LaCie Biggest F800

Up to 2 TB capacity storage

WITH RAID TECHNOLOGY

OPTIMUM STORAGE CAPACITY
The LaCie Biggest F800 introduces a new level of data storage with an astounding capacity of up to 2 terabytes (TB) combined with RAID technology. The finest choice in flexibility, the LaCie Biggest F800 comes with 4 discs at 250GB or 400GB each for a maximum capacity of up to 2 TB. With USB 2.0 and FireWire 800 interface connections, it is compatible with both PC and Mac operating systems.

SPEEDY AND EASY-TO-USE

Its exceptionally high transfer rates make the Biggest F800 well suited for audio-visual and creative professionals who require a quick path to powerful data storage and retrieval. Ideal for saving hefty files, protecting databases or working directly on the drive, it delivers high-capacity performance at an affordable price. The user-friendly LaCie Biggest F800 allows for easy installation of four arrayed disks with no driver required.

SUPERIOR RAID SECURITY

A highly secure and exceptionally fast RAID storage solution, the LaCie Biggest F800 offers optimal processing potential by harnessing the power of four disks in one tower. The RAID system offers a perfect combination of total available capacity and the ability to rescue data in the event of a disc failure. The LaCie Biggest F800 supports RAID levels 0, 0+1 and 5, as well as RAID 5+hot spare.

HOT SWAPPABLE RECOVERY

The LaCie Biggest F800 allows for online hot swapping should a drive fail, with automatic data rebuilding to a new drive without downtime. With the added option of designating one of the drives a hot spare, the Biggest F800 will automatically replace a faulty one. For additional protection, it will automatically react to a drive, fan or power failure and even shut down above a temperature of 55 C to preserve itself and your data.
Extremely large 2 TB storage capacity Safe and fast RAID technology User-friendly installation and operation Hot swapping and hot spare options

Features

Supports up to 2 TB capacity Drives are hot swappable Supports RAID levels 0, 0+1, 5 and 5+hot spare Automatic on-line rebuilding (RAID 5) Hot swappable fan Requires no driver Event notification through audible alarm or email LCD panel for operation status display
Model Capacity Part Number Host Interface Disk Interface Transfer Rate Supported OS Dimensions (WxHxD) Weight Operation Temperature Operation Humidity Storage Humidity Power Supply Input Output Certification Box Contents Warranty
LaCie Biggest FTB bays: 250GB (ATA drives) 1.6 TB bays: 400GB (ATA drives) 2 TB bays: 500GB (ATA drives)
FireWire 800 and Hi-Speed USB 2.0
Read: up to 80 MB/s - Write: up to 42 MB/s Mac OS 10.2.8/10.3x; Windows 2000/2003/XP 11.73 x 6.02 x 6.93 in/298 x 153 x 176 mm < 6.65 Kg without disks 0-35 C 5-95% non-condensing 5-75% non-condensing 200W 100-250V AC +5V/10 A, +12V/10 A, +3.3V/5A FCC, CE, UL, C-TICK and PSE Mark approval Power cable, USB 2.0 cable, IEEE1394a to 1394b cable, 1394b to 1394b cable, RS-232 cable, Quick-Install Guide, User manual and Software CD-ROM 2 years
* 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. 1TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Once formatted, the actual available storage capacity varies depending on operating environment (typically 5-10% less). Includes a removable cooling fan module. RAID 0+1, 75% of total capacity for RAID 5, 50% of total capacity for RAID 5+spare. ** Available storage capacity depending on the RAID level: total capacity for RAID 0, 50% of total capacity for

1. Introduction

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Congratulations on the purchase of your new LaCie Biggest F800! This high-performance, extremely flexible RAID (Redundant Array of Independent/Inexpensive Disks) subsystem is ideally suited for integration with databases, imaging systems and e-mail and Web servers. RAID technology is one of the best means to protect your data, while providing greater performance, data integrity and availability than standard hard disk storage. With the ability to provide single error detection and redundant information to recover the original if a disk fails, a RAID system is an ideal means to safe-guard valuable data while also streamlining performance. The LaCie Biggest F800 is the ultimate approach to a flexible RAID solution, with its ability to manage three different RAID levels (0, 0+1 and 5) and also offer the option of RAID 5 + hot spare. Featuring 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 drives data on the hot spare.
1.1. What Your LaCie Biggest F800 Can Do
Supports powerful RAID 0, 0+1, 5, and RAID 5+spare Hot swappable disk drives for security and recovery Easy installation on PC or Mac - no driver required
Important Info: 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. To help prevent the loss of your data, LaCie highly recommends that you keep TWO copies of your data; one copy on your external hard drive, for instance, and a second copy either on your internal hard drive, another external hard drive or some other form of removable storage media, such as CD, DVD or Tape. LaCie offers a complete line of CD, DVD and Tape drives, and if you would like more information on backup, please refer to the LaCie white paper on backup methods and technology.
2. Your LaCie Biggest F800

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2.1. Minimum System Requirements
Supported RAID Levels: Hardware RAID level 0, 0+1, 5 and 5+spare Hot-swappable disks Automatic on-line rebuilding Supported Hard Disks: Parallel ATA-100/133

2.1.1. Mac Users

FireWire 800 Hardware Requirements for FireWire 800: G4 with a FireWire 800/IEEE 1394b interface card System Requirements for FireWire 800: Mac OS 10.2.8 or higher FireWire 400 Hardware Requirements for FireWire 400: G3 or greater, with FireWire 400/IEEE 1394a interface card System Requirements 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 Requirements for USB: Mac OS 9.x and Mac 10.x (Apple USB support 1.3.5 and greater)

Tech Note: Mac Users! USB Connectivity: For optimal performance under the Mac OS, it is recommended that you use the FireWire interface unless you are using a G5 or are running Mac OS 10.2.8 or later on a computer with a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 PC or PCI card. All versions of the Mac OS before Mac OS 10.2.8 do not support the transfer rates of Hi-Speed USB 2.0, and all data transfers will be made at the slower USB 1.1 rates.

2.1.2. Windows Users

FireWire 800 Hardware Requirements for FireWire 800: Pentium III or higher compatible processor, with a FireWire 800/IEEE 1394b interface card 128MB RAM or higher System Requirements for FireWire 800: Windows 2000 and Windows XP FireWire/IEEE 1394/iLink

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Tech Note: Windows 2000 Users! In order for the LaCie Biggest F800 to be recognized by your computer using the FireWire/IEEE 1394 interface, you must have Windows Service Pack 3 installed on your operating system. To ensure that you have the correct configuration, right click on My Computer and select Properties. The System Properties dialog box will appear. Click on the General tab and this will list which version of the Windows operating system you are currently running.
Hardware Requirements for FireWire 400: Pentium II or higher compatible processor, with a FireWire/IEEE 1394/iLink interface card (SBP-2 compatible) that supports mass storage devices. 64MB RAM or greater System 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 greater System Requirements for USB: Windows 2000 and Windows XP

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2.2. Package Contents
Your LaCie Biggest F800 should ship with the following: LaCie Biggest F800 RAID subsystem tower and 4 Drive Bays with hard disks FireWire 800 9-to-9-pin cable 2 FireWire 800/400 9-to-6-pin cable Hi-Speed USB 2.0 cable Serial/RS-232 cable Power cable LaCie Biggest F800 Utilities CD-ROM 4 LaCie Biggest F800 Quick Install Guide 3 1

Recommended Uses File and Application Servers Database Servers Web, E-mail and News Servers Intranet Servers
CONTROLLER A D G PJKL B E PGHI J C PDEF H K PABC F I L
RAID 5 + Hot Spare This level is the same as RAID 5, but one disk is designated as a Hot Spare, which means that in the event of a disk failure, the Hot Spare disk would automatically be activated to replace the failed disk. The storage capacity of a RAID 5+ Hot Spare array follows the same logic as that 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, and one disk designated as the hot spare with a capacity of 70GB, the total capacity of the array would be 80GB [2 (3 disks 1 disk) x 40 = 80].

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This diagram represents a RAID 5 + Hot Spare array, consisting of four disks, which are connected to the Controller. Parity blocks are represented by the letter P.
CONTROLLER A C PEF G B PCD E H PAB D F PGH

H O T S P A R E

4. Setting Up Your LaCie Biggest F800

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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.

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4.1. Setting The RAID Level
The LaCie Biggest F800 is pre-configured at RAID level 5, but it may be re-configured. The RAID level is set using the RAID Level Switch Selectors on the rear panel of the LaCie Biggest F800. The RAID level selectors consist of two switches, with four possible switch position combinations: RAID 0, 0 + 1, 5 and 5 + Hot Spare. Caution! The LaCie Biggest F800 must be powered off to change the RAID level.

Caution! If there is data on the array, changing the RAID level may lead to the loss of all of the data on the array.
Important Info: 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 Unmatched 2) Current: Rx Original: Rx i.e. the current RAID level settings of the installed disks i.e. the RAID level settings on the RAID Level Switch Selectors
Example: The RAID Level Switch Selectors are positioned to indicate a RAID 0 setting, but the disks were set earlier as a RAID 5 array, the LCD will display the following two alternating messages: 1) RAID Level Unmatched 2) Current: R5 Original: R0 In this situation, the array will not function. There are two options: 1) Shut down the LaCie Biggest F800 and re-position the RAID Level Switch Selectors to the previous RAID setting, in this case, RAID 5. 2) Re-insert the four drives, and re-create the array as a RAID 0 array. If there is any data on the disks, it will be lost during the initialization.

4.1.1. RAID 5

This is the default setting of the LaCie Biggest F800.

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Caution! In a RAID 5 array, in the event that a disk needs to be replaced, always replace the failed disk with the LaCie Biggest F800s power on. Do not turn the LaCie Biggest F800s power off; doing so may lead to the loss of the data on the array.
1) Power off the LaCie Biggest F800. 2) Move switch 1 and 2 of the RAID Level Switch Selectors to the OFF position.
4.1.2. RAID 5 + Hot Spare
Important Info: In a RAID 5 + Hot Spare array, the disk in the top Drive Bay is designated as the Hot Spare (the default setting), and the Disk Status Indicator will light in amber to indicate this configuration.
1) Power off the LaCie Biggest F800. 2) Move switch 1 of the RAID Level Switch Selectors to the OFF position. Move switch 2 of the RAID Level Switch Selectors to the ON position.
Tech Note: In the initial configuration of a RAID 5 + Hot Spare array, the top Drive Bay (Drive Bay 1) is the default Hot Spare (the Disk Status Indicator will be amber). In the event that a disk fails, the Hot Spare position will change. For example, if the disk in Drive Bay 3 fails, then the Hot Spare disk in Drive Bay 1 will be re-built and will no longer be the Hot Spare. Instead, when you place a new disk in Drive Bay 3, it will become the new Hot Spare, and will be indicated by the amber Disk Status Indicator.

4.1.3. RAID 0 ON

1) Power off the LaCie Biggest F800.

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2) Move switch 1 and 2 of the RAID Level Switch Selectors to the ON position.

4.1.4. RAID 0 + 1

Tech Note: In a RAID 0+1 array, the disks in Drive Bays 1 and 2 are one independent RAID 1 group, while the disks in Drive Bays 3 and 4 represent another independent RAID 1 group. This allows one disk from each separate RAID 1 group to fail simultaneously.
1) Power off the LaCie Biggest F800. 2) Move switch 1 of the RAID Level Switch Selectors to the ON position. Move switch 2 of the RAID Level Switch Selectors to the OFF position.

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4.2. Creating An Array
This step will initialize the array. 1) Ensure that the RAID level is correctly set and configured. 2) On each of the individual Drive Bays, pull the Drive Bay Handle to release the latch. Then slide each of the Drive Bays out from the LaCie Biggest F800 slightly.
3) Connect the power cable to the LaCie Biggest F800 and a grounded electrical outlet. 4) Turn on the LaCie Biggest F800 by pressing the Power Switch.

Step 3 Step 4

5) Slide each of the Drive Bays back into the LaCie Biggest F800, and push the Drive Bay Handles flat to lock the Drive Bays into place. Once all of the Drive Bays have been closed and locked, the LaCie Biggest F800 will check the status of the four installed disks. If all four of the disks have not been initialized before (which will be the case for the first connection of the LaCie Biggest F800), the RAID level initialization will begin automatically.

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Important Info: The initialization process is a time-intensive process and is dependent upon the size of the disks and the RAID level being initialized. For example, four, 400GB disks in a RAID 5 array could take over two hours.
If you are resetting the RAID level after having used the LaCie Biggest F800 at another RAID level, the LaCie Biggest F800 will display a warning on the LCD, asking if you are certain that you want to initialize the new RAID array. The initialization process will erase any data on the disks.
Tech Note: For a complete list of the LCD Display messages and Disk Status and Activity Indicators, please see sections 5.1. Disk Status And Activity Indicators and 5.2. LCD Display Messages. Important Info: In the event that the power is interrupted during the initialization process, the LaCie Biggest F800 will resume the initialization process from the point of interruption as soon as the power is restored.

YY/MM/DD

Menu Button 04/12/26

HH:MM 11:37 Enter Button

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4.5. Formatting And Partitioning Your LaCie Biggest F800
Before the LaCie Biggest F800 array can be fully utilized, it needs to be formatted. During this process, the array can also be customized with partitions. 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. As you format the drive, you will have the opportunity to divide the hard drive into sections, called partitions. A partition is a section of the hard drives storage capacity that is created to contain files and data. Once formatted, the actual available storage capacity varies, depending on operating environment, and is generally about 10% less than the non-formatted capacity.

File System Formats

Mac OS Extended (HFS+) for Mac OS 9.x and Mac OS 10.x NTFS for Windows 2000 and XP
4.5.1. Formatting And Partitioning Mac Users

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After having followed the steps to set the RAID level, create the array and connect the interface cable, the LaCie Biggest F800 must now be formatted and partitioned before it can be used:
Important Info: Before beginning the format and partition process, ensure that there are no warning or error messages being displayed on the LCD Display of the LaCie Biggest F800.
1) If it is not already on, power on the host computer. 2) As soon as the array is detected by your computer, it will mount to the desktop as an untitled device. 3) From Finder, use the Go menu and open the Utilities folder. Double-click on the Disk Utility program. 4) The Disk Utility dialog box will appear. Your LaCie Biggest F800 array will appear on the left-hand side, in the list of hard disks that are mounted on your system. You should see a volume that represents your internal 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 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. 7) In the Volume Information section, create a name for each partition, choose the volume format (Mac OS Extended, Mac OS Standard, MS-DOS File System or UNIX File System) and the volume size.

RAID Fail code: 0

RAID Fail code: 1 <---->
The original disk sequence is restored
5.2.3.2. Disk Failure Message LCD Display Message Disk x failed. Message cleared when. The failed disk is replaced

DISK x Fail

5.2.3.3. Fan Failure Message LCD Display Message Fan failure. xxxx rpm = the current speed of the fan Message cleared when. The failed fan is repaired or replaced

FAN Fail

xxxx rpm
5.2.3.4. RAID Configuration Error Message LCD Display Message The setting of the RAID Level Switch Selectors does not match the exisiting RAID level.

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Message cleared when. The LaCie Biggest F800 is shut down and the RAID Level Switch Selectors are re-set to their original 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 Switch Selectors are re-set to their original RAID level

RAID Level Unmatched

The setting of the RAID Level Switch Selectors does not match the exisiting RAID level.
5.2.3.5. Overheating Error Message LCD Display Message The temperature of the LaCie Biggest F800 has reached 53C. Message cleared when. The temperature drops below 53C
Temperature!! Ambient T emperatureC > 35C Over Temperature Disk Shutdown!
The temperature of the LaCie Biggest F800 has exceeded 55C.
All of the disks are shutdown and the FAN module has been replaced
5.2.4. RAID And Disk Status Messages
These messages will be displayed during one of the following processes: 5.2.4.1. Power On LCD Display Message

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Message cleared when. The LaCie Biggest F800 has completed its boot process
The LaCie Biggest F800 is being powered on.
5.2.4.2. Disk Initialization LCD Display Message Message cleared when. The LaCie Biggest F800 has completed disk initialization

Initialize Disks

The disks are spinning up.
5.2.4.3. Ready LCD Display Message Message cleared when. The LaCie Biggest F800 has completed disk initialization

Ready hh:mm

The LaCie Biggest F800 has been powered on successfully.
5.2.4.4. RAID Level LCD Display Message Displays the RAID level and capacity. Message cleared when. The Menu button is pressed

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/RS-232 port on the host computer. 3) Launch HyperTerminal: Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications > HyperTerminal. 4) The Connection Description dialog box will appear (if this is the first time that HyperTerminal has been launched, you will be prompted to enter information about your location). Enter a name that will identify the LaCie Biggest F800 connection (e.g. Biggest), and select an icon that will represent the connection. Click OK.

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5) The Connect To dialog will appear. From the Connect using: drop-down menu, select COM1 or COM2, depending on which Serial/RS-232 port you are using to connect the LaCie Biggest F800. 6) The COM Properties dialog box will appear. Set the values to the following: Bits per second: 19,200 Data bits: 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1 Flow Control: Xon/Xoff Once the values are entered, click OK. The HyperTerminal connection is now established. 7) Power on the LaCie Biggest F800 and press the ESC key on the host computers keyboard. The >>>>> prompt will appear. 8) Type in the command: download. 9) When the Enter 1 to Download Firmware is prompted, type in: 1. 10) Now, locate the updated firmware file to send. If you are using HyperTerminal, go to the Transfer menu and select Send Text File. 11) Send the firmware file as a text file. The file will start to download. 12) When the file has been downloaded, restart the LaCie Biggest F800 to finish the firmware update process. Once the LaCie Biggest F800 has finished restarting, you can view the new firmware version through the LCD Display.

7. Tech Tips

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7.1. File System Formats

7.1.1. Mac Users
Mac OS 10.x Users: You may customize the drive by reformatting and/or partitioning the drive with separate file system formats. For optimal performance in Mac OS environments, format and partition the drive as one large Mac OS Extended volume. Mac OS Extended (HFS+) 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. With HFS+, you are no longer limited by block size. MS-DOS File System (FAT 32) 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 preferable 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.

Important Info: If you will be sharing the hard drive between Mac and Windows operating environments, you will want to follow these guidelines: Mac OS X prefers that all partitions be the same format, therefore only the first FAT 32 partition is guaranteed to mount. Mac OS 10.1.x Works reliably with FAT 32 partitions less than 32GB Mac OS 10.2.x Works reliably with FAT 32 partitions less than 128GB Does not mount FAT 32 partitions greater than 128GB Mac OS 10.3.x Mounts any FAT 32 drive of any size Mounts NTFS volumes as READ-only
Tech Note: Mac OS 10.3.x Users - Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Under Panther, Apple introduced journaling to the Mac OS Extended file system, which helps protect the file systems on Mac OS volumes. When journaling is enabled, file system transactions are maintained and recorded continuously in a separate file, called a journal. In the event of an unplanned shutdown, the OS uses the journal to restore the file system. Journaling is also backward compatible, and all volumes with journaling enabled can be fully used by computers not running Mac OS 10.3.x. For more information, please visit Apples Web site.
7.1.2. File System Formats Windows Users

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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 (see the Important Info note in section 7.1.1. File System Formats - Mac Users for more information). 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 FAT 32 to NTFS, 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.

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What Are The Ideal Uses For FireWire? FireWire helped fuel a revolution for digital content creators, and was awarded a 2001 Primetime Emmy Engineering Award by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for its contribution. Due to its high bandwidth and support of both isochronous and asynchronous data delivery, FireWire has found a very successful place in both the computer and consumer electronics industries. Whether connecting game consoles, personal video recorders, home stereo equipment, digital TVs, hard drives, CD/DVD-RW drives, printers, scanners, tape drives or other digital hardware equipment, FireWire is well-suited to handle all these various requirements. With the advent of the new FireWire 800 standard, the revolution created by the original will only grow. For those working with digital video, the new standard will enable new bandwidth-intensive applications, such as multiple-stream, uncompressed, standard-definition video. Will FireWire 400 Devices Run Faster When Connected To A FireWire 800 Port? Unfortunately, this is not the case. In order to attain FireWire 800 speeds, both the device and port have to be FireWire 800 enabled. For instance, an external hard drive with a FireWire 800 9-pin connection will only reach FireWire 800 transfer rates when it is connected to a FireWire 800 9-pin host bus adapter card 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 400 speeds. Will FireWire 800 Devices Work On FireWire 400 Ports And Vice Versa? The new standard was designed to be backwards compatible, meaning that FireWire 800 devices will still operate via the original FireWire 400 port. To connect a FireWire 800 device to a FireWire 400 port, a specific adapter cable must be used, though. There are two types of FireWire 400 ports: 6-pin and 4-pin. For FireWire 800 devices to work, they must be connected by placing the 9-pin end of the FireWire cable into the FireWire 800 port of the device, and the opposite 6-pin or 4-pin end into the FireWire 400 port. The same holds true for FireWire 400 devices being connected to a FireWire 800 host port. The 4-pin or 6-pin end of the FireWire cable must be connected to the FireWire 400 port of the device, and the 9-pin end must be connected to the FireWire 800 port. When FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 devices are mixed, all transfer rates revert to the original FireWire 400 speed. What Do I Do If My Computer Does Not Have A FireWire Port? Most computers manufactured today incorporate at least one FireWire port. If your computer does not have a native port, you can install one by adding a PCI or PCMCIA host bus adapter card. Please contact your computer supply specialist for a specific card that will work with your system. For more information about the FireWire interface, please visit: www.lacie.com/technologies

9. USB Questions & Answers

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What Are The Benefits Of The USB Interfaces?
Cross-platform: Use your USB peripherals on both Mac and Windows platforms. Hot Swappable: No need to shut down or restart your computer when adding or removing a USB device. Plug it in and its ready. Automatic configuration: Once your device is connected, your computer recognizes the device and automatically configures the necessary software. Daisy-Chaining: with USB ports on your computer, you can connect up to 127 peripherals using hubs. Easy Installation: One standardized port and plug combination makes it simple to connect.
What Is The Difference Between USB And Hi-Speed USB 2.0?
The main difference is speed. The original version of the interface is capable of throughput up to 12Mb/s. Hi-Speed USB 2.0 supports data speeds up to 480 Mb/s, making it 40 times faster than its predecessor. This increased bandwidth translates into higher performance in demanding applications requiring high transfer rates.
What Are The Ideal Uses For USB?
USB is perfect for more traditional connections such as keyboards, mice, joysticks and scanners. These types of devices dont require fast data transfer rates, and operate very successfully at the slower speeds.
What Are The Ideal Applications For Hi-Speed USB 2.0?
Digital cameras, CD/DVD drives, hard drives and scanners will all benefit from the added bandwidth and performance gains of the new implementation of the USB standard. Hi-Speed USB 2.0 provides the necessary fast data transfer rates that todays devices require, and combines the earlier specifications so older devices that operated under the original USB standards will still work with Hi-Speed USB 2.0.
Will USB Devices Run Faster When Connected To A Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Bus?
Unfortunately, no. The Hi-Speed USB 2.0 specification is specifically written to allow developers to design higher speed peripherals that can take advantage of the extra bandwidth. USB devices, though, will still operate at 12Mb/s at full-speed and 1.5Mb/s at low-speed on a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 bus. Even though USB devices wont run any faster, they can work alongside Hi-Speed USB 2.0 devices on the same bus. However, if you plug in a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 device to a USB bus, the speed of the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 device will decrease to 12Mb/s.

What Is A USB Hub?

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Technically, you can connect up to 127 devices to a single USB bus. For more than two devices, though, you must make new connections using a peripheral called a "hub. A hub, which you hook up directly to a USB connector on your computer, usually has 4 or 7 output connections enabling you to connect the same number of peripherals. 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. 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.

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 peripherals will be limited to USB performance levels. There are Hi-Speed USB 2.0 hubs that are able to communicate in three modes: high-speed (480Mb/s), full-speed (12Mb/s), and low-speed (1.5Mb/s). Hi-Speed USB 2.0 is backwards compatible, so you will be able to connect USB devices to HiSpeed USB 2.0 hubs; however, the USB devices will still maintain their normal performance levels (i.e. 12 Mb/s). In order to achieve the fast data transfer rates of Hi-Speed USB 2.0, you must connect your Hi-Speed USB 2.0 device directly to a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port on either a computer or hub.
Tech 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. Only use USB cables shorter than 5 meters (approximately 15 feet). Using longer cables may cause the peripherals to malfunction due to excessive reduction in electrical signal strength.
For more information about the USB interface, please visit: www.lacie.com/technologies

10. Troubleshooting

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In the event that your LaCie Biggest F800 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 11. Contacting Customer Service for details).
Tech Note: Manual Updates LaCie is constantly striving to give you the most up-to-date, comprehensive Users 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.

12. Warranty

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LaCie warrants your LaCie Biggest F800 and Drive Bays 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 LaCie Biggest F800 and/or Drive Bay(s). This warranty is void if: The LaCie Biggest F800 was operated/stored in abnormal use or maintenance conditions; The LaCie Biggest F800 is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification or alteration is expressly authorized in writing by LaCie; The LaCie Biggest F800 was subjected to abuse, neglect, lightning strike, electrical fault, improper packaging or accident; The LaCie Biggest F800 was installed improperly; The serial number of the LaCie Biggest F800 or an individual Drive Bay is defaced or missing; The broken part is a replacement part such as a pickup tray, etc. The tamper seal on the LaCie Biggest F800 or an individual Drive Bay casing is broken. A hard disk from one of the Drive Bays was removed or replaced by someone other than a LaCie technician or 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, 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 products serial number, and you may be asked to furnish proof of purchase to confirm that the drive is still under warranty. The LaCie Biggest F800 subsystem must be securely packaged in its original box and shipped with postage prepaid. Individual Drive Bays are shipped in a separate package; please consult LaCie Customer Support or your LaCie reseller for more information on the return procedure for individual Drive Bays.