Appendix; Faq - OWC Mercury Elite Pro Assembly Manual

OWC Mercury Elite Pro
Chapter 5 - Appendix

5 APPENDIX

5.1 FAQ

Q: How do I format my storage solution?
A: OWC has detailed instructions online for most popular operating systems,
located at:
http://eshop.macsales.com/tech_center/fwhdd.cfm
Q: What file system should I choose when formatting my drive?
A: This will depend on how you want to use the drive, but in general we recom-
mend:
• Mac OS X : HFS + (Mac OS Extended)
• Windows 2000/XP/Vista : NTFS
• For cross-platform compatibility, FAT32 will work, but single file sizes are limited
to 4GB. Other options using 3rd party software exist but are not covered here.
Q: Will the hard drives spin down when my computer goes to sleep or into stand-
by mode?
A: Yes, they will spin down to save energy. It will take about 30 seconds to access
your data after being in sleep or stand-by mode.
Q: I have an older system and it does not support hard drives larger than 2.2TB.
Can I use a 3TB drive with my system?
A: Yes, but only up to the 2.2TB limitation of your operating system. To limit the
OWC Mercury Elite Pro to a maximum of 2.2TB capacity, you need to flip a dip
switch inside the enclosure. See section 2.1 for detailed instructions.
Q: I have an older Intel based Mac - can I use my OWC Mercury Elite Pro as a boot
drive?
A: Yes! Older (Pre-2008) Intel Mac systems require the use of USB for booting
but it certainly will work. Post-2008 Intel Mac systems can boot via either USB or
FireWire.