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4. Setting Up Your LaCie Biggest F800

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LaCie Biggest F800

User’s Manual

4. Setting Up Your LaCie Biggest F800

This chapter covers the installation and configuration of your LaCie Biggest F800. A relatively easy process, you will be
guided through the five following steps:

4.1. Setting The RAID Level

– The LaCie Biggest F800 is pre-configured at RAID level 5, but you have the option of 

customizing your RAID level in this step.

4.2. Creating An Array

– The LaCie Biggest F800 will automatically initialize the four hard disks in the unit. 

4.3. Connecting To A Host Computer

– The LaCie Biggest F800 can be connected to a host computer through either 

the FireWire 800 or Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface. This section covers both connectivity methods.

4.4. Setting The Date & Time

– Configure your LaCie Biggest F800 for your local use.

4.5. Formatting & Partitioning Your LaCie Biggest F800

– This section is divided between the two different operating

systems, Mac OS and Windows, and details the process for formatting and partitioning the LaCie Biggest F800.

Summary of Contents for Biggest F800

Page 1: ...t a specific page or section To Exit From the Menu bar at the top of your screen select File Quit Icons Used In This Manual These icons describe the type of information being given Previous Page Next...

Page 2: ...ontents 11 2 3 Views Of The Drive 12 2 3 1 Front View 12 2 3 2 Rear View 13 2 4 Cables Connectors 15 2 4 1 FireWire 15 2 4 2 USB 16 3 Understanding RAID 17 3 1 RAID 0 17 3 2 RAID 0 1 18 3 3 RAID 5 And...

Page 3: ...essages 39 5 2 3 2 Disk Failure Message 39 5 2 3 3 Fan Failure Message 39 5 2 3 4 RAID Configuration Error Message 40 5 2 3 5 Overheating Error Message 40 5 2 4 RAID And Disk Status Messages 41 5 2 4...

Page 4: ...Available Storage Capacity 47 7 3 Optimizing Data Transfers 47 7 3 1 FireWire 800 Ports And Performance 48 7 3 2 Hi Speed USB 2 0 Ports And Performance 49 8 FireWire Questions Answers 50 9 USB Questio...

Page 5: ...d 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 residen...

Page 6: ...e Canadian Interference Causing Equipment Regulations Manufacturer s Declaration for CE Certification We LaCie solemnly declare that this product conforms to the following European standards Class B E...

Page 7: ...LaCie Biggest F800 in an environment that is too cold or humid may damage the unit Always unplug the LaCie Biggest F800 from the electrical outlet if there is a risk of lightning or if it will be unus...

Page 8: ...intelligent online recovery the LaCie Biggest F800 allows one drive to be designated a hot spare that way if one drive fails the LaCie Biggest F800 will seamlessly rebuild the failed drive s data on...

Page 9: ...ments for FireWire 400 Mac OS 9 x Apple FireWire support 2 3 3 and greater and Mac OS10 x Hi Speed USB 2 0 Hardware Requirements for USB G3 or greater with USB 2 0 or 1 1 interface card System Require...

Page 10: ...tem Requirements for FireWire 400 Windows 2000 and Windows XP Hi Speed USB 2 0 Hardware Requirements for USB Pentium II or higher compatible processor with a USB 2 0 or 1 1 interface card 32MB RAM or...

Page 11: ...Hi Speed USB 2 0 cable Serial RS 232 cable Power cable LaCie Biggest F800 Utilities CD ROM LaCie Biggest F800 Quick Install Guide Important Info Please keep your box In the event that the LaCie Bigge...

Page 12: ...the LCD Display messages please see section 5 2 LCD Display Messages Menu Button The Menu Button is used to navigate through the information on the LCD Display and is used to select settings for sett...

Page 13: ...Manual 2 3 2 Rear View Power Supply Connector Fan Status Indicator Power Switch Ventilation Fan RAID Level Switch Selectors Serial RS 232 Port FireWire 800 Ports Hi Speed USB 2 0 Port Power Status Ind...

Page 14: ...er Status Indicator This LED indicates the power supply status During normal operation the LED will light Green the LED will be unlit when there is no power to the unit or the unit is turned off Power...

Page 15: ...ables allow FireWire 400 devices to operate under the FireWire 800 port FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 also share the following features Hot pluggable devices can be added and removed while the bus is...

Page 16: ...include Backwards compatibility Hi Speed USB 2 0 works with the original USB specifications Hot swappable no need to shut down or restart your computer when adding or removing devices Please see secti...

Page 17: ...is determined by the smallest disk in the array and the smallest disk s capacity is applied to all of the other disks in the array So for instance if you had four disks installed ranging in capacity f...

Page 18: ...n this configuration you must have an even number of disks so in the case of the LaCie Biggest F800 you would need to have four hard disks installed Characteristics Advantages Implemented as a mirrore...

Page 19: ...the amount of storage capacity available amongst the disks in the array while still providing data redundancy Storage capacity in a RAID level 5 configuration is the result of a mathematical expressi...

Page 20: ...of RAID 5 but with the difference being that there is one less disk in the array So for instance if there was a RAID 5 Hot Spare array with three drives of varying capacities of 40GB 50GB and 60GB an...

Page 21: ...this step 4 2 Creating An Array The LaCie Biggest F800 will automatically initialize the four hard disks in the unit 4 3 Connecting To A Host Computer The LaCie Biggest F800 can be connected to a hos...

Page 22: ...both the disk settings and the RAID Level Switch Selectors the LCD will display the following two alternating messages 1 RAID level Unmatched 2 Current Rx i e the current RAID level settings of the i...

Page 23: ...e Biggest F800 s power off doing so may lead to the loss of the data on the array ON 1 2 ON 1 2 Important Info In a RAID 5 Hot Spare array the disk in the top Drive Bay is designated as the Hot Spare...

Page 24: ...ON position Move switch 2 of the RAID Level Switch Selectors to the OFF position 4 Setting Up Your LaCie Biggest F800 page 24 LaCie Biggest F800 User s Manual ON 1 2 ON 1 2 Tech Note In a RAID 0 1 arr...

Page 25: ...Cie Biggest F800 and a grounded electrical outlet 4 Turn on the LaCie Biggest F800 by pressing the Power Switch 5 Slide each of the Drive Bays back into the LaCie Biggest F800 and push the Drive Bay H...

Page 26: ...ctivity Indicators please see sections 5 1 Disk Status And Activity Indicators and 5 2 LCD Display Messages i i Important Info All four of the Drive Bays should be locked in place in the LaCie Biggest...

Page 27: ...s section is divided into the two different interface connectivity methods 4 3 1 FireWire 800 4 3 2 Hi Speed USB 2 0 Important Info The initialization must be completed before connecting the interface...

Page 28: ...d for it to appear on the desktop or in My Computer Your LaCie Biggest F800 will now need to be formatted Go to section 4 5 Formatting And Partitioning Your LaCie Biggest F800 for more information 4 S...

Page 29: ...matted Go to section 4 5 Formatting And Partitioning Your LaCie Biggest F800 for more information Tech Note To achieve Hi Speed USB 2 0 transfer rates you have to be connected to a Hi Speed USB 2 0 po...

Page 30: ...To adjust the time and date values use the Menu button on the left side of the LCD Display to scroll through the values Press the Enter button to confirm your selection and move to the next value Sta...

Page 31: ...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 As you format the drive you will have t...

Page 32: ...nal hard drive and one that reads LaCie 5 Select the LaCie drive and then click on the Partition tab 6 From the Volume Scheme button choose the number of partitions you want to divide the drive into b...

Page 33: ...10 x will automatically setup the disk with the partitions and volume format you selected and your new drive will be available for use Tech Note Under Mac OS 10 3 x the default format setting is Mac...

Page 34: ...r 4 From the Computer Management dialog box select Disk Management from the menu on the left hand side The LaCie Biggest F800 array will appear in the lower right section of the Disk Management dialog...

Page 35: ...the same drive Click Next 9 Select Assign drive letter and select the desired letter for the drive Click Next 10 Select Format this partition and then select the default file system NTFS 11 Click Nex...

Page 36: ...LCD Display By using the Menu button to scroll through the messages the following information is available RAID level and capacity Disk model Disk DMA mode and capacity Firmware version Serial number...

Page 37: ...INIT Failed Dx Bad sectors New RAID array being created Initialization completed successfully Initialization failed Re create a new RAID array If the disks have been installed and a new RAID array has...

Page 38: ...sectors Rebuilding data to a new disk following a disk failure Rebuild completed successfully Rebuild failed Rebuild completed successfully The Enter button is pressed The capacity of the new disk is...

Page 39: ...ray failed There are not enough disks for the RAID array to operate A disk is re installed The RAID array failed The sequence of the disks in the array is incorrect The current sequence is displayed w...

Page 40: ...electors does not match the exisiting RAID level If you intend to initialize a new RAID array re insert four disks and create a new RAID or The LaCie Biggest F800 is shut down and the RAID Level Switc...

Page 41: ...iggest F800 has completed its boot process LCD Display Message Message cleared when LACIE Initialize Disks The disks are spinning up The LaCie Biggest F800 has completed disk initialization LCD Displa...

Page 42: ...GB Information about the Disk in Drive Bay 1 YYYYYYY the Disk ID The Menu button is pressed The ATA mode and capacity information about the Disk in Drive Bay 1 The Menu button is pressed LCD Display M...

Page 43: ...programs may also be used 1 Power off the LaCie Biggest F800 2 Connect one end of the Serial RS 232 cable to the Serial RS 232 port on the back of the LaCie Biggest F800 and the other end to a Serial...

Page 44: ...erminal connection is now established 7 Power on the LaCie Biggest F800 and press the ESC key on the host computer s keyboard The prompt will appear 8 Type in the command download 9 When the Enter 1 t...

Page 45: ...ve using Mac OS Extended HFS because it provides Mac users with a more familiar operating experience Important Info If you will be sharing the hard drive between Mac and Windows operating environments...

Page 46: ...ions 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...

Page 47: ...interfaces vary widely For computers running Windows 2000 and later the FireWire interface which is referred to as either IEEE 1394 or iLink on PCs is less common as a native host bus adapter Nearly a...

Page 48: ...With a separate FireWire PCI card you can isolate the slow devices to one port while dedicating another port to your high speed devices This principle also has a great effect on the efficiency and per...

Page 49: ...connected to the port to work at their correct speeds Computers running Windows 2000 and Windows XP automatically manage Hi Speed USB 2 0 devices and drivers while Windows 98 SE and Windows Me will re...

Page 50: ...3 devices to be connected via a single bus and offer peer to peer connectivity enabling multiple computers and FireWire devices to be connected at the same time FireWire also supports both isochronous...

Page 51: ...ard via a properly certified FireWire 800 9 pin to 9 pin beta cable When a FireWire 400 device is connected to a FireWire 800 port the FireWire 400 device will only operate at the original FireWire 40...

Page 52: ...SB USB is perfect for more traditional connections such as keyboards mice joysticks and scanners These types of devices don t require fast data transfer rates and operate very successfully at the slow...

Page 53: ...rom freezing up if one of them is not working properly or is down Will Hi Speed USB 2 0 Devices Work On USB Hubs And Vice Versa You can use your Hi Speed USB 2 0 devices with USB hubs but the peripher...

Page 54: ...estion 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 11...

Page 55: ...uilt automatically to the hot spare disk You do not need to replace the failed disk immediately When adding a new disk the capacity of the new disk MUST equal or be greater than the smallest disk in t...

Page 56: ...array In the event that the RAID level does not correspond to both the disk settings and the RAID Level Switch Selectors the LCD will display the following two alternating messages 1 RAID level Unmat...

Page 57: ...tached 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...

Page 58: ...ie com se contact LaCie United Kingdom Ireland Contact Us At http www lacie com uk support request LaCie Grand Export Contact Us At http www lacie com intl contact LaCie Belgium Contact Us At http www...

Page 59: ...r a repair technician authorized by LaCie 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 un...

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