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Q: What is the cache size on my AcomData Drive?
A: All drives under 250 GB have 2MB caches; drives that are
250 GB or larger have 8MB caches.
Q: Why doesn't the Drive need a fan?
A: All hard drives generate some heat during normal opera-
tion. Heat generation can be an issue with some hard drives,
which is why hard drives often have big, noisy fans. The E5
was engineered to be more efficient and to generate so little
heat that it does not need a fan, allowing us to make the drive
as compact and lightweight––and quiet––as possible.
Q: Why is the capacity of my drive as shown in Windows
or Mac OS lower than the Drive's actual stated capacity?
A: The difference is mostly due to the different way in which
Windows and Mac operating systems typically measure hard
drive capacity, as compared to the method used by hard
drive manufacturers. Hard drive manufacturers have always
used the decimal (base 10) method, where 1GB = 1,000 MB =
1,000,000 KB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. Windows and Mac oper-
ating systems use the binary (base 2) method, where 1GB =
1,024 MB = 1,048,576 KB = 1,073,741,824 bytes.
Example: A hard drive with a capacity of 120 GB will show up
on Windows and Mac with a capacity of, say, 111.8 GB. The
actual number of available bytes is 120,044,335,923, which is
just over 120 GB (decimal).
Hard drive manufacturers use the decimal method because
it is simpler and less confusing to consumers who may not
be familiar with the base 2 number system. Manufacturers of
operating systems do not need to concern themselves with
this issue, so they typically use the more traditional binary
method. As long as the drive displays the correct number of
bytes (approximately), you are getting the drive's full capacity.
The reason we say that the number of bytes will be approxi-
mate is because operating systems reserve a small amount
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Table of Contents
Troubleshooting
