EXTERNAL 2.5” IDE & SATA HARD DRIVE ENCLOSURE USER MANUAL w w w . v a n t e c u s a .
Package Contents: NexStar 3 External 2.5” HDD Enclosure: • Driver CD • User Manual • NexStar 3 External 2.5“ HDD Enclosure • USB/Power Cable • eSATA Cable (NST-260SU only) • SATA-eSATA Adapter Bracket (NST-260SU only) • Screws • Pouch/Carrying Bag TRADEMARKS MS-DOS, Microsoft, Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ME/XP are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Apple, Macintosh and Mac are trademarks of Apple Computer *All other third-party brands and names are the property of their respective owners.
Table of Contents: 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... pg. 2 2. Specifications/Features NexStar 3 External 2.5” HDD Enclosure ............................................................................... pg. 3 3. System Requirements .................................................................................................................... pg. 4 4. Parts Layout NexStar 3 External 2.
1. Introduction: Form and functionality collide with style in the NexStar 3 External Hard Drive Enclosure from Vantec. With its mirror finish, sleek curves and bold colors, the Vantec NexStar 3 stands out from the crowd. The sturdy drive cage protects your hard drive while the aluminum case effectively draws away the heat, protecting your drive from overheating. The NexStar 3 utilizes USB 2.0, offering speeds up to 480Mbps or SATA with speed up to 3Gbps.
2. Specifications/Features: NexStar 3 External 2.5” IDE HDD Enclosure (NST-260U2): Specifications: • Interface: IDE to USB 2.0 • Dimensions: 134mm x 80mm x 25mm Features: • Aluminum housing cools down your hard drive • Transfer rates of up to 12Mbps with USB 1.1 • Transfer rates of up to 480Mbps with USB 2.0 • Easily add storage to any system with USB • Hot-swappable: Plug and play without rebooting! • Attractive blue LED indicates power/HDD activity NexStar 3 External 2.
3. System Requirements: • • • • • • Intel Pentium II 350MHz-compatible or Apple G3 processor and greater Microsoft Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP or Mac OS 8.6 and greater USB-equipped system USB port, internal SATA port, or eSATA port For USB 2.0 speeds, the system must support USB 2.
4. Parts Layout: NexStar 3 External 2.
5. Installation: NexStar 3 External 2.5” HDD Enclosure: 5.1. Hardware Installation: Preparing the NexStar 3: 1) Remove the side of the NexStar 3 with the power and USB connection ports. If it has previously been screwed in place, remove the screws first. 2) Carefully slide out hard drive caddy. NST-260U2 NST-260SU Installing the hard drive in the NexStar 3: 1) Connect the 2.5” hard drive to the IDE connector (NST-260U2) or SATA/Power connector (NST-260SU).
2) Secure the hard drive to the hard drive caddy by screwing it in place throught he back of the caddy. 3) Insert the hard drive caddy back into the NexStar 3 housing as pictured below. Besure to align the caddy with the guides within the housing. 4) Secure the caddy to the housing using the screws provided. See picture below.
Connecting the NexStar 3 to your computer: 1) Connect both USB-A connectors of the included USB/Power cable to two different USB ports on your computer. USB is used to power the drive. The second USB connection is to provide additional power if the drive needs it. 2) NST-260SU only: If you are using eSATA, connect the eSATA cable from your computer to the enclosure (if your computer does not have an eSATA port, connect the eSATA/SATA adapter bracket to an available SATA port).
NST-260SU only:If this is the first time you use NexStar 3,you have to run [98se.exe] from install CD before you connect NexStar 3 to your computer Mac OS 9.0 or later: 1) No drivers are necessary when using Mac OS 9.0 or later. If the hard drive does not appear on the desktop, be sure to partition your hard drive. Mac OS 8.6: 1) Unplug the NexStar 3 if you currently have it connected. 2) USB Mass Storage Support 1.3.5 must be installed on your system.
6. Disconnecting the NexStar 3: NexStar 3 External 2.5” HDD Enclosure: Warning: NEVER remove the NexStar 3 while the hard drive is in use. Doing so may corrupt the data on the hard drive or damage the hard drive, NexStar 3, or computer. Windows 98SE/ME/XP/2000: 1) Make sure all operations using the hard drive within the NexStar 3 have ceased. 2) Close any windows and programs pertaining to the NexStar 3.
7. Creating A New Partition: Note: Most hard drives should come with a CD that includes its installation program. If not, a download should be available on the manufacturers website. The best way to partition a new hard drive is by using the manufacturers program.
Mac OS X 10.x.x: Initializing a Hard Drive: If you are using a new hard drive, you may need to initialize it first. You can initialize your internal hard drive using a program called Drive Setup, which is on the Mac OS CD that came with your computer. 1. Start up your computer from the Mac OS CD. 2. Locate the Utilities folder on the Mac OS CD and double-click it to open the folder. 3. Double-click the Drive Setup icon to open the program. 4. In the list of drives, select the drive you want to initialize.
Mac OS X 10.x.x: Formatting a Hard Drive: 1. Start the Disk Utility tool (under Applications) 2. Select the new hard drive you are trying to install 3. Click on the “Erase” tab 4. Choose a volume format and assign a name to the new drive. 5. Click on Erase. 6. Once complete, your new hard drive should be mounted on your desktop. Note: If the hard drive will not mount on your system, format the drive with a FAT32 or NTFS partition first through a PC system.
8. Troubleshooting/FAQ: NexStar 3 External 2.5” HDD Enclosure: Q. What are the specifications for the power adapter if I need one? A. The power adapter should be 5V and a minimum of 1A. The connector is center positive. Q. My computer recognizes the NexStar 3, but it does not assign a drive letter to it. A. You are probably using a brand new hard drive. If not, then your computer may not be able to recognize the partition on the hard drive because it is damaged or not a valid format.
Q. Why can’t Windows 98SE read my hard drive? It works with Windows XP/2000. A. Windows 98SE cannot recognize the NTFS file system. If you wish to use the device with Windows XP/2000 and Windows 98SE, you need to format the drive as FAT32. Q. Why can’t I copy files larger than 4GB onto my NexStar 3? A. You have probably formatted the hard drive in the FAT32 file system. FAT32 limits the file sizes to 4GB maximum. The NTFS file system does not have this limitation. Q.
9. Warranty: The NexStar 3 comes with a 1 year limited warranty (90 day parts). If your unit should become defective within that time frame, please go to http://www.vantecusa.com for information on how to receive warranty exchange or repair. Cosmetic defects and missing parts are not covered under this warranty. Please check the contents of the unit to make sure you received all parts. Also, check for any cosmetic flaws.
