Detailed instructions for use are in the User's Guide.
User's Guide
For the AcomData USB 2.0 External Hard Drive
Windows & Mac
Please retain this guide for future reference.
CONTENTS
AcomData Contact Information ................................. 2 Welcome ................................................................ 3 Product Registration for Warranty Coverage ............ 3 Precautions ............................................................ 4 Parts & Accessories List .......................................... 5 System Requirements .............................................. 6 About USB 2.0........................................................ 7 AcomData External Hard Drive at a Glance ................ 8 Technical Specifications ............................................ 9 Connecting the Drive to Your Computer ................... 10 Installing the USB 2.0 CD (Windows 98SE/ME) ...... 11 Formatting Your AcomData External Hard Drive ....... Formatting the Drive in Windows 98SE/ME .............. Formatting the Drive in Windows 2000/XP ............... Formatting the Drive in Mac OS 9 .......................... Formatting the Drive in Mac OS 10 ......................... 12 13 14 14 15
How to safely dismount and turn off your AcomData External Hard Drive ............................... 17 Using Your Drive................................................... 18 Maintaining Your Drive ........................................... 19 Troubleshooting / Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ........................ 21 Solving Technical Problems ..................................... 25 Glossary ............................................................... 26 One Year Limited Warranty .................................. 27 Notices ................................................................ 28
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ACOMDATA CONTACT INFORMATION
Address: 3410 Pomona Blvd. Pomona, CA 91768 Telephone: (909) 348-0680 Fax: (909) 598-8663 Web Site: www.acomdata.com Customer Service: customerservice@acomdata.com Technical Support: techsupport@acomdata.com Pre-Sales Questions: sales@acomdata.com
WELCOME
Welcome, and thank you for purchasing an AcomData External Hard Drive. The information in this User's Guide pertains to USB 2.0 External Hard Drive models HDxxxU2E3-72. The "xxx" in the model number refers to Drive capacity. For example, if you have a 160 GB Drive, the model number of your Drive is HD160U2E3-72. This guide contains very important information for the proper installation, use and care of your Drive. Please read this guide carefully before installing your Drive, and retain it for future reference.
PRODUCT REGISTRATION FOR WARRANTY COVERAGE
Please take a few moments to register your AcomData product. Registration is required in the event that your product needs warranty service. Also, please retain your product's sales receipt; a copy of the sales receipt is also required to attain warranty service. Two ways to register: 1. Fill out and return the Warranty Registration Card included in the package; 2. Register your AcomData product online at www. acomdata.com. To register, click on the Customer Support button and follow the instructions. Online registration entitles you to free online support services, including online tech support and customized software updates.
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PRECAUTIONS
Please follow the precautions listed below. Failure to do so may cause damage to the device and void the warranty. · Read this User's Guide carefully and follow the correct procedures for installing and using the device. · Do not open the device or attempt to disassemble or modify it. If it appears to be malfunctioning, contact AcomData Technical Support. · Never expose the device to rain or use it near water or in damp or wet conditions. · Never place containers containing liquids onto the device. This can damage the device and increase the risk of electric shock, short-circuiting, fire or personal injury. · Make sure that the computer and the device are electrically grounded. If the device has a three-prong (grounded) plug, never plug the device into a two-prong outlet. · Do not expose the device to temperatures outside the range of 5° C to 55° C (41° F to 131° F). Doing so may damage the device or disfigure its casing. · Do not use a third-party AC adapter or power cord. · Do not bump, jar or drop the device as this may damage it or result in loss of data. · Do not try to stand the device on its side. · Do not disconnect any cables with the device powered on. · AcomData highly recommends that you regularly back-up the files stored on your hard drive(s). AcomData is not responsible for any data loss, nor will AcomData perform any recovery of lost data or files.
PARTS & ACCESSORIES LIST
The package should contain the following items: · AcomData USB 2.0* External Hard Drive · USB 2.0 cable (compatible with USB 1.x) · AC adapter and power cord · USB 2.0 Installation CD (required for Windows 98SE and ME only) · User's Guide · Warranty Registration Card
* USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.x. However, if you connect the Drive to a USB 1.x port, it will operate at USB 1.x speeds (up to 12 Mbps, rather than up to 480 Mbps).
If you are missing any items listed above, please contact Customer Service: - E-mail: customerservice@acomdata.com - Telephone: 800-470-4495. Please retain a copy of your receipt. You will need it if warranty repair service is required in the future.
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SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
System Requirement for PC
· · · · 233 MHz Pentium or equivalent processor, or faster Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, or XP 32 MB RAM Available USB port
ABOUT USB 2.0
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an interface technology for the serial transmission of digital data. The original standard (USB 1) could transmit data at speeds of up to 12 Mbps. USB 2.0 has a maximum throughput of 480 Mbps  up to 40 times faster than USB 1. USB is a host-based technology, meaning USB devices need to be connected to a computerÂÂeither directly or indirectly via a hubÂÂin order to communicate with each other. Data transfer rates up to 480 Mbps 480 Mbps is equivalent to 60 megabytes per second. Put another way, it is possible to transfer a full gigabyte of data in just under 18 seconds. However, 480 Mbps is the maximum speed; data transfer rates will vary depending on a number of factors, including available CPU resources. Supports up to 127 devices Connecting more than one or two USB devices to a computer typically requires the use of one or more hubs: each hub can accommodate several USB devices. Master-slave architecture The computer dictates data flow to, from, and between attached devices. Cable length up to 5 m
Windows 98 users: Windows 98 First Edition does not support USB 2.0. The Drive will operate at USB 1.x speeds on Windows First Edition. Windows XP users: In order to use the USB 2.0 connection, you must have at least Service Pack 1 for Windows XP Otherwise the Drive . will operate at USB 1.x speeds.
System Requirements for Mac
· Power Macintosh (G5, G4, Blue & White G3, iBook or iMac) · Mac OS 9 or Mac OS X · Available USB port
Mac OS 9 Users: · We recommended using the latest version (OS 9.2.2). You can download the updates you need at http://docs. info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75288. · Mac OS 9 does not support USB 2.0. The Drive will operate at USB 1.x speeds on OS 9. Mac OS 9 requires USB Mass Storage Support version 1.3.5 or later. You can download the latest update at http://docs.info.apple.com/ article.html?artnum=60394.
On-bus power up to 2.5 W Suitable for low-power-consumption devices such as flash card readers. Plug & Play You do not need to assign ID numbers, or connect terminators. On most operating system you do not need to install drivers. Hot-swappable Devices can be added and removed while the computer is running. Also, you can turn off the device when not needed, in order to conserve electricity.
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THE ACOMDATA USB 2.0 EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE AT A GLANCE
Data/Power indicator light
· Lights green when the Drive is powered on · Flashes red when the Drive is reading or writing data
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Configuration Interface .......................................................................USB 2.0 Recording Zone ......................................................................31 Max areal density (Gbits/sq. inch) .........................................29.7 Max recording density (BPI) ...................................................547 Track Density .........................................................................54 Performance Data Buffer (MB) ......................................................................2 Rotational speed (rpm) ........................................................7200 Latency (average ms) ...........................................................4.17 Interface transfer (max Mbps) ................................................480 Seek time (read typical, ms) .................................................. <8.5 Reliability Error Rate (nonrecoverable) .........................................1 in 10E13 Start/Stops (at 40º C...........................................................40K Power Requirement ............................ +5VDC (+/- 5%) +12VDC (+/- 5%) Startup Current (max A) ................................................ 2.0 (12V) Idle (W) ................................................................................4.9 Effeciency (watts/MB). .......................................................0.114 Power Supply External Power Supply ......................... 40W switching UL/CSA/CE AC Input ............................................100-240V~, 50/60Hz 1.5A DC output .................................................12V@3.33A 40W Max Physical Height (mm/in) ............................................................40.3/1.6 Width (mm/in)..............................................................140/5.6 Depth (mm/in) ..............................................................210/8.5 Weight (g/kg) ...........................................................1190/1.19 Chassis (approved/recognized) ....................................FCC/CE/UL Environmental characteristics (operating) Ambient temperature ..................................................5ºC  55ºC Relative humidity (non-condensing) ................................. 8%  90% Maximum wet bulb (non-condensing) .................................. 29.4ºC Shock (half sine wave) ................................................. 55 G/2ms Vibration (random [RMS]) ...............0.67 (horizontal), 0.56 (vertical)
USB 2.0 port Power switch AC adapter power port
Stackable Case
If you need more storage, you can install additional AcomData External Hard Drives without taking up more desktop space. The case is designed for precise, secure stacking.
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CONNECTING THE DRIVE TO YOUR AcomData External COMPUTER Hard Drive
Important Notes: · It is highly recommendUSB 2.0 cable AC adapter ed that when you install & power cord the Drive, you connect it to a USB port on your computer rather than to a USB hub. Once the installation has been successfully completed, you can then connect the Drive to a USB hub if you so choose. We recommend this approach because if you experience a problem during installation, the problem will be easier to troubleshoot if a USB hub is not used. · Before you install the Drive, we recommend that you restart your computer or shut it down and connect the Drive with the computer turned off. This way you can start with a `clean slate' and avoid potential problems caused by software conflicts or memory fragmentation.
sure to correctly insert the plugs, or you may damage the Drive. 4. Press the power switch located on the back of the Drive. Once the Drive is powered up, your computer should recognize it and the Drive will be ready to use. No formatting is required.
INSTALLING THE USB 2.0 CD
(For Windows 98SE and ME* only) *Windows ME users: If you have upgraded your Windows ME OS with all of the latest available updates from Microsoft, you will not need to install the USB 2.0 CD. 1. After the Drive has been properly connected and turned on, the Add New Hardware Wizard should appear with the message: "Found New Hardware --> USB 2.0 Storage Adapter." Click Next. 2. You will then see the message: "What do you want Windows to do?" with two options. Select "Search for the best driver for your device (Recommended)." Click Next. 3. In the next window that appears, check the box labeled CD-ROM drive and insert the USB 2.0 Installation CD into your CD drive. Click Next. 4. You will then see the message: "Windows is now ready to install the best driver for this device..." Click Next. 5. Once the software installation is complete, you will see the message "Windows has finished installing the software that your new hardware device requires." Click Finish and then eject the CD. You should now see a new icon (a gray box with a green arrow) next to the t ...
