Frequently Asked Questions - Acomdata E5 External Hard Drives User Manual

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use my Drive on two computers at the same time?
A: No. The Drive can only be used with one computer at a time.
If you connect the Drive to two computers at the same time, you
may damage the Drive and the computers.
Q: Do I have to format my AcomData Drive prior to using it?
A: No. All AcomData Drives are formatted at the factory with the
FAT32 file system, making them compatible with all supported
platforms right out of the box. You can re-format the Drive if you
wish to use a file system other than FAT32.
Q: Can I format the AcomData Drive for use on multiple oper-
ating systems?
A: All AcomData Drives are formatted at the factory with the FAT32
file system, making them compatible with all supported operating
systems right out of the box.
Q: What is the difference between FAT32 and NTFS?
A: FAT32 is an older and more compatible file system but it has
certain limitations, such as file size (maximum 4 GB). NTFS is more
secure and has fewer limitations. The NTFS file system can only be
used on Windows 2000 and XP. If you plan to use your AcomData
Drive on Windows 2000 and/or XP only, consider re-formatting the
Drive using the NTFS file system. If you plan to use the Drive on a
Mac OS only, consider re-formatting the Drive using the Mac OS
Extended file system.
Q: Does the AcomData Drive work on Windows XP Media
Center Edition?
A: At this time, it is not supported.
Q; Where are the drivers for XP, 200 and Me?
A: They are built into the operating system. However, you may
need to upgrade your Windows OS.
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Q: Can I use both the USB 2.0 and FireWire interfaces of my
Drive at the same time?
A: No. If you do, you may lose data, damage the Drive, and damage
your computer.
Q: Can I connect an AcomData Drive to a USB or FireWire
expansion card?
A: Yes, but you may need to update the software/firmware for the
card. We recommend you check with the card's manufacturer for
the latest updates.
Q: Is the AcomData Drive compatible with Windows 95, 98
(First Edition) or Windows NT 4.0?
A: No.
Q: What's faster, USB 2.0 or FireWire 400?
A: USB 2.0 and FireWire are very similar in many respects, but there
are definite differences.
At first glance it would appear that USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) is indeed
faster than FireWire 400 (400 Mbps). However, this is only true
under ideal conditions. While 480 Mbps is the maximum speed
achievable, USB 2.0 cannot guarantee a specified data transfer rate.
This is mainly because USB 2.0 is a master-slave, host-dependent
technology, meaning it relies on your computer's CPU to facilitate
and manage data transfers.
FireWire, on the other hand, is a peer-to-peer technology that
does not require CPU resources to facilitate data transfers between
FireWire devices. Moreover, FireWire devices can guarantee real-
time delivery of data at a specific rate. Real time data delivery is
necessary for certain applications, such as digital video streaming
where dropped or delayed data packets is unacceptable. This is
why devices like digital camcorders have 1394 interfaces, and why
FireWire is the interface of choice for digital video editing applica-
tions.
For day-to-day hard drive use, USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 will have
comparable performance though FireWire 400 will probably have
a slight performance edge, which can make a difference if you
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