connected to the
enclosure and the computer.
• Booting in RAID 0, RAID 1, and SPAN mode are supported via both USB 3.1 Gen 1 and FireWire 800.
FireWire 800 also supports Independent mode booting.
• When connected via USB, the following limitations apply when booting in Independent mode:
• Only the disk connected to Port 2 is bootable when both drives are installed.
• If only one drive is installed, the disk will boot regardless of which port it is connected to. See Section
2.2 for more information on ports and drive connections.
• When you want to change the data connection type from FireWire to USB or vice-versa, do the following:
unmount the volume in the OS, then power o the Elite Pro Dual. Next switch the data connection, wait
10 seconds, then power on the Elite Pro Dual again to resume operation.
• For the safe removal of your drive and to ensure that no data is lost, always eject or unmount the
corresponding disk(s) from your operating system before powering o. You can use the methods
described below to safely unmount your disk(s).
OS X :
• 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”; OR
• Highlight the disk on your Desktop and press Command-E.
Windows:
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.

OWC MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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2.1 Quick Start
Follow the steps below to use the OWC Drive Guide utility to format your Mercury Elite Pro Dual for Mac (OS X
10.6 and later) or Windows (XP and later). If you installed your own drives, please use the formatting method you
are most familiar with or check Section 3.1 for a link to our online formatting tips.
1. Power on the Mercury Elite Pro Dual and plug it into to your computer using the proper data cable. If you prefer
to use a dierent formatting utility, do so at this time and skip the rest of these steps.
2. The disk will mount and your operating system will display it as “OWC SETUP”. Open the disk icon to view its
contents.
3. Double-click the OWC Drive Guide application.
4. Follow the simple on-screen instructions to complete the formatting process. Once the formatting is nished
the drive is ready to use.
2.2 Assembly
These assembly instructions are written for users who purchased the Mercury Elite Pro Dual as an empty enclosure.
The instructions show how to open the enclosure in order to install drives. IMPORTANT: opening an enclosure
with pre-installed drives will VOID the warranty. You may replace the drives after the expiration of the original
warranty. You should start with Step 9 in that case and work backwards.
1. Remove the Mercury Elite Pro Dual from its packaging,
then set the enclosure on its side. Use a Phillips PH2
driver to remove the screws shown above.
2. Slide the inner chassis out the front of the outer case,
as shown at left. Start by pushing on the back cover,
then grip the front grill and pull the chassis the rest of
the way.
DEVICE SETUP

OWC MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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3. When removed from the outer enclosure, the inner
chassis will appear as shown at right. There will also
be a packet of screws inside (not shown). Remove this
packet and use the screws as directed in subsequent
assembly steps. NOTE: The data and power cables
(inset) are listed as Port 1 and Port 2. In order for
the numbered LEDs to line up with the drives when
looking at the front cover, the rst drive installed should
be connected to the ‘Port 2’ cables, and the second
drive connected to the ‘Port 1’ cables.
4. Carefully set the rst hard drive into the inner chassis so
that the edge with the SATA ports sits just to the right
of the cable connectors on the circuit board. Make
sure the holes on the sides of the drive line up with the
holes on the sides of the inner chassis. Connect one
set of data and power cables (labeled either ‘Port 1’ or
‘Port 2’) to the corresponding ports on the drive. Do
not remove any cables from the Elite Pro Dual.
5. Set the second drive into the inner chassis, aligning
it with the rst drive. Make sure the holes on the
sides of the drive line up with the holes on the sides
of the inner chassis. Connect the other set of data
and power cables to the corresponding ports on the
drive. The cables may need to twist or bend slightly;
this is OK as long as you do not crimp the cables and
none of the cables protrude from the back plate once
connected.

OWC MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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6. Using eight of the larger screws from the packet you
removed in Step 3, fasten the inner chassis to the hard
drives. There are four screw holes on each side of the
inner chassis, circled above in red.
7. To determine the correct orientation of the outer
enclosure relative to the inner chassis, turn the outer
enclosure on its side and look at the bottom. As
shown above, 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.
8. Once you know the correct orientation from Step 8,
slide the inner chassis back into the outer enclosure
as shown.
9. Once the front grill of the inner chassis sits ush with the
edge of the outer enclosure, turn the device on its side
again. The screw holes in the outer enclosure should
line up with the screw holes in the inner chassis. Use
the four smaller screws to fasten the inner chassis to
the outer enclosure, shown above.
The assembly process is now complete.
REAR FRONT

OWC MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL DEVICE SETUP
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2.3 RAID Settings
2.3.1 Changing the RAID Mode
The RAID mode is controlled by a dial on the rear of the unit, as shown below-left. The dial has four positions,
each labeled with a dierent RAID mode. To change the RAID mode, follow the simple steps below.
Adjust the RAID dial so that the arrow is pointing at the desired RAID mode. Each time the arrow is aligned
with a new mode, you will feel a slight click. A small athead screwdriver works the best to adjust the dial.
When starting from a power on state, rotate the dial on the back of the enclosure
to the desired RAID mode, then unmount the drive and power o the Elite Pro
Dual. Next power on the Elite Pro Dual. The LEDs on the front will blink for a brief
time; once the blinking stops the drive is ready to use.
When starting from a power o state, rotate the dial on the back of the enclosure
to the desired RAID mode, then power on the Elite Pro Dual. The LEDs on the
front will blink for a brief time; once the blinking stops the drive is ready to use.
NOTE: changing the RAID mode for the Mercury Elite Pro Dual requires an active USB or FireWire connection.
See Section 2.3.2 - “RAID Modes” for more information on each RAID mode that can be used, and how it
diers from the others.
2.3.2 RAID Modes
RAID 0 “Drive Striping” Mode:
The two drives show up as a single large disk with a size equal to the combined capacities of both drives.
RAID 0 is used when speed is the primary objective; it does not provide data redundancy for protection.
The reading and writing of data les is spread 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 becomes corrupted. The
data will be lost.
RAID 1 “Drive Mirroring” Mode:
The two drives show up as a single disk with a size equal to the capacity of a single drive from the array.
RAID 1 copies (or “mirrors”) the data from the rst drive to the second drive. This is useful when reliability
and redundancy are more important than capacity or maximum speed. When one drive fails, it can be
replaced and the data can be rebuilt automatically from the other functioning drive. See Section 2.4 for
more details on the drive replacement and rebuild process.
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.
Note Changing the RAID mode for the Mercury Elite Pro Dual requires an active USB or FireWire
connection.
Warning Drives of identical model and capacity are required for RAID 0 and RAID 1. Always maintain a full
and separate backup of your RAID disks, especially RAID 0 disks.