Product Manual G-RAID® with Thunderbolt™ is a high-performance, removable dual-drive RAID solution with Thunderbolt, USB and Enterprise-class hard drives.
Table of Contents Table of Contents Safety & General Use Maintenance for Your Drive Safety Precautions.......................................................4 Initialize the Drive for Mac..................................... 30 Backup Your Data.........................................................5 Restore the Drive Icon............................................. 34 Reformat with Partitions........................................ 35 About Your G-RAID with Thunderbolt Replace a Failed Drive Module.....
Safety & General Use • Safety Precautions.....................................p. 4 • Backup Your Data.......................................p.
Safety & General Use Safety Precautions G-RAID with Thunderbolt’s warranty may be void as a result of the failure to respect the precautions listed here. If you detect a problem with your drive, please contact our Technical Support department. If the product is returned with damage caused by improper handling, the warranty will be void and liability will rest with the user. Please read our Limited Warranty. • • • • • Servicing: Your drive contains no user-serviceable parts.
Safety & General Use Backup Your Data The disk drives contained in your G-RAID with Thunderbolt device are delicate electronic instruments and are susceptible to damage due to excessive physical shock. Under no circumstances will G-Technology be held liable for the recovery or restoration of lost data. Any loss, corruption or destruction of data while using a G-Technology drive is the sole responsibility of the user.
About Your G-RAID with Thunderbolt • • • • • Introduction.....................................................p. 7 What’s in the Box............................................p. 8 System Requirements..................................p. 8 Overview of the Drive..................................p. 9 Activity & Failure LED....................................p.
About Your G-RAID® with Thunderbolt™ Introduction Thank you for purchasing G-RAID with Thunderbolt from G-Technology. The G-RAID with Thunderbolt is a high-speed, low-cost RAID that provides an ideal storage solution for content creation professionals. With its unique industrial design and all-aluminum housing, G-RAID with Thunderbolt is the de facto standard for many post-production facilities worldwide. G-RAID with Thunderbolt features dual Thunderbolt 2 ports and a USB 3.0 interface.
About Your G-RAID® with Thunderbolt™ What’s in the Box The following items are included in the box: • • • • G-RAID with Thunderbolt storage solution with two removable disk drives Thunderbolt cable (compatible with Thunderbolt 2 & 1 ports) USB cable (3.0; backward compatible with USB 2.0 ports) External AC power supply and cable If any items are missing, please contact G-Technology at support@g-technology.com or call (888) 426-5214.
About Your G-RAID® with Thunderbolt™ Overview of the Drive The following diagram shows the helpful features of your G-RAID with Thunderbolt. The compact and quiet G-RAID with Thunderbolt features two removable HGST Enterpriseclass 7200 RPM SATA III hard drives. It has a uniquely designed all-aluminum enclosure with an activity/failure LED in the front panel. The rear panel features a Kensington® security slot, dual Thunderbolt 2 ports (daisy chain up to 5 peripherals), a high-speed USB 3.
About Your G-RAID® with Thunderbolt™ Power, Activity and Failure LEDs G-RAID with Thunderbolt contains LEDs for power, drive activity and drive failure. The “G” LED on the front panel of the enclosure indicates Power (White) or RAID Failure (Red). There are also Drive Activity LEDs and Drive Failure LEDs located on the drive modules. The following table explains the meaning of each combination of LEDs on the drive.
Using Your Drive on Mac • Easy Installation for Mac..........................p. 12 • Optimize Performance.............................p. 12 • Use With Time Machine...........................p. 13 • Disconnect the Drive................................p.
Using Your Drive on Mac® Easy Installation for Mac G-RAID with Thunderbolt attaches to your computer via a Thunderbolt or USB 3.0 port. Connect the power cord to the unit and plug the other end into a surge protector or wall outlet. Press and hold the power button until the unit turns on. The drive will automatically mount on the desktop if you are running Mac OS X. Kensington® Security Slot Thunderbolt Ports DC In On/Off Switch USB 3.
Using Your Drive on Mac® Use with Time Machine® Your G-RAID with Thunderbolt can be easily used as a backup drive via Time Machine when connected to a Mac. Time Machine is an application that ships with your Mac and provides automatic file backup. The following steps will quickly set up G-RAID with Thunderbolt as a Time Machine backup location. When you attach your G-RAID with Thunderbolt for the first time, the Time Machine dialog box should automatically appear. Click the Use as Backup Disk button.
Using Your Drive on Mac® In the subsequent dialog box, select the G-RAID with Thunderbolt. Click the Use Disk button. Make sure the Time Machine switch is set to ON. You can set its options by clicking the Options button. Do this to choose volumes, folders, or files you do NOT want to backup. G-RAID with Thunderbolt will now backup your important files automatically with Time Machine. It’s really that easy! p.
Using Your Drive on Mac® Disconnect the Drive A great feature of G-RAID with Thunderbolt is its ability to connect and disconnect while your computer is running. To prevent failures and/or data loss, it is important to follow the steps below when disconnecting or “unmounting” the drive from your computer. 1. Before powering down and disconnecting the drive, unmount the system by dragging the G-RAID with Thunderbolt icon to the trash located in the dock.
Using RAID Modes • Supported RAID Modes.......................................................... p. 17 • G-Technology Assistant Utility............................................. p. 18 • G-Technology Assistant Menu ............................................. p. 19 • G-RAID with Thunderbolt Configuration Utility............. p. 20 • Configure the RAID Mode for Mac...................................... p. 21 • RAID 1 Degraded Mode and Rebuild for Mac................. p.
Using RAID Modes Supported RAID Modes G -RAID with Thunderbolt is preconfigured in RAID 0 (Performance) mode, for use with Mac OS systems. The drive can also be configured in RAID 1 (Protected) mode or JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) mode. The following table explains the advantages and disadvantages for each RAID level. RAID Level Description Advantage Disadvantage Ideal For RAID 0 Disk Striping Highest read/write performance. Storage capacity is 100% utilized. No fault tolerance.
Using RAID Modes G-Technology Assistant Utility The G-Technology Assistant (GTA) utility was created to enhance the user experience of G-Technology storage solutions such as G-RAID with Thunderbolt. The utility has two functions: 1) to provide notifications of the G-RAID with Thunderbolt status and the current drive configuration, and 2) to quickly launch the G-RAID with Thunderbolt RAID Configuration Utility. The GTA is available for download from www.g-technology.com/support.
Using RAID Modes G-Technology Assistant Menu There are helpful menu items in the G-Technology Assistant (GTA) utility. Once G-Technology Assistant has been successfully installed, the utility’s “G” icon will appear in your menu bar. By selecting this icon, the G-Technology Assistant menu will appear. Unmount All Volumes: Unmounts supported G-Technology drives attached to the system. You will need to confirm your selection prior to unmounting the drives. Disk Utility: Opens the Disk Utility application.
Using RAID Modes The RAID Configuration Utility The G-RAID with Thunderbolt RAID Configurator is used to change the RAID level of your G-RAID with Thunderbolt. You can use any of the two Thunderbolt 2 ports or USB 3.0 port in your G-RAID with Thunderbolt with the RAID Configurator application. To configure GRAID with Thunderbolt, it will need to be the only device connected to your computer. The RAID Configurator utility is available for download from the G-Technology website at www.g-technology.
Using RAID Modes Configure the RAID Mode for Mac You can easily configure G-RAID with Thunderbolt’s RAID mode with the following steps. Important Note: Changing the RAID level will erase all data on the drive. Be sure all of the data and files you want to save are backed up to separate media. 1. In the G-RAID with Thunderbolt Configuration Utility, click on the Configure button. A dialog window will pop up with three options for configuring your disk set, as shown below.
Using RAID Modes 4. A new window will appear to inform you that the configuration is successful. An Initialization dialog should appear or there is a Disk Utility button which you can open the Disk Utility window to initialize your disk. Select Done to close the configuration utility. 5. Changing the RAID mode of G-RAID with Thunderbolt will require you to re-initialize the disk with the Disk Utility application. The Disk Insertion dialog below should appear.
Using RAID Modes NOTE: If the Disk Insertion dialog does not appear, go to Application > Utilities and open the Disk Utility program. Once Disk Utility is open, you are ready to initialize and partition G-RAID with Thunderbolt for use with Mac OS. RAID 1 Degraded Mode and Rebuild for Mac If your G-RAID with Thunderbolt is in RAID 1 configuration and either a single drive failure occurs or if a member of the RAID 1 set is removed, then the active drive will operate in degraded mode.
Using RAID Modes 2. The Rebuild button will become ENABLED at this point so that you have the option to rebuild the RAID 1 set. 3. To rebuild the RAID 1 set, please insert a new drive in place of the failed or removed drive. Note: While replacing the failed drive make sure the G-RAID with Thunderbolt is powered off. If this new drive is not formatted then the Disk Utility function will automatically launch, allowing you to format the drive.
Using RAID Modes RAID Configuration Utility for Windows The RAID Configurator is used to change the RAID level of your G-RAID with Thunderbolt. You can use any of the two Thunderbolt 2 ports on your G-RAID with Thunderbolt with the RAID Configurator application. To configure G-RAID with Thunderbolt, it will need to be the only device connected to your computer. The RAID Configurator utility is available for download from the G-Technology website at www.g-technology.com/support.
Using RAID Modes 2. Select your desired configuration with the RAID 0 (Performance), RAID 1 (Protected), or JBOD radio buttons. Then click the Configure button to continue. 3. Two warning windows will appear, both letting you know that the following step will erase all of your data. Click the Continue and OK buttons to configure. p.
Using RAID Modes 4. A new window will appear to inform you that the configuration is in progress. The next window will confirm that your G-RAID with Thunderbolt is configured in RAID 0, RAID 1, or JBOD mode. 5. Changing the RAID mode of G-RAID will require you to re-initialize the disk. For helpful information on initialization of your drive with Windows using the Disk Management, please visit www.g-technology.com/windows. p.
Using RAID Modes RAID 1 Rebuild for Windows If your G-RAID with Thunderbolt is in RAID 1 configuration and either a single drive failure occurs or if a member of the RAID 1 set is removed, then the active drive will operate in degraded mode. 1. In the case of a degraded mode, if the G-RAID Configuration Utility is launched, then the RAID status will show as degraded in the information window as shown in the image below. 2.
Maintenance for Your Drive • Initialize the Drive for Mac......................p. 30 • Restore the Drive Icon..............................p. 34 • Reformat with Partitions..........................p. 36 • Replace a Failed Drive Module..............p.
Maintenance for Your Drive Initialize the Drive for Mac G-RAID with Thunderbolt is factory formatted or “initialized” for use with Mac OS. You can follow these steps to reinitialize your drive if you would like to quickly erase the contents of the drive. 1. Open the Disk Utility application. Disk Utility is located on your hard drive under Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility. The window below will appear. Your G-RAID with Thunderbolt will be displayed in the left column. 2.
Maintenance for Your Drive 4. Choose the Format option you prefer. • • Mac OS Extended (Journaled): This basic File System format is intended for generally formatted drives including Time Machine backup and creating separate bootable Disk Images. Mac OS Extended Case-sensitive and Encryption options: The Case-sensitive option treats file names that are the same but with different cases as different while the Encryption option adds an additional layer of security for your personal files. p.
Maintenance for Your Drive 5. Click the Erase button in the lower-right corner of the window. A dialog box will appear asking if you want to erase the G-RAID with Thunderbolt partition. WARNING: THIS NEXT STEP WILL ERASE ALL DATA ON YOUR DRIVE. 6. Click the Erase button to continue. A progress bar in the lower-right corner of the window will show the progress of the disk’s reformatting process. p.
Maintenance for Your Drive 7. After the drive is re-initialized, you should automatically see the Time Machine dialog box. • • Click the Use as Backup Disk button if you want to use the drive with Time Machine. Click the Don’t Use or Decide Later buttons if you do not want to use Time Machine at this point. 8. Quit the Disk Utility program. After you reinitialize the drive, the custom icon for G-RAID with Thunderbolt will be erased. You can optionally restore this icon with the steps on the next page.
Maintenance for Your Drive Restore the Drive Icon If the G-RAID with Thunderbolt drive icon was erased during the configuration process (see the previous section), you can restore the icon with the following easy steps. NOTE: This process is not required for the operation of the G-RAID with Thunderbolt. However, it will make your drive’s appearance on the computer desktop look cleaner and more accurate. 1. T o get the G-Technology icon package, go to www.g-technology.
Maintenance for Your Drive 4. Select the default G-RAID with Thunderbolt drive icon on your desktop and press Command+I. This opens the Get Info window (below left). 5. Select the default icon in the Get Info window (below left). 6. Press Command+V to paste the custom G-RAID with Thunderbolt icon into the Get Info window (below right). The icon for your G-RAID with Thunderbolt has been restored and you can close the Get Info window. Your drive is now ready for use! p.
Maintenance for Your Drive Reformat with Partitions Partitioning a hard drive is the process of dividing a hard drive into separate, discrete sections called volumes. Each volume works like a separate disk. You can create up to 16 different partitions on a hard drive in Mac OS X, and each partition can be a different size and format. With hard drives getting bigger, it is useful to partition your hard drive so you can use sections of its space for different purposes.
Maintenance for Your Drive 2. Select your drive icon — not the indented drive icon, by clicking it in the left column. 3. Click on the Partition button in the main window. p.
Maintenance for Your Drive 4. Select the number of partitions you would like from the Partition Layout menu. Below, we have selected “2 Partitions” to create two partitions. p.
Maintenance for Your Drive 5. Click on the first partition in the Partition Layout area. Your partition will be in a white box surrounded by blue lines. • • • In the Name field, type a name for the partition. From the Format menu, choose your desired disk format. If you will use your drive primarily on Mac OS, it is recommended to use Mac OS Extended (Journaled). For details about formats, go here. In the Size field, type in a size for the partition.
Maintenance for Your Drive 8. Click on the Partition button to continue. A progress bar in the lower-right corner of the window will show you the progress of the disk’s reformatting. 9. When partitioning is complete, the multiple partitions will be displayed in the left panel of Disk Utility. 10. Quit the Disk Utility program. After re-initializing the drive, the custom icon for the G-Technology drive has been erased.
Maintenance for Your Drive Replace a Failed Drive Module The internal components of G-RAID with Thunderbolt continually monitor the health of each of its disk drives. In the event of a drive failure, a visual alarm will appear. Read more in Activity and Failure LEDs. RAID 0: If G-RAID with Thunderbolt was configured in RAID 0 (Performance) mode, a drive failure will result in data loss. RAID 1: If G-RAID with Thunderbolt is configured as RAID 1, a single drive failure will not result in data loss.
Maintenance for Your Drive 4. If G-RAID with Thunderbolt was set up in RAID 1 mode, the unit will begin rebuilding data on the drive. During this process, the activity LED will indicate data access. The rebuild time is approximately two hours per terabyte. 5. Once the rebuild process is complete, G-RAID with Thunderbolt is back to normal and once again protecting your valuable data. Furthermore, the drive LED light will return to a solid white light visually indicating a healthy RAID 1 set.
Using Your Drive on Windows • Windows Use...............................................p. 44 • Cross Platform Use.....................................p.
Using Your Drive on Windows® Windows Use G-RAID with Thunderbolt is set up at the factory for use with Mac OS systems. A simple initialization will prepare your drive for use with Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 systems. For helpful information on configuring and using your drive with Windows, please visit g-technology.com/support. Cross Platform Use You can set up G-RAID with Thunderbolt for use on both Windows and Mac systems by formatting the drive as ‘ExFAT’.
Using Your Drive on Windows® 4. Select ExFAT File System from the Format pop-up menu. This will format to ExFAT. NOTE: You may need to rename the drive because ExFAT does not support more than 11 letters in the drive name. WARNING: THIS NEXT STEP WILL ERASE ALL DATA ON YOUR DRIVE. 5. Click the Erase button in the lower right corner of the window. A dialog box will appear asking if you want to erase the G-RAID with Thunderbolt partition. p.
Using Your Drive on Windows® 6. Click the Erase button in the pop-up dialog box. A progress bar in the lower right corner of the window will show the progress of the disk’s reformatting. Your drive will be formatted to its full capacity as ExFAT. 7. Quit the Disk Utility program. You are finished! 8. After reinitializing, the custom icon for the G-RAID with Thunderbolt will be erased. With this format, you will be able to read/write on Windows and on Mac OS machines. p.
Support & Warranty • Technical Support......................................p. 48 • Limited Warranty........................................p. 49 • Copyright......................................................p.
Support & Warranty Technical Support Thank you for purchasing G-RAID with Thunderbolt. If you have any comments or questions about this manual or the product, please let us know! As a valued customer, G-Technology strives to provide you with the finest products and support. If you encounter any difficulties while installing or using your G-RAID with Thunderbolt, our Tech Support team members will gladly assist your at: www.g-technology.com/support.
Support & Warranty Limited Warranty Limited Warranty HGST, a Western Digital Company including G-Technology for External Hard Disk Drives. What does this limited warranty cover? This Limited Warranty applies to new HGST products purchased from an authorized HGST dealer by the original purchaser for normal use and not for resale. HGST warrants that a covered product is free from defects in materials and workmanship, with the exceptions stated below.
Support & Warranty What must you do? If you are having trouble with a product, before seeking limited warranty service, first follow the troubleshooting procedures that HGST or your reseller provides. To obtain limited warranty service, you must first obtain a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) and ship-to address by contacting G-Technology at http://www.g-technology.com/support. Please follow the instructions found on the website.
Support & Warranty CAPACITY DEFINITION AND DISCLAIMER For G-Technology products 1TB or greater: “One gigabyte (GB) is equal to one billion bytes and one terabyte (TB) equals 1,000 GB (one trillion bytes). Accessible capacity will vary from the stated capacity due to formatting and partitioning of the hard drive, the computer’s operating system, and other factors.” For G-Technology products less than 1TB: “One gigabyte (GB) is equal to one billion bytes when referring to hard drive capacity.
