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 Table of Contents
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 1
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
Table of Contents

Foreword 2
Precautions 4
1. Unpacking Your LaCie Drive 5
1.1 Minimum System Requirements 5
2. Getting Connected 6
2.1 Connect the USB 2.0 Cable to the Drive and to Your Computer 9
2.2 Connecting the Optional Power Sharing Cables 10
3. Using Your LaCie Drive 12
3.1 Formatting and Partitioning Your LaCie Hard Drive 13
3.1.1 Windows Users 13
3.1.2 Mac Users 15
4. Helpful Information 17
4.1. Advice for Optimizing USB 2.0 Connections 17
4.1.1. What Is USB 2.0? 17
4.1.2. Disconnecting USB 2.0 Devices 18
4.1.3. Data Transfers 19
4.1 File System Formats 20
4.2.1. Windows Users 20
4.2.2. Mac Users 21
5. Troubleshooting 22
6. Contacting Customer Support 26
7. Warranty 28
 Forward
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 2
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
Copyrights
Copyright © 2003 LaCie. All rights reserved. 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 LaCie.
Trademarks
Apple, Mac and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Microsoft, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE,
Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition and Windows XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other
trademarks mentioned in this manual are the property of their respective owners.
Changes
The material in this document is for information only and subject to change without notice. While reasonable efforts have
been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy, LaCie assumes no liability resulting from errors or
omissions in this document, or from the use of the information contained herein. LaCie 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! Modifications 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
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive USB 2.0
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, Tested To Comply
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in With FCC standards
accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE
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
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 to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try and 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 into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
 Forward
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 3
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Canada Compliance Statement
This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Manufacturer’s Declaration for CE Certification
We hereby certify that this device is in compliance with both the EMC Directive (89/336/EEC) and the Low Voltage Directive
(73/23/EEC) issued by the Commission of the European Community.

Compliance with these directives implies conformity to the following European Norms:
Class B EN60950, EN55022, EN50082-1, EN61000-3-2
With reference to the following conditions:
73/23/EEC Low Voltage Directive
89/336/EEC EMC Directive
 Precautions
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 4
User’s Manual - USB 2.0

Health And Safety Precautions

Only qualified persons are authorized to carry out maintenance on this device.
• Read this User's Guide carefully, and follow the correct procedure when setting up the device.
• Do not open your hard drive or attempt to disassemble or modify it. Never insert any metallic object into the drive to avoid
any risk of electrical shock, fire, short-circuiting or dangerous emissions. Your hard drive contains no user-serviceable parts. If
it appears to be malfunctioning, have it inspected by a qualified LaCie Technical Support representative.
• 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:

• Do not expose the hard drive to temperatures outside the range of 5° C to 40° C (41° F to 104° F). Doing so may damage
the drive or disfigure its casing. Avoid placing your drive near a source of heat or exposing it to sunlight (even through a
window). Inversely, placing your drive in an environment that is too cold or humid may damage the unit.
• Always unplug the hard drive 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.
• If you need to use the optional power supply (sold separately), only use that specific power supply.
• Do not use the hard drive 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 drive near sources of magnetic interference, such as computer displays, televisions or speakers. Magnetic
interference can affect the operation and stability of your hard drive.
• Do not place heavy objects on top of the drive or use excessive force on it.
• Never use excessive force on your drive. If you detect a problem, consult the Troubleshooting section in this manual.
• Protect your hard drive from excessive exposure to dust during use or storage. Dust can build up inside the device,
increasing the risk of damage or malfunction.
• Never use benzene, paint thinners, detergent or other chemical products to clean the outside of the drive. Such products will
disfigure and discolor the casing. Instead, use a soft, dry cloth to wipe the device.
• Do not block the ventilation outlets on the rear of the drive. These help to keep your drive cool during operation. Blocking
the ventilation outlets may cause damage to your drive and cause an increased risk of short-circuiting or fire.

Warning! The drive's warranty may be void as a result of the failure to respect the precautions listed above.
 Unpacking Your LaCie Drive
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 5
User’s Manual - USB 2.0

1. Unpacking Your LaCie Hard Drive

Building on over a decade of design excellence, LaCie has teamed up with Porsche Design G.m.b.H. to create a new line of
drives that are timeless and crafted to blend functionality with high-technology. These latest drives are performance-based
solutions that will power you through your specific applications.

Pack up the office and take it on the road. Whether you work from home, or your daily schedule keeps you on the move,
these mobile drives are the perfect compliment to today’s demanding applications. Share between Macs and PCs and take
everything you need in one small design.

1 LaCie Mobile Hard Drive

1 2
2 Hi-speed USB 2.0 mini certified cable

3 USB Power Sharing Cable

3

4 PS2 Power Sharing Cable

5 4

5 LaCie Storage Utilities CD-ROM

1.1. Minimum System Requirements

System Requirements for USB 2.0:
• Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows Me and Windows XP
• Mac OS 9.x (Apple USB support 1.3.5 and greater) and 10.x
Hardware Requirements for USB 2.0:
• Computer with USB 2.0 or 1.1 interface*
• Intel Pentium 233MHz-compatible processor or greater
• Minimum 32MB RAM

Tech Note: *To achieve USB 2.0 speeds, your drive must be connected to a USB 2.0 host port. If it is connected to a
USB 1.1 port, your drive will operate at USB 1.1 speeds. For more details, see 4.1. Advice for Optimizing USB 2.0
Connections.
 Getting Connected
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 6
User’s Manual - USB 2.0

2. Getting Connected
Follow these steps to quickly get your LaCie Drive powered on and connected to your computer. Click on
a step to get started!

2.1. Connect the USB 2.0 Cable to Your LaCie Drive and to Your Computer

Once you’ve gotten the drive connected to your computer, move on to section 3. Using Your LaCie Drive
for important information on how to format and utilize your drive.

Tech Note: *The LaCie Hard Drive does not require a power supply for computers equipped with a standard bus-
powered USB port. Some USB hubs or boards are not powered; if your computer’s USB hub or bus does not provide
the necessary power to operate your drive, use one of the optional power sharing cables to turn on your drive. See
section 2.2 Connecting the Optional Power Sharing Cables for instructions.

Windows 98 SE and Windows Me Users!

Mac OS 9.x Users!
Before following the rest of the installation steps, first install this important software to help you configure and manage your
LaCie drive.
• Windows 98 SE and Windows Me Users, click here
• Mac OS 9.x Users, click here
 Getting Connected
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 7
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
Windows 98 SE and Windows Me Users Only! Silverlining 98 and USB 2.0 Driver Installation
To use your new LaCie Hard Drive, first install the necessary driver software and then Silverlining 98. Follow the steps
below to install the necessary drivers and software to configure your drive. Then move on to the USB 2.0 installation
steps.

Step 1) Insert the LaCie Storage Utilities CD-ROM in your computer’s internal CD/DVD drive and open the disc
(Fig.2.2).
Step 2)
A) Double-click the USB 2.0 Drivers Install folder.
Step 1)
B) Double-click on the LaCie_USB_Driver_Install.exe icon. The
LaCie USB2 Storage Driver screen will appear. Click on Next.

C) Installation will finish automatically.

Step 2) Re-open the LaCie Storage Utilities CD-ROM.

A) Double-click the Silverlining 98 folder.

B) Double-click the Silverlining98_Install.EXE icon.

C) Silverlining 98 will then initialize the install screen.

Fig.2.2
D) The “Welcome” screen will appear. Click Next.

E) The “Destination Location” screen will appear. To alter the location where the software is installed on your system,
click the Browse button. If you do not want to change the location, do not click on the Browse button, and allow the
software to be installed in its default location. Click Next to continue.

F) Next is the “Start Installation” screen. Click Next.

G The software installation will begin, and you will see the installation screens.

H) Finally, you will see the “Silverlining 98 has been installed correctly” screen. Click Finish to complete the
installation.
 Getting Connected
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 8
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
Mac OS 9.x Users Only! Silverlining Pro Installation
Before connecting the power supply and USB 2.0 cable to your drive, you will need to install Silverlining Pro, which
will help you manage your drive. Follow the steps below to install the necessary drivers and software to configure
your drive. Then move on to the power supply and USB 2.0 cable installation steps.

1) Insert the LaCie Storage Utilities CD-ROM in your computer’s internal CD/DVD drive.

2) Open the CD icon and double-click on the Silverlining Software folder.

3) Click on the Silverlining Installer icon (Fig.2.1).

4) The Silverlining Utilities screen appears. Click on Continue.

5) The “Silverlining Read Me” screen appears. Read the following information
and click on Continue.

6) The “License Agreement” screen appears. Click on Agree.

7) The “Installation” screen appears. Choose either Easy Install, Custom Install or
Uninstall from the pull-down menu in the upper left-hand side of the “Installation”
screen. Once you’ve made your choice, click on Install.

8) A message appears to confirm that the installation was successful. Now move
onto Step 1.

Fig.2.1
 Getting Connected
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 9
User’s Manual - USB 2.0

Step 2.1 –
Connect the USB 2.0* Cable to Your LaCie Drive and to Your Computer.

USB 2.0 Logo

2
1 USB 1.1 Logo

1 Examine the cable carefully and make sure that you have the USB 2.0 cable properly aligned, then insert the cable
firmly into the USB port on the back of the drive for a stable connection.

2 Look for a USB 2.0* logo (which generally is used to identify the port) next to the connector on the front or back of
your computer, then insert the cable firmly into the USB port for a stable connnection.

Tech Note: Please refer to section 4.1 Advice for Optimizing USB 2.0 Connections for important information on
disconnecting USB 2.0 devices and ensuring optimum performance.

Tech Note: *To achieve USB 2.0 speeds, your drive must be connected to a USB 2.0 host port. If it is connected to a
USB 1.1 port, your drive will operate at USB 1.1 speeds. For more details, see 4.1 Advice for Optimizing USB 2.0
Connections.

Important Note: Windows Users: It may take a few seconds for your computer to recognize the drive and assign it
a letter.

Mac Users: It may take a few seconds for the drive to appear on your desktop.
Mac OS 9.x Mac OS 10.x
 Getting Connected
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 10
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
2.2. Connecting the Optional Power Sharing Cables
In the event that the USB bus on your computer does not provide the necessary power to operate your drive, there are two
power supply adapter cables that are included with your drive that will derive the necessary power to operate the drive. The
PS2 power supply adapter cable connects to either of the ports used to connect a keyboard or mouse to your computer, and
the USB power supply adapter cable connects to an available USB port on your computer.

In case neither of these options work with your specific computer configuration, LaCie offers an optional power supply, sold
separately. Please contact your LaCie reseller or LaCie Customer Service for more information.

2.2.1. PS2 Power Sharing Cable

PS2 ports are generally used to connect a mouse and keyboard to a computer. If you need to use this port as an additional
power source, you will still be able to use the ports for your mouse or keyboard. The PS2 Power Sharing Cable has a PS2
port built into the end that connects to the PS2 port.

1 Connect the small end of the PS2 Power Sharing Cable to the power adapter port on the rear of the LaCie drive.

2 Connect the other end of the PS2 Power Sharing Cable to an available PS2 port on your computer.

If the PS2 port you are using to help suppliment the power of your LaCie drive originally had a mouse or keyboard attached
to it, simply reattach the mouse or keyboard to the available PS2 port on the end of the PS2 Power Sharing Cable.
 Getting Connected
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 11
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
2.2.2. USB Power Sharing Cable

1
2

USB 1.1 Logo

The USB ports (either USB 2.0 or USB 1.1) on your computer will help provide power to your LaCie drive in the instance that
your FireWire bus does not supply the necessary power to operate your drive.

1 Attach the small end of the USB Power Sharing Cable to the back of your LaCie drive.

2
Attache the USB end of the USB Power Sharing Cable to an available USB port on your computer.
 Using Your LaCie Drive
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 12
User’s Manual - USB 2.0

3. Using Your LaCie Drive

Once you’ve connected your drive and it is recognized by your operating system (i.e. Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, XP or Mac
OS 9.x or 10.x), you are ready to format and partition the drive. In order to store information on a hard drive, it must have a
file system and be divided into sections that will contain the data that you wish to store. This process is called formatting.

In order to utilize a hard disk drive, it has to be formatted first. Formatting a disk consists of the following: the operating
system erases all of the bookkeeping information on the disk, tests the disk to make sure that all of the sectors are reliable,
marks bad sectors (i.e., those that are scratched) and creates internal address tables that it later uses to locate information.
Once formatted, the actual available storage capacity varies, depending on operating environment, and is generally about
10% less than the non-formatted capacity.

Important Note: All LaCie Hard Drives are originally formatted in FAT 32, so if you want to use another file system,
you will need to re-format the hard drive. The following information will help you decide which file system format to
use.

After you’ve formatted the drive, you will the opportunity to divide the hard drive into sections, called Partitioning. A partition
is a section of the hard drive’s storage capacity that is created to contain files and data. For instance, you could create three
partitions on your drive: one partition for your word documents, one for your spreadsheets and one for your multi-media files.

File System Formats

There are essentially three different file system formats: FAT 32, NTFS, and Mac OS Extended (HFS+).

Use FAT 32 if:

• you will be using your drive between both Windows and Mac OS 9.x or 10.x; or sharing the drive between Windows 98
SE, Me, 2000 or XP

Use NTFS if:

• you will be using the drive only under Windows 2000 or Windows XP; performance will be generally greater when
compared to FAT 32

Use HFS+ if:

• you will be using the drive on Macs only; performance will be generally greater when compared to FAT 32

For more information, please refer to section 4.2 File System Formats.
 Using Your LaCie Drive
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 13
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
3.2. Formatting And Partitioning Your LaCie Hard Drive
Once you have set-up your LaCie Hard Drive, you can reformat or partition it to suit your needs.

3.2.1. Windows Users

• Windows 98 SE and Me – Install and use LaCie Silverlining 98, which is included with your drive.
• Windows 2000 and XP – Use the Disk Management Utility, which is native to the operating system.

For instructions on installing and using Silverlining 98, please refer to the Silverlining manual, located on your LaCie Storage
Utilities CD, in PDF format.

Formatting And Partitioning Using Windows 2000 And Windows XP

The process of formatting and partitioning a drive on a computer running Windows 2000 or Windows XP consists of two
steps: (1) installing a signature on the drive, and (2) partitioning/formatting the drive. These steps will erase anything that is
on the disk.

1) Connect the drive to the computer via the USB 2.0 port.

2) Right-click My Computer and click Manage.

3) From the Computer Management window, select Disk Management (located below the Storage group).

4) If this is the first time

the drive is being
formatted, Windows
2000 will launch the
Write Signature Wizard
(Write Initialize Wizard
in Windows XP). Click
Next.

5) Windows will list the

new drive(s) attached. If
you are formatting a
single drive, only one
drive should be visible.
Select the checkbox next
to the drive and click
Next.
 Using Your LaCie Drive
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 14
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
6) Click Finish to exit the Wizard.

7) Now, with the disk management window open, a new drive will be visible. Right-click on the available space and select
Create Partition...

8) This will bring up the Create Partition Wizard. Click Next.

9) Select Primary Partition. Click Next.

10). Here you must specify partition size. It is recommended that you leave the partition set to the maximum available size,
unless you want multiple partitions on the same drive. Click Next.

11) Select Assign drive letter and select the desired letter for the drive. Click
Next.

12) Select Format this partition… and then select a file system:

FAT32
FAT32 is a file system that is compatible with Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000 and Windows XP; however, it
has limitations. In Windows 2000 and Windows XP, you will not be able to create a partition greater than 32GB.

NTFS
NTFS is a newer file system that is compatible only with Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It has fewer
limitations than FAT 32 and will enable a partition to be created that is larger than 32GB.

Important Note: Please refer to section 4.2. File System Formats, for a more detailed discussion on the differences
between the two systems.

13) Click Next.

14) Click Finish.

15) Disk Management will create the partition and begin formatting the
drive. Once completed, close Disk Management and your new drive will
be ready to use.
 Using Your LaCie Drive
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 15
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
3.2.2. Mac Users
• Mac OS 9.x – Install and use LaCie Silverlining Pro, which is included with your drive.
• Mac OS 10.x – Use the Apple Disk Utility application, which is native to the operating system.

For instructions on installing and using Silverlining Pro, please refer to the Silverlining manual, located on your LaCie Storage
Utilities CD, in PDF format.

Formatting And Partitioning Using Mac OS 10.x

Warning! Following these steps will erase anything that is on the hard drive. Therefore, if you have information that
you want to protect or continue to use, backup this information before performing these steps.

1) Connect the drive to the computer via the USB 2.0 port.

2) Once the drive mounts onto the desktop, go to the Menu Bar, and open Go.

3) From the Go menu, click on Applications.

4) In the Applications menu, open the Utilities folder, and then double-click Disc Utility from the Utilities folder.

5) The Disc Utility window will open. In the

left side of the window will be a list of the
available hard disk drives. You should see a
volume that represents your internal hard
drive, and one that reads LaCie.

6) Select the LaCie drive, and then click on

the Partition tab.

7) From the Volume Scheme: button, choose

the number of partitions you want to divide
the drive into by clicking on the pull down
menu starting with Current (Mac OS 10.x
gives you the option of dividing the drive
into at most 8 partitions). You can customize
the size of the partitions by using the slide
bar between the partitions in the Volume
Scheme: area.
 Using Your LaCie Drive
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 16
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
8) In the Volume Information section, create a name for each partition, choose the volume format (Mac OS Extended, Mac
OS Standard or UNIX File System) and the volume size.

Important Note: Please refer to section 4.2. File System Formats, for a more detailed discussion on the differences
between the two systems.

Important Note: Apple recommends that unless you have a specific reason to use the UNIX File System (UFS), you
should use the Mac OS Extended format since it provides a more familiar experience to Macintosh users.

9) In the Options section, click the Install Mac OS 9 Disk Drivers box if you plan on sharing the drive between the Mac OS
9.x and Mac OS 10.x.

10) Once you have finalized the volume format, number of partitions, size and options, click OK. The following message will
appear: “Warning! Saving the new volume will erase all existing volumes. This can NOT be undone. Are you sure you want
to do that?” Click Partition to continue.

11) Mac OS 10.x will automatically setup the disk with the partitions and volume format you selected, and your new drive
will be available for use.
 Helpful Information
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 17
User’s Manual - USB 2.0

4. Helpful Information

4.1. Advice For Optimizing USB 2.0 Connections

The following technical information relates to your LaCie Drive and gives some practical advice:

4.1.1 What is USB 2.0?

The new USB 2.0 standard provides higher bandwidth for high-speed peripherals
such as external hard drives, high-speed scanners and CD-RW drives. USB 2.0 USB 2.0 Logo
delivers transfer rates up to 480Mb/s, while conveniently maintaining backward
compatibility with USB 1.1 devices.

USB 2.0 can still be used to connect lower-speed USB 1.1 ports and devices like
digital cameras, scanners, modems, keyboards, mice, joysticks and printers. In the
USB 1.1 Logo
USB 2.0 system, existing USB peripherals do not have to be upgraded, and lower-
speed devices will not require additional performance, instead operating as USB 1.1
devices.

USB Cables and Connectors

Your LaCie drive is shipped with a USB 2.0-certified USB cable, to ensure maximum data transfer performance when
connected to a USB 2.0 port. The cable will also work when connected to a USB 1.1 port, but drive performance will be
limited to USB 1.1 transfer rates.

There are also different types of USB connections, such as the mini-cable and device end. Make sure that you have the correct
type of connection on computer. Consult LaCie Customer Support or your LaCie reseller for more information.

USB 2.0 Host Bus Adapters and Performance

To utilize the newly-enhanced USB 2.0 performances, your computer must be equipped with a USB 2.0 host bus adapter card
(sold separately, such as the LaCie USB 2.0 PCI Card, or integrated by your PC manufacturer) and the appropriate drivers.
These host bus adapter cards, which include one or more USB ports, are shipped with special USB 2.0 drivers that enable the
computer to control the card. These drivers must be installed in order for USB 2.0 devices connected to the port to work at
their correct speeds. For installation instructions, please refer to the documentation that comes with the host adapter card.

LaCie supplies only the appropriate USB 2.0 drivers for its peripherals and does not provide drivers for third-party host
adapter cards. To obtain the right drivers for your host adapter card, visit your card manufacturer’s Internet site.
 Helpful Information
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 18
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
4.1.2. Disconnecting USB 2.0 Devices
USB 2.0 external devices feature "plug & play" connection. This means that your drive can be connected and disconnected
while the computer is running. To prevent failures, it is important you follow these steps when disconnecting your USB 2.0
device.

Windows Users
Important Note: Windows 98 SE Users: If you have installed the Windows Storage Supplement Update, you will
have to unmount the drive before disconnecting it or powering it down. If you have not installed the update, simply
disconnect the drive when it is not active. No unmounting is required.

1) From the System Tray (located in the lower right-hand side of your screen), click on the Eject icon
(a small green arrow over a hardware image). Fig.4.1.4

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 be given the following message: "Safe to Remove Hardware" (or similar). It is now safe to disconnect the
device.

Mac Users
You must unmount the hard drive system before disconnecting it or powering it down. Either:
• Drag the hard drive icon to the trash.
• Launch Silverlining Pro, highlight the hard drive and select “Unmount.”

The drive can now be disconnected.

Mac OS 9.x Mac OS 10.x

 Helpful Information
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 19
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
4.1.3. Data Transfers
Data transfers are the flow of data that accomplishes a task, usually related to moving data from storage to computer RAM or
between storage devices. During data transfers, it’s best to wait before launching other applications on the same USB 2.0
port. Anomalies may arise with computers that have USB 2.0 controllers* that do not conform to OHCI (Open Host Controller
Interface) standards. In any other configurations, we cannot ensure 100% correct operation. Due to this, you may encounter
hanging problems. If this happens, proceed as follows:

1) Make sure that the USB 2.0 cable is connected tightly and securely on both ends of the cable, from the drive to the
computer. If you are using a USB 2.0 cable other than the one supplied with your LaCie drive, check that it is USB 2.0
certified. The cable that is provided with your LaCie drive is USB 2.0 certified.

Warning! Do not connect USB 2.0 cables so that they form a ring of devices. There is no need for terminators on
USB 2.0 devices, so the unused USB 2.0 connectors should be left empty.

2) Check that the power supply and ground connection are seated properly.

3) Disconnect your computer’s USB 2.0 cable. Wait 30 seconds. Reconnect.

Tech Note: *Controller - This is a component or an electronic card (referred to in this case as a “controller card”) that
enables a computer to communicate with or manage certain peripherals. An external controller is an expansion
card which fills one of the free slots (i.e. PCI or PCMCIA) inside your PC and which enables a peripheral (i.e. CD-
R/RW drive, Hard Drive, scanner or printer) to be connected to the computer. If your computer is not equipped with
a USB 2.0 controller card, you can purchase an external controller through LaCie. Contact your LaCie reseller or
LaCie Technical Support (6. Contacting Customer Support) for more information.
 Helpful Information
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 20
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
4.2 File System Formats

4.2.1. Windows Users

There are basically two file system formats for Windows: FAT 32 and NTFS. The following information will hopefully make
choosing one or the other a little easier.

FAT 32
FAT is an acronym for File Allocation Table, which dates back to the beginnings of DOS programming. Originally, FAT was
only 16 bits, but after the second release of Windows 95 it was upgraded to 32 bits, hence the name FAT 32. In theory, FAT
32 volume sizes can range from less than 1MB all the way to 2TB. It is the native file system of Windows 98 and Windows
Me, and is supported by Windows 2000 and XP. When FAT 32 is used with Windows 2000 and XP, though, volume size is
limited to 32GB (by the Windows partition utility, i.e. Disk Manager), and the individual file size is limited to 4GB.

NTFS
This acronym stands for New Technology Filing System, and it is the native file system for Windows NT, Windows 2000 and
XP. NTFS offers several features that are not available with FAT 32; i.e. file compression, encryption, permissions, and
auditing, as well as the ability to mirror drives and RAID 5 capabilities. The minimum supported volume size for NTFS is
10MB, with a maximum of 2TB, with no limit to file size. Volumes created in NTFS can only be directly accessed (not through
shares) by Windows NT, Windows 2000 and XP, without resorting to help from third-party products.

Guidelines for Choosing FAT 32 Or NTFS

Use FAT 32 if:

• You want to access your data on any Operating System - FAT 32 is compatible with Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP, NT,
Mac OS 9.x and Mac OS 10.x.
• You will be dual booting with an Operating System other than Windows NT or Windows 2000.
• You may need the ability to dual boot down the line. Once you have converted a volume from NTFS to FAT 32, there is no
going back. You can convert from FAT 32 to NTFS, but not the other way around.

Use NTFS if:

• You want to optimize drive performance under Windows 2000 or XP.
• You want to encrypt files, assign permissions to files, or want to audit files for access.
• You will be formatting partitions larger than 32GB.
• You need to store individual files that are larger than 4GB.
• You need a filing system that can be mirrored or structured like a RAID 5 configuration.
 Helpful Information
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 21
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
4.2.2. Mac Users

Mac OS 9.x Users:

You will be able to format the drive in one of two formats, using Silverlining Pro (for specific instructions, please refer to the
Silverlining User’s Manual, in the Silverlining folder): HFS (Mac OS Standard) or HFS+ (Mac OS Extended).

Important Note: If you will be sharing the hard drive between Macs and Windows operating environments, you will
want to leave the drive formatted in FAT 32.

Mac OS 10.x Users: You have the option of formatting the drive in one of four formats: Mac OS Standard (HFS), Mac OS
Extended (HFS+), MS-DOS File System and UNIX File System (UFS).

HFS - Mac OS Standard

Mac OS Standard refers to the file system used by Mac OS 8.0 and earlier. This is no longer a modern file sytem
specification, and Mac OS Extended is more efficient. Only use this file system if you are creating a volume smaller than
32MB, using a Mac with a 680X0 processor, or you are creating a file structure that will be need to be used by Macs using
Mac OS 8.0 or earlier.

HFS+ - Mac OS Extended

Mac OS Extended refers to the file system used by Mac OS 8.1 and later. HFS+ represents an optimization of the older HFS
file system by using hard disk space more efficiently. Building off of HFS, they increased the number of blocks from 65,536 to
4.29 billion. With HFS+, you are no longer limited by block size.

MS-DOS File System

This is the Microsoft file system, more typically known as FAT 32. This is the file system to use if you are going to be using
your LaCie hard drive between Macs and Windows operating systems.

UNIX File System

This is the file system based on UNIX, and is preferrable for users developing UNIX-based applications within Mac OS 10.x.
Unless you have a specific reason to use the UNIX File System, you should instead format your drive using Mac OS Extended
(HFS+), because it provides Mac users with a more familiar operating experience.
 Troubleshooting
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 22
User’s Manual - USB 2.0

5. Troubleshooting
In the event that your LaCie Mobile Hard Drive is not working correctly, please refer to the following checklist to find out
where the problem is coming from. If you have gone through all of the points on the checklist and your drive is still not
working correctly, please have a look at the FAQs that are regularly published on our Web site – www.lacie.com. One of
these FAQs may provide an answer to your specific question. You can also visit the drivers pages, where the most recent
software updates will be available.

If you need further assistance, please contact your LaCie reseller or LaCie Technical Support (see 6. Contacting Customer
Service for details).
Manual Updates
LaCie is constantly striving to give you the most up-to-date, comprehensive User’s Manuals available on the market. It is our
goal to provide you with a friendly, easy-to-use format that will help you quickly install and utilize the many functions of your
new device.

If your manual does not reflect the configurations of the product that you purchased, please check our Web site for the most
current version available.
The Issue Questions to Ask Possible Solutions

The drive is not Is the drive’s power on? Check to make sure that the USB 2.0 cables are correctly
recognized. attached and firmly seated in both the drive and computer’s
USB ports. Disconnect them, wait 10 seconds, and reconnect
them. If the drive is still not recognized, restart your computer
and try again. If they are correctly connected and your drive
still does not power on, trying using the optional power
sharing cables, described in section 2.2 Connecting the
Optional Power Supply.

Does an icon for the drive appear Check for an icon on the Desktop (on a Mac) or in My
on the computer? Computer (on a PC).

Are all of the cables connected Make sure that all the steps in section 2. Getting Connected
securely and correctly? have been followed correctly. Examine the connections
carefully to ensure that all the cables are inserted in the
correct orientation and in the correct location.
 Troubleshooting
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 23
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
The Issue Questions to Ask Possible Solutions

The drive is not Are the USB drivers installed Mac Users: Open Apple System Profiler and click on the
recognized. correctly and enabled? Devices and Volumes tab. If your device is not listed, recheck
the cables and try the other troubleshooting solutions listed
here.
Tech Note: Mac Users: Apple is constantly providing updated support for drive mechanisms within OS 10.x. To
ensure that you have the latest support, upgrade to the latest version of OS 10.x. To access the latest updates an
upgrades, pull down the Apple Menu and click on System Preferences. In the section titled System, click on
Software Update and then click Update Now. Your computer will then automatically connect via the Internet to
access the latest updates from Apple.

Windows 98 SE & Me Users: Go to Start > Settings >

Control Panel > System > Device Manager > USB Controller
> click on the plus sign next to the controller icon, and you
should see your device listed.
Tech Note: Windows Users: Microsoft
Windows 2000 Users: Go to Start > Settings > Control
consistently posts updated drivers and support
Panel > System > Hardware tab > Device Manager button >
fixes for their operating systems. Go to
USB Controller > click on the plus sign next to the controller
Microsoft’s Web site, support.microsoft.com,
icon, and you should see your device listed.
for more information.

Windows XP Users: Go to Start > Control Panel >

Performance and Maintenance > System > Hardware tab >
Device Manager button > USB Controller > click on the plus
sign next to the controller icon, and you should see your
device listed.

Is there a conflict with other device If you cannot see the device, recheck the cables and try the
drivers or extensions? other troubleshooting solutions listed here.

Consult LaCie Technical Support. See section 6. Contacting

Customer Support for more details.
 Troubleshooting
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 24
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
The Issue Questions to Ask Possible Solutions

The drive is not Is the file system supported by your Check the documentation for your Operating System.
recognized. Operating System?

Does your computer’s configuration Check section 1.1. Minimum System Requirements.
meet the minimum system
requirements for use with this drive?

Was the drive originally formatted If the drive is configured as a removable drive under
as a removable disk? Windows 98SE or Windows Me, the removable setting will
need to be re-checked each time that the drive is taken to a
new system. To do this, go to the Device Manager and click
on the Drives Settings tab.

Error messages under Did you get an Error –50 message When copying files or folders from Mac OS 10.x to a FAT 32
Mac OS 10.x. while copying to a FAT 32 volume? volume, certain characters cannot be copied. These
characters include, but are not limited to:
?<>/\:
Check your files and folders to ensure that these types of
characters are not being used.

Did you get an error message Simply ignore this message. The drive will remount to the
telling you that the drive has been desktop. LaCie drives conserve power by spinning down
disconnected when coming out of when you set your computer to sleep mode, and when the
sleep mode? computer is “woken” from sleep, it does not give the drive
enough time to spin-up from its sleep mode.

The drive is working Are other USB devices connected to Disconnect any other USB devices and see if performance
slowly. the same port? improves.
 Troubleshooting
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 25
User’s Manual - USB 2.0
The Issue Questions to Ask Possible Solutions

The USB 2.0 drive is not Is the drive connected to a USB 1.1 If so, it is normal that the drive runs at USB 1.1 speeds. A
running noticeably port on your computer, or to a USB USB 2.0 device can only run at USB 2.0 speeds when con-
faster than a USB 1.1 1.1 hub? nected to a USB 2.0 port or hub and controlled by the appro-
drive. priate USB 2.0 drivers.

Is the drive connected to a USB 2.0 Check to see that the USB 2.0 drivers for your Host USB 2.0
port on your computer? port and for your USB 2.0 device have been correctly
installed (see the 4.1.1 What Is USB 2.0? section for a more
detailed discussion). If in doubt, uninstall the driver and then
reinstall it.

Does your computer or operating See the 4.1.1 What Is USB 2.0? section for a more detailed
system support USB 2.0? discussion.

Tech Note: Technically, you can connect up to 127 devices to a single USB bus. For more than two devices, you
must make new connections using a peripheral called a "hub." A hub, which you hook up directly to a USB connec-
tor on your computer, usually has 4 or 7 output connections enabling you to connect the same number of peripher-
als. One of the hub's main functions is to regenerate signals that lose part of their strength as they are transmitted
via the USB cable. By connecting yet another hub to a connector on the existing hub, you can then plug in a new
set of peripherals and so on, up to a maximum of 127.
You can use your USB 2.0 devices with USB 1.1 hubs, but the peripherals will be limited to USB 1.1 performance
levels. As USB 2.0 is backwards compatible, you will be able to connect USB 1.1 devices to USB 2.0 hubs; howev-
er, the USB 1.1 devices will still maintain their normal performance levels (i.e. 12 Mb/s).
In practice, users who desire enhanced USB 2.0 throughput will need to connect their USB 2.0 hardware on both
ends of a 2.0 hub to achieve the "high-speed" mode. On one end, a USB 2.0 compliant host controller resides on
the host PC to manage the enumeration process and power management. On the other end, USB 2.0 hardware
must be connected directly to the root hub or through a USB 2.0 hub.
Some hubs have no power supply and others are self-powered. When you choose a hub, opt for the self-powered
variety, as they have their own AC adapter. The most powerful hubs provide 0.5A of power to each port. If you buy
a hub, make sure that it supports per-port switching. This function prevents the entire chain of peripherals from
freezing up if one of them is not working properly or is down.
Important Note: Avoid using USB connectors found on certain peripherals such as keyboards. These are passive (or
pass-through) connectors that lead to power loss and unstable operation.
Important Note: Only use USB cables shorter than 5 meters (approximately 15 feet). Using longer cables cause the
peripherals to malfunction due to excessive reduction in electrical signal strength.
 Contacting Customer Support
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 26
User’s Manual - USB 2.0

6. Contacting Customer Support

Before You Contact Technical Support

1) Read the manuals and review the Troubleshooting section.

2) Try to isolate the problem. If possible, make the drive the only external device on the CPU, and make sure that all of the
cables are correctly and firmly attached.

If you have asked yourself all of the pertinent questions in the troubleshooting checklist, and you still can't get your LaCie drive
to work properly, contact us via the provided Web link. Before contacting us, make sure that you are in front of your
computer and that you have the following information on hand:

• Your LaCie drive's serial number

• Operating system(Mac OS or Windows) and version
• Computer brand and model
• Names of CD or DVD drives installed on your computer
• Amount of memory installed
• Names of any other devices installed on your computer
Serial Number Sticker
 Contacting Customer Support
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 27
User’s Manual - USB 2.0

LaCie Technical Support

LaCie Australia LaCie Belgium LaCie Canada (English)
Contact Us At: Contact Us At: Contact Us At:
http://www.lacie.com/au/contact/ http://www.lacie.com/be/contact/ http://www.lacie.com/caen/contact/

LaCie Denmark LaCie Finland LaCie France

Contact Us At: Contact Us At: Contact Us At:
http://www.lacie.com/dk/contact/ http://www.lacie.com/fi/contact http://www.lacie.com/fr/contact/

LaCie Germany LaCie Italy LaCie Japan

Contact Us At: Contact Us At: Contact Us At:
http://www.lacie.com/de/contact/ http://www.lacie.com/it/contact/ http://www.lacie.co.jp

LaCie Netherlands LaCie Norway LaCie Spain

Contact Us At: Contact Us At: Contact Us At:
http://www.lacie.com/nl/contact/ http://www.lacie.com/no/contact/ http://www.lacie.com/es/support/request

LaCie Sweden LaCie Switzerland LaCie United Kingdom & Ireland

Contact Us At: Contact Us At: Contact Us At:
http://www.lacie.com/se/contact/ http://www.lacie.com/chfr/contact http://www.lacie.com/uk/support/request

LaCie USA LaCie Grand Export

Contact Us At: Contact Us At:
http://www.lacie.com/contact/ http://www.lacie.com/intl/contact/
 Warranty
LaCie Mobile Hard Drive page 28
User’s Manual - USB 2.0

7. Warranty
LaCie warrants your drive against any defect in material and workmanship, under normal use, for the period designated on
your warranty certificate. In the event this product is found to be defective within the warranty period, LaCie will, at its option,
repair or replace the defective drive.

This warranty is void if:

• The drive was operated/stored in abnormal use or maintenance conditions;
• The drive is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification or alteration is expressly authorized in writing by
LaCie;
• The drive was subjected to abuse, neglect, lightning strike, electrical fault, improper packaging or accident;
• The drive was installed improperly;
• The serial number of the drive is defaced or missing;
• The broken part is a replacement part such as a pickup tray, etc.
• The tamper seal on the drive casing is broken.

LaCie and its suppliers accept no liability for any loss of data during the use of this device, or for any of the problems caused
as a result.

LaCie will not, under any circumstances, be liable for direct, special or consequential damages such as, but not limited to,
damage or loss of property or equipment, loss of profits or revenues, cost of replacement goods, or expense or inconvenience
caused by service interruptions.

Any loss, corruption or destruction of data while using a LaCie drive is the sole responsibility of the user, and under no
circumstances will LaCie be held liable for the recovery or restoration of this data.

Under no circumstances will any person be entitled to any sum greater than the purchase price paid for the drive.

To obtain warranty service, call LaCie Technical Support. You will be asked to provide your LaCie product’s serial number, and
you may be asked to furnish proof of purchase to confirm that the drive is still under warranty.

All drives returned to LaCie must be securely packaged in their original box and shipped with postage prepaid.

Register online for free technical support: www.lacie.com/register